Ocean Springs jewel: The Mary C. O'Keefe Cultural Center of Arts and Education

The Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center of Arts and Education sits a few blocks east of Washington Avenue, the main street visited by many tourists in Ocean Springs, Miss. Yet the Mary C., as it is known locally, could well be considered the heart and soul of the art shops, restaurants and other attractions on Washington and elsewhere on the Gulf Coast. Within its walls wait hundreds of opportunities each year for shopping, learning and entertainment. Whether you’re looking for education, music, food or just beautiful art, the Mary C. can fill the bill.

The stately building was constructed in 1927 as the Ocean Springs Public School building. Named for the first female public school superintendent in Mississippi, it honors her legacy as a progressive educator and provides a center for arts and classes of all kinds.

The building alone is worth a visit. It has earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places. A loving restoration which began as a dream in 1998 has become a reality, thanks to the efforts of the Friends of the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center. The architectural features of the structure have been preserved as much as possible and more modern decorative additions have kept the art deco flavor of the original period.

Besides the historic interest of the building, the Mary C. houses the Ocean Springs Historic Museum. Visitors can follow the history of the area through displays, artifacts and documents of the Ocean Springs area. Admission is free.

The Duckett Gallery offers a spacious two room art gallery with exhibitions of meaning to the area. Local artists as well as artists who create locally-themed art have been on display in the gallery. Exhibits are open to the public at no charge. Drawing, painting, ceramics and sculpture are among the media which might be found in any given show. Check the website for the current exhibit theme and artist.

What was once a school auditorium now houses the Trent Lott Performing Arts Theater, a stage for productions in many categories. Concerts, plays, ballet, recitals and more are offered in the modernized yet charming theater. With over 380 seats, the site can accommodate many types of events. The playbill changes regularly, so check ahead. The theater can be rented for private functions, as well.

Other facilities include the Scharr-Ello Studio, a professional-grade audio and video recording studio; visual arts room; performing arts room and many community gathering rooms throughout the building.

Best of all, the Mary C.’s ever-changing spectrum of classes means educational tourists will find opportunities for a meaningful vacation. Learn to spin yarn from alpaca wool, cook a gourmet meal, throw pottery, draw human figures, act, dance like a Broadway hoofer or paint -- these subjects and more show up on the classroom schedule at the Mary C. What’s happening during your vacation? Check the website or email the facility for the latest information.

Other events at the Mary C. include the Ocean Springs Art and Antiques Market, held on the first Saturday of the month. The grounds became a bazaar, with food, art and antiques available up and down the campus. Admission is free.

Remember, admission to the building, the Ocean Springs Historic Museum and the Duckett Gallery are free. Classes and performances have fees attached, with Mary C. members receiving a discounted price in many cases. Visit the website, subscribe to the newsletter or follow the Facebook page for the latest offerings.

The Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center of Arts and Education

600 Government Street

Ocean Springs, MS 39564

Originally appeared 08/05/2014 at http://www.examiner.com/article/ocean-springs-jewel-the-mary-c-o-keefe-cultural-center-of-arts-and-education

Art exhibits to enjoy during your visit to Mardi Gras

Although visitors come to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, there’s a lot more to the Crescent City than parades and partying. Take time to enjoy the museums and free venues for art around town for a delightful change of pace. Beyond the art galleries in the French Quarter, visitor can find many artistic treasures in the city. Check venue hours during the hectic days of the Carnival season to avoid disappointment. Here are a few to get you started.

Jackson Square

The artists surrounding Jackson Square present a colorful introduction to the New Orleans art scene. The eclectic genres available assure something for everyone. Browse along fence to see the work of up to two hundred artists, operating on licenses granted by the city. Looking is free, and visitors might find the perfect piece to purchase as a souvenir of the visit.

Woldenberg Park

Across Decatur Street from the square, climb the steps to the Riverwalk and turn right along the path to visit another free venue, Woldenberg Park, sixteen acres of green space and art leading toward Canal Street. The park operates under the auspices of the Audubon Foundation which also operates the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, among other attractions. Sculptures and mobiles dot the park, giving art lovers an open-air viewing experience along the bank of the Mississippi River. Watch river traffic glide by for a glimpse of reality art in motion.

Dutch Alley

Tucked away behind the buildings lining Decatur Street at Dumaine, a circular fountain hosts a band in silhouette. The characters captured there welcome visitors to Dutch Alley, a combination of open-air art exhibit and art gallery. Step into the alley and meet Jacques the Butcher by Eric Kaposta, who greets visitors entering the Alley.

Ogden Museum of Southern Art

Go beyond the boundaries of the French Quarter and into the Warehouse District to enjoy art created by a wide spectrum of southern artists. The Ogden Museum of Southern Art boasts multiple floors of paintings, drawings, sculptures, photography and installation art. The reasonable admission fee coupled with the variety of artists makes the O an excellent destination for any art lover. The Confederate Museum next door will interest history buffs.

Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans

Stroll across the street from the Ogden Museum to reach the Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans and another reason to love the Camp Street museum corridor. Park once for access to both art centers, plus the National World War II Museum.

New Orleans Museum of Art and Besthoff Sculpture Garden

Venture out of the French Quarter and Central Business District for a visit to a New Orleans legacy, the New Orleans Museum of Art. Although the traditional museum facility requires an admission fee, the stunning open air Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at NOMA does not. More than sixty sculptures dot the peaceful garden, including the iconic Hercules the Archer which stood at the main entrance to the museum for decades.

Originally appeared on 02/24/14 at http://www.examiner.com/article/art-exhibits-to-enjoy-during-your-visit-to-mardi-gras

Create an etching with artist Cathey December

When native Louisiana artist Cathey December shares one of her prints, she’s sharing the results of hours of labor compressed onto a piece of paper. Her limited edition, hand-tinted images depict Southern life and culture with depth and texture. From her home and studio on the banks of a bayou near Slidell, December etches, inks, presses and paints the scenes.

To get to the finished plate, ready to print, December follows a centuries old craft. While she can create nearly any size plate in any image she can visualize, the technique remains consistent.

December coats the plate with ground, the substance that resists erosion by the acid bath. She then removes ground from the areas she wishes the acid to etch. She can influence how much etching takes place by the depth of the ground that she leaves on the plate or removes from it. The plate may make several trips to the acid bath as the image is refined.

Once the plate is ready, it must be inked. The ink is spread across the entire plate, the removed from everything but the etched image. December uses a variety of tools to spread the ink and clear the excess, from an old credit card to soft cloth.

Each etched plate has a template to match, showing the positions of the plate and the paper as well as any additional patterning objects December uses. Here, she adds an alligator footprint to the etching of the alligator.

The inked plate takes its position on the template. By matching the lines on the template, December assures consistency in her prints even though the final hand painting makes each a one-of-a-kind part of the series.

December dampens the paper and blots it before positioning it on the template. She uses paper in sizes that will fit commercial frames to allow her customers to get less expensive framing of her finished prints.

December’s press was custom built for her. The heavy equipment survived Hurricane Katrina and was back in service with some minor clean up and repairs. The white shapes draping the top of the press are special woolen blankets which go over the plate and paper during the printing process.

As the plate and paper go through the press, the ink is forced from the details of the etching onto the paper. The edges of the plate and any decorative items December has added are also embossed onto the paper at the same time.

The page emerges from the blankets and press as a sandwich of sorts, an artistic Panini waiting to be enjoyed as a finished product. The outlines of the plate and the footprint show through the paper in relief.

December then peels the finished print from the plate and template. Now the image must dry for several days before she can hand-tint the final product. Once the drying process is completed, she’ll paint, sign and number the prints. Rows of prints dry on tables in December’s studio, future collectors’ art in an infant stage. Each page must be completely dry before it can be painted, signed and numbered, or the image may smear.

Alligator footprints, mesh work and other decorative backgrounds give additional detail to December’s prints. Her artistic image leads her to experiment with a number of textures in her work.

The dried prints move into December’s house where she hand colors each one. The final print features the name of the image, the print’s number in the limited series and her signature. The “imp” under her name affirms that the print is indeed her work.

The framed finished product adds a touch of Louisiana atmosphere to any household. Her work is available in a number of galleries throughout the South as well as the nation.             

Originally appeared 09/16/2013 at http://exm.nr/182MgJb