Work at exhibition inspired by City that Care Forgot
COMFORT — Those attending the Comfort Arts Festival Sept. 19 might want to stop by MixHaus Gallery for lagniappe –– “a little something extra.”
The annual festival runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include featured artist Douglas Galloway from Austin, whose current exhibition, “Lagniappe,” hangs on the walls of MixHaus, 716 High St. Pronounced “lan-yap,” the Cajun French phrase — which means an unexpected bonus — comes from the time Galloway spent in New Orleans perfecting his craft.
“It’s a term we use where, say you’re going to the baker and you got 12 croissants, and then you get home and there’s 13 croissants. Well, he gave you a ‘lagniappe,’” Galloway said.
The artist was on hand for the exhibit’s opening reception Aug. 29, where it was revealed he will be featured at the Sept. 19 annual art show and sale along the streets of downtown.
More than two dozen artists will set up shop in front of and within several businesses.
“I work in a series. So when I start something, it’s always with an idea, and I can’t do just one, I paint multiple,” Galloway said. “‘Lagniappe’ is all based on the idea of New Orleans and I’ve had this in my head for years and years, I just didn’t know how it was going to come out.” He chose to represent the color combinations of the smaller cottages and smaller homes of the Crescent City.
Drawing from Galloway’s years living in The City that Care Forgot during his 20s and 30s, the collection reflects how a place can become part of a person through color, music, architecture, community and everyday experience.
He did a study of the homes in the different neighborhoods, “photographed them and then came home and did abstracted work inspired by that,” he said.
The series started “with heavy body paper, big rolls of it, then I paint on them multiple layers,” Galloway said.
The layers take several days to dry before he continues.
“Once I felt like I’ve built up the layers that I want for this particular piece I’m working on, then I’ll cut it up, then I recollage it down to be in whatever I’m looking for,” he said.
The last step is to layer the work with beeswax, brush it on hot and then “torch it down” so it seeps into all the pigments.
“I kind of start from one side and kind of work my way toward the other,” he said.
He added, “I’ve taken photos of homes in New Orleans for years and years and years, so finally being able to pull them, some are as recent as three months ago.”
“Lagniappe” features 39 pieces, created from 13 homes; a large, a medium and a small piece, all similar in representation of the one home linked to that color, architectural style and presence transformed into images by brushstrokes, Galloway said.
The exhibit is the first time he’s had photos to accompany the artwork.
“It’s nice for the viewer to be able to see my inspiration, have a ‘sneak peek’ into my mind, and where I start from,” he said.
“Lagniappe” will be featured through Sept. 27.
“‘Lagniappe’ is all based on the idea of New Orleans.”
— Douglas Galloway
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