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Alexandria artist Kathryn Keller is presenting “Poignant Gestures” at the Centenary College’s Meadows Museum of Art in Shreveport this spring.
—Submitted Photo

Meadows Museum of Art at Centenary opens exhibits

SHREVEPORT — Art lovers will have a diverse collection of exhibits to visit this spring at Centenary College’s Meadows Museum of Art. Two Louisiana artists will present solo exhibitions while Meadows Museum director Heather F. Wetzel and Centenary art professor Shea Hembrey have joined forces to curate a gallery of their own original pieces. A selection of works from the Meadows’ permanent collection completes the spring 2020 offerings.
An opening reception for the spring shows will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Jan. 23. The reception is free and open to the public.
The Friends of the Meadows, a philanthropic affinity group supporting the Museum, will host a private reception for new members from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. For information on supporting the Meadows Museum through the Friends of the Meadows, visit themeadowsmuseum.com/friends.
Alexandria artist Kathryn Keller is presenting “Poignant Gestures” at the Meadows this spring, a collection of her work on paper and canvas. Keller uses a variety of drawing and painting media to capture interior and exterior scenes that often stir a sense of longing, many of which are drawn from her travels to places near and far.
“Often I have to lose the image in order to find it again,” Keller has written about her work. “I focus on shape and color relationships. If I manage to capture the poignancy of a gesture or of the expression in the eyes, I am happy.”
“Gone But Forgotten” is photographer Melanie Parent’s contribution to the Meadows’ spring exhibit offerings. Parent, a native of Northwest Louisiana, has turned to photography as a way to overcome the fear and anxiety she felt for years when leaving her home. After her husband gave her a camera as a gift, Parent found herself venturing out of her home in order to revisit and explore cherished places from her youth. In the process, she has entered new territory – both literally and figuratively – as she talks to the people she encounters, gathering histories and tales of the land she explores.
“I want people to see things that they see every day in a different way,” explains Parent about her work. “I want to evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing for something forgotten and precious.”
Parent will host an open conversation about her work from 6-8 p.m. on March 5 at the Museum.
Wetzel and Hembrey have created “Nice to Meet Ya!” in one of the museum’s upstairs galleries. New studio art professor Hembrey’s art practice questions reality. Currently, he is beginning an interdisciplinary project on possible unfolding futures.
“Nice to Meet Ya!” includes selections from three series that explore physics, dark matter, and cosmic structure. Wetzel is an artist working primarily with historic photographic processes, hand papermaking, and books arts. Her practice is a contemplation of life in the 21st century and examines current social concerns while using a variety of materials and methods.
Finally, “A Sense of Place: Selections from the Collection,” will showcase a rotating selection of work from the Museum’s permanent collection chosen by both Wetzel and the spring 2020 Meadows student interns. The interns will be responsible for creating written text for the exhibit, interpreting the pieces according to their own understanding of the concept of “a sense of place.”
The spring 2020 exhibits at the Meadows run through April 18. For more information, visit themeadowsmuseum.com.
About the Meadows Museum of Art
The Meadows Museum of Art is located on the campus of Centenary College of Louisiana at 2911 Centenary Boul-evard in Shreveport. The Museum is free and open to the public Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Museum is closed on Sundays and during all school holidays. For more information or to schedule field trips, call the Museum at 318-869-5040.

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