"The Air-Conditioned Civic" by Emily Brodnax

In February, The Ouachita River Art Gallery features the black and white fine arts photography show The Mystique Of New Orleans by local photographer (and “semi-retired” pharmacist) Emily B. Brodnax. This artist has centered her show around treasures, usual and unusual, seen and rarely seen, found in New Orleans on two recent trips there. Emily continues to create her images using the increasingly lost art of gelatin silver prints in a “wet” darkroom on archival paper. She expresses a sincere love for the entire photo taking/printmaking process and says that photography is an art and not to be dismissed by those who fail to recognize the magic created in the darkroom.

Emily says, “As humans, we sometimes look without seeing, and take the familiar for granted. I invite anyone who loves Louisiana’s largest city to come view these prints and try to place them, in their minds, before reading the title cards and descriptions.”

Emily began to pursue her interest in photography in the 1980’s and immediately began to win local and national competitions. Her prints have been accepted worldwide with many “Best of Show” or “Gold Medal” awards earned and prints published in the PSA Journal. Six of her prints have been winners in The Louisiana Office of Tourism’s Travel Photo Contest, winning the Grand Prize in 1996. Her award winning prints have been published in Louisiana Life Magazine.

The Ouachita River Art Gallery, 308 Trenton Street, West Monroe, Louisiana invites you to see Emily’s show during the month of February. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Emily’s work can also be seen at ORAG’s extension gallery located in the Ouachita Independent Bank lobby on 18th and Louisville in Monroe, Louisiana. Call 322-2380 for more information.

"Cheniere Sunrise" by Jim McDaniel

Jim McDaniel of Monroe, Louisiana, is the Ouachita River Art Gallery's January Artist-of-the-Month. Years ago, Jim's wife Brenda encouraged him to pick up a brush and paint. He did, and he surprised himself with not only how much he enjoyed it but also how good his first painting was. Jim's been painting ever since. He has taken painting lessons from the late Carol Kennedy and workshops with Margaret Ellerman and Cory Carlson. Jim works primarily in oil and acrylic on canvas. Most of his work is from photographs taken while he and his wife traveled the U.S., Europe, and South America. His favorite subjects are cars and Louisiana scenes. Jim retired after thirty years in the automotive business. He says "I continue to paint in order to stay busy and productive."