By Brandi Simmons (Photography by Malarie Zaunbrecher)
With the holiday season approaching, we have tons of great opportunities at the LSU Museum Store for you to grab the perfect gift for anyone on your list that not only helps bolster our local economy but also celebrates our homegrown talent.
Here is just a small selection of items available in the LSU Museum Store that highlight our unique Louisiana culture. Stop by this weekend during Small Business Saturday or Museum Store Sunday, or join us on Friday, December 1 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the 13th Annual Holiday Trunk Show and meet the artists whose work you're supporting!
Madeline Ellis
Madeline Ellis and her company Mimosa Handcrafted create a wide variety of jewelry representing our cultural history and heritage. Whether through the quatrefoil design seen in the Old State Capitol's windows or a representation of our state song written by former governor Jimmie Davis, each piece tells a story that is uniquely Louisiana.
Quatrefoil bracelet, $65.
Loreta E. Godwin
Want to send holiday cards that don't get tossed? Loreta Godwin's limited-edition prints are perfect for locals and non-Louisianans alike. With five scenes to choose from including pelicans delivering candy canes and an alligator making gumbo, you'll have a hard time deciding which ones to keep and which to send.
Individual cards, $4 each. Set of 5, $19.
Therese Knowles
Therese Knowles seeks to make connections through art. While her work is largely influenced by her own history, both as a New Orleanian and the granddaughter of a stone
cutter who created angels for the city's cemeteries, she integrates recognizable elements like scraps of fabric, traditional themes and inspirational text into her one-of-a-kind ceramic pieces that can easily have personal relevance for someone else too.
Angel vase, $80.
Greg Vernice
What's more Baton Rouge than River Road Recipes? Literally taking a page from the best-selling cookbook, Greg Vernice uses watercolor to paint Louisiana culinary mainstays like oysters and crawfish over one of the recipes. The resulting artwork, floating in a glass frame, is a great addition to any kitchen, Cajun or otherwise.
Oyster painting, $65.
Josh Wascome
Using found wood, Josh Wascome turns scraps of cypress, walnut and pecan into one-of-a-kind pieces that serve form as much as function. From bowls to spoons and platters to boards, Wascome's work highlights the beauty in our environment by bringing a little of the outside into your home.
Magnolia wood bowl, $95. Spoon, $35.
Melissa Maloney Wallace
Inject a little local flair into your kid's coloring game. In this Baton Rouge-centric book, Melissa Maloney Wallace shares some familiar landmarks like the Louisiana State Capitol and the Sunshine Bridge alongside state staples like magnolias and pelicans. Bonus: Join us at the museum for Stories in Art on December 1 at 10:30 a.m. for the opportunity to color a few pages with Wallace and have your book signed!
Coloring book, $4.95.
Did you know we take orders over the phone too? If you see something you like above, on social media, or on our store page, give us a call with the description and it's yours!
Brandi Simmons is LSU MOA's communications coordinator.