The High Street Gallery will host an exhibition of oil paintings by Elizabeth Fontenot, beginning 7-10 p.m., May 13.
Fontenot is a native of Beaumont. She holds a BFA from Louisiana State University and an MFA from Lamar University. The artist currently works in Beaumont, and focuses on painting and printmaking media. The exhibition is titled, “I Have Lived.”
“The intersection between nature and cultural traditions and superstitions is a major theme running through the work,” Fontenot said. “The paintings are renderings of dead seed pods, shells, and other animal remains that were not only part of living organisms but also containers or vehicles for life and sustenance. Culture assigns these biological remnants additional meanings and symbolism that reference their functions in nature.
“These paintings follow in the tradition of constructing symbols from flora and fauna in nature. The objects are no longer connected to living plants and animals, but they gain a new existence through the paintings.”
Fontenot’s artwork will be on display and for sale at High Street Gallery thoroughly June 11, and can be seen by appointment after the opening reception on May 13.
The reception is free and open to the public.
The gallery is located in Victoria House, 2110 Victoria St. in Beaumont.
For more information, visit High Street Gallery’s Facebook page.