New Exhibit Added to Central School Arts & Humanities Center
LAKE CHARLES, La (press release) – The Central School Arts & Humanities Center announced the opening of a new exhibit, “John James Audubon: From Wilderness to Masterpiece,” marking the first installation in a new rotating series of local art exhibitions to be displayed throughout Central School.
The exhibit is on loan from the Imperial Calcasieu Museum and highlights the extraordinary legacy of one of America’s most celebrated naturalists and artists.
“As the first exhibit in Central School’s new rotating art series, ‘John James Audubon: From Wilderness to Masterpiece’ sets the tone for a renewed commitment to showcasing meaningful, educational and locally connected art experiences,” says Lee Ann Stenvick, executive director of the Arts and Humanities Council of SWLA. “By partnering with fellow cultural institutions like the Imperial Calcasieu Museum, Central School continues to expand access to significant works of art and history for the community.”
John James Audubon (April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851) was a naturalist, painter and ornithologist best known for his monumental series, “The Birds of America.” This collection, published between 1827 and 1838, depicts 435 species of North American birds in stunning, life-size detail.
The new Central School Arts & Humanities Center exhibit also explores Audubon’s deep ties to Louisiana, where he lived and worked during the 1820s. While teaching art in New Orleans and St. Francisville, he created many of the bird studies that would later appear in “The Birds of America.”
During his time at Oakley Plantation, where he instructed the Pirrie family’s daughter, Audubon completed dozens of life-size bird portraits inspired by Louisiana’s landscapes, swamps and diverse wildlife. These formative years in the state profoundly shaped his career and cemented Louisiana as a cornerstone in the creation of his most important work.
Visitors are invited to experience this inspiring exhibition and explore the remarkable intersection of art, science, and Louisiana heritage. Admission is free and open to the public during Central School Arts & Humanities Center business hours, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The exhibit is located on the 2nd and 3rd floors.
