"These works are the beginning of the Justice Center Art Collection," says Willie Paretti, commission chair. "This will be a permanent collection celebrating the talent of St. Tammany artists and the beauty of our community."

A search committee considered more than 1,000 works before selecting the pieces. The committee, chaired by artist George Dunbar, visited numerous St. Tammany galleries from November through January. Dr. Elizabeth McBurney, Willie Paretti, Hasmig Vartanian and Richard McCloskey assisted Dunbar. The committee was coordinated by Aimee Smallwood, St. Tammany resident and new assistant director of the Contemporary Arts Center.

After visiting local galleries, the commission issued a call for submissions to St. Tammany artists. More than 350 slides were submitted for consideration. The search committee reviewed each slide and combined their selections with the best pieces from the gallery visits.

"The selection process was difficult," says Paretti. "We were looking for a certain high quality of work, combined with suitability for the justice center. We are excited about the quality of work available in St. Tammany."

The committee selected forty-one works by the following St. Tammany artists: John Akers, Cile Bailey, Harriett Blum, Dorothy Blum Cooper, Linda Dautreuil, Julie M. David, Haydee Ellis, Alan Flatman, Kat Fullilove, Jacqueline Garness, Rolland Golden, Gail Hickman, Marcia Holmes, Gail Hood, Phil Hubbell, Laura Leidinger, Lauren Leonard, Wes Lockwood, Shirley Rabe Masinter, Bernard Mattox, Mary Monk, Connie Moore, Martin Needom, Susan Needom, Marie Colvin Owens, Monique S. Perry, Roy Pfister, Ginger Pine, Roma Quartana, Nancy Rhodes, Claire Rohrbough, Robert Seago, Don C. Smith, Sue Sutherlin, Barbara Tardo and Ralph Townsend.

"There were many fine pieces that did not make the first purchase round," continues Paretti. "We had budget restraints that limited our choices. We were also constrained by the large scale of the justice center and had to select pieces that were appropriate to its scale."

"The committee chose only two-dimensional work for this first phase," notes Dan  LaFonta, St. Tammany Parish arts coordinator. "We are holding off purchasing three-dimensional work until we have a better grasp of the traffic patterns of the public areas."

The purchases will be installed according to an art plan for the courthouse designed in 2002 by Susan Brunner, owner of Brunner Gallery in Covington, under contract to the St. Tammany Arts Commission. The plan calls for the placement of 79 pieces of art in the public spaces of the building.

The commission was not able to fund all 79 pieces in the first funding round, but intends to do so as funds become available. The 79-piece plan will complete the major public areas of the 293,000-square-foot courthouse; it will not fill the space, however. The commission has a list of pieces it wishes to acquire for the collection.

"We have a number of larger pieces on our 'wish list'," says Paretti, "including works by Emery Clark and Patricia Whitty. We are seeking sponsors for these and other works of art."

Special projects

In addition to the forty-one pieces selected by the committee, Kim Salter, St. Tammany Parish Assistant Chief Administrative Officer and coordinator of the justice center project, commissioned two additional pieces for the courthouse.

"After reviewing the fine work done by the committee and their recommendations for artists and artwork, I selected two artists to create site-specific works for the justice center," says Salter.

Wally Faucheux, of Folsom, has been commissioned to create a mural celebrating life in St. Tammany Parish for the main wall of the pressroom. "All press conferences will be held in this room," continued Salter. "I wanted a piece that would make a positive statement about life in St. Tammany for all media stories generated in the building."

The initial concept sketch for the mural resembles a triptych, with a structural element tying three St. Tammany landscapes into one large piece. This will be an especially difficult piece to create, as it must not only be appropriate for the room and its occupants, but also must photograph easily and well.

The mural will be painted on canvas and affixed to the wall with removable paste. "This will allow us to move the mural should the function of the room change," says LaFonta.

Sculptor Ted Pullig was selected to solve a design problem in the building. "We have a large post that is an essential structural element to the atrium staircase," says Salter. "The post ends in an open area that is visible to a large section of the courthouse without a finial. Ted is designing a six-foot totem-like sculpture featuring the various elements of St. Tammany's justice system, from law enforcement to the judicial court."

"The Justice Center Art Committee considered numerous talented artists for the courthouse. From their work, we were able to select local artists for these special projects," says Kevin C. Davis, parish president. "I am proud that all the art in the public areas of the courthouse will be created by St. Tammany artists."

The justice center will be dedicated July 1 at 10 a.m. with the public invited.

Appetite for Art

The first annual Appetite for Art fundraiser for the St. Tammany Parish Justice Center Art Collection will be held June 20 at the center.

Sponsors for justice center art will be solicited at the event. "We are asking local firms to assist us in purchasing art work for the public areas of the courthouse," says Kevin C. Davis, parish president. "Each sponsor will be credited with a plaque under the piece acknowledging the contribution. These plaques will commemorate local support of the arts and the justice center for the next 100 years."

"Blind Justice," by artist Monique S. Perry, will be available for sponsorship. The oil painting, which is 72 inches by 36 inches, was chosen by the Appetite for Art Committee as the cover art for the invitation. Committee members are Willie Paretti, Catherine Brown, Dr. Joan Archer and Lisa Barnett.

"Music, food, great art, and lots of fun are planned for the evening," according to Catherine Brown, who is chairing the 'food' planning. "There are so many great restaurants in St. Tammany and we want to showcase their art at the justice center, as well."

The St. Tammany Arts Commission will re-invest the proceeds of Appetite for Art in procuring art for the center. "It is our hope that we will be able to acquire enough additional pieces to substantially complete the public areas of the building," says Dan  LaFonta, St. Tammany Parish arts coordinator.

For more information about Appetite for Art, call the St. Tammany Arts Commission at 898-5243.