Sensing a vacuum in the community for local artists to display their work, longtime artist and art patron Mark Biletnikoff is opening a new 1,200-square-foot gallery on Jefferson Highway near his art education complex on March 19.
Biletnikoff’s Gallery will feature original fine and community art from local painters, photographers, sculptors and other artists.
“There really is just nowhere for some of these people to show their work,” Biletnikoff says.
He is not ready to name those whose art will be featured in the grand opening, but he notes 10 to 15 local and out-of-state artists will display their work.
Nestled in Suite A1 of the Settlement at Bocage, 7809 Jefferson Highway, next to the old Latte E Miele location, the gallery will become part of Biletnikoff’s 14,000-square-foot, four-building art education complex, N the Art Space. The artist says the gallery is the next logical step in the complex’s growth.
In addition to the physical gallery, Biletnikoff will prominently feature local artists in his virtual showroom on the gallery’s website.
Biletnikoff, who has two art degrees and 20 years of experience, says the gallery will be especially beneficial to the local art community because it will promote a variety of artistic styles.
“I’m just really pushing to create an eclectic environment for the art patrons in Baton Rouge,” he says. “I’m just listening to the market and looking how I can support arts in the community and raise awareness of original art.”
Biletnikoff says exhibits will be regularly refreshed in the museum-like setting, with new works to feature throughout the year—including his own. He will also set aside a few months each year for local art groups to rent exhibit space to showcase their works.
“You never know what people are going to like so it’s better to be a little diversified in what you carry,” he says.
—Ryan Broussard
