PALESTINE —
John E. deBessonet will exhibit a wide variety of creative art as the featured artist for November and December at the Museum for East Texas Culture in Palestine.
An opening reception for the artist will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3 at the museum’s art gallery.
deBessonet received a degree in Landscape Architecture with a minor in Fine Arts from Louisiana State University in 1974. He dedicated his 37-year career to designing and developing public park and recreation facilities in Shreveport, New Orleans, and, for the last 25 years, as park planner for Harris County in Houston.
After retiring in early 2011, he and his wife, Liz, moved to their retreat in the woods near Piney Woods Lake south of Frankston. Turning an old fishing cabin on the property into a studio, deBessonet began to rediscover his background in fine arts.
Last February, his painting “Mountain Meadow” was selected by the jury to be included in the prestigious Stars of Texas Exhibition in Brownwood and more recently, his painting “Aurora” was exhibited at the Main Street Gallery in Tyler.
The exhibit at the Museum of East Texas Culture will be the first solo presentation of his work and will include 76 of the artist’s paintings, photographs, and sculptures.
The paintings include impressionistic landscapes, abstracts, modern, and whimsical. He works mainly in acrylic on canvas, paper, and board as well as watercolor. A few of the works are a collage using colored tissue paper with pen and ink. He continues to experiment with different media and art forms as he works to apply his previous training in fine arts.
Photographs included in the exhibit are a few of his favorites from his travels in the U.S. and Europe and demonstrate his observations of nature as well as man's environment.
The unique folk art sculptures featured in the exhibit were created using all natural materials found in the woods around his studio as well as materials collected on his travels.
“The collection is called ‘Guardians of the Forest’ as the figures are creatures that go unseen unless you look closely around you as you walk through the woods,” a news release said.
The exhibit will be on display through the end of December. The museum is located at 400 S. Micheaux St.
To learn more about the artist, visit www.gallerydebessonet.com
Local Scene
Related Photos
-
Artist John E. deBessonet works at his studio in the woods near Pine Woods Lake south of Frankston. He will be the featured artist for November and December at the Museum for East Texas Culture in Palestine. An opening reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 3 in the museum’s art gallery. Courtesy Photo
Discussion
Frankston artist to be featured in museum exhibit
- Local Scene
-
-
Framing History: Texas Art Depot preserves Civil War-era flag
Preserving memories is one of the things The Texas Art Gallery owners Mike and April Johnston enjoy doing the most in their business.
-
OUR TOWN: Area students win scholarships from The Terry Foundation
Two Anderson County high school seniors, Heather Lindy Wooden of Westwood High School and Nathaniel Aaron Edwards of Slocum High School, were recently named recipients of the highly sought after scholarships from The Terry Foundation.
-
Hill leaving post as chamber director
Meghan Hill, who has served as the Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce’s executive director for the past three years, gave her resignation notice this week after accepting a job in Tyler.
-
Tea Party Ballet
-
VA2K Walk and Roll
-
YMCA T-Ball Action
-
Woman wins, donates $10,000 to PHS Project Graduation
When most people win money — especially a large amount like $10,000 — they start figuring out how they are going to spend it.
But when Texas Farm Bureau Insurance agent Toni Rogers won $10,000 during the Palestine High School Project Graduation’s annual “Draw Down” dinner on May 10, Rogers chose to donate it back to Project Graduation. -
Opening Day
-
Local actor signs autographs
-
High Above Palestine
- More Local Scene Headlines
-
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot
Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction
Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind
Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting
Raw: School Bus Crash Injures Five Children
Quick Response Saved Baby on Phila. Train Tracks
One Million Evacuated As Cyclone Hits Bangladesh
