Amid a room full of people, vibrant colors fill the space. The paintings carefully hung on the walls seem to spring to life, as if you can hear the brass band playing from a creation of art. It’s a cool March evening in New Orleans and everyone is buzzing with excitement. The smiles on Terrance and Stephanie Osborne’s faces convey it all. After years in the making, Terrance Osborne Gallery has opened to the public.
A Stroll in the Garden District
In the heart of Magazine street, next door to Sucre, the former Storyville t-shirt shop has been converted into a canvas displaying bright, vivid artwork on every wall. With commissions such as the Jazz Fest poster and Barq’s rootbeer under his belt, this famous New Orleans artist has quite an impressive collection to showcase. If you haven’t seen his artwork in person, it’s such a treat. Photos online simply do not do them justice. As someone who painted recreationally, I’m amazed that he mixes these colors, much less creates them in his mind before painting. The colors are so vibrant I’ve never seen them on artwork before. Much of his art is painted on wood and cut out, so it is four dimensional. You can get lost looking at a piece, imagining yourself in it.
Rising Water and Flourishing Art
A graduate of NOCCA and Xavier, Terrance began his career as a teacher, following the footsteps of his mentor Richard Thomas. Like most New Orleanians, he and his family were displaced by Katrina and forced to live elsewhere until they could return home. Life didn’t bring lemons, it brought flood waters. Waters he turned into lemonade. He was encouraged to follow his dream of painting full time, and Terrance used his time away to truly cultivate his passion. Most of his pieces show his love the for the city, painting all of city’s post-Katrina feelings in his art. When the Osborne family moved back home, his authentic art spoke to a community desperately clinging to its roots.
“Every form of art is a continual search for what the artist is trying to convey,” he says. “Many times I’m trying to express different versions of the same idea with each piece.” You really see this sentiment in his work – his heritage, his bond with the city of New Orleans, the stillness and peace in his life. As believers of meditation, healthy eating and exercise, Terrance and his wife Stephanie radiate joy and truly enjoy bringing that joy to others. They worked closely together for years to build their business, which eventually led them to this brick and mortar gallery. A true example of resilience, passion, and perseverance in New Orleans.
“Art is the footprint of where the mind has traveled. Learn the rules well so you can break them to create something new.” –Terrance Osborne
Visit Terrance Osborne Gallery at 3029 Magazine Street, New Orleans. www.terranceosborne.com