A Tribute to the Art and Life of William Hemmerling

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of a dear friend and internationally-acclaimed artist, William "Bill" Hemmerling. Bill died the morning of June 15th after a 2 year battle with cancer.

The Influence of southern folk culture and many diverse life experiences are incorporated into the eclectic painting of William Hemmerling. Bill was born in Chicago and moved to Ponchatoula, Louisiana in 1977. Upon retirement in March 2002, he finally found time to paint from the heart. He was an untrained artist, yet his work reflects sophistication and creativity in both subject matter and the use of unusual materials. Bill was constantly searching for and using found or recycled materials for his one-of-a-kind creations.

There is an element of fantasy in much of his work and he often painted well into the early morning hours. He explored various themes of New Orleans Jazz musicians, Down By the River, nudes and famous artists and authors. But, he is best known for his series of Southern African American folk culture depicting life in the old south entitled "Sweet Olive". The Sweet Olive images are copyrighted and trademarked.

His love of people, his enthusiasm and his humble, "offbeat" nature have brought a definite excitement and energy to his folk art. In the words of Bill Hemmerling, "One day when I let God out of the box I built, he danced with me".

Additional Notations:
In 2009, Bill was successfully represented at ART EXPO in New York, The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and FI-ART in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. He has been honored by the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Northshore Regional Endowment for the Arts, and the African American Heritage Museum in Aurora, Illinois. He was also the 2005 poster artist for the New Orleans Jazz Fest and the poster artist for the 2008 and 2009 Strawberry Fest.

The building next to Bill's home will become The Hemmerling Musuem. The City of New Orleans looks forward to a space that continues to honor and showcase the work of this talented artist.

A portion of all purchases of Hemmerling works through Teri Galleries will be donated to The Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans.

To inquire about making a donation to The Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans on behalf of William Hemmerling, please contact Teri Galleries at 504-887-8588, 1-800-533-8374 or info@terigalleries.com.

Exciting new Hessam Abrishami originals for summer 2009

Artist Bio: Hessam

Persian born artist, Hessam Abrishami, creates dynamic compositions using powerful expression and vibrant colors along with great imagination. Inspired and encouraged by a high school teacher, Hessam discovered his love of art and his talent for painting at the age of 15. Within a few years, he was receiving top honors in such competitions as the "New Artist Competition" in Iran.

Hessam attended school in Italy where he concentrated on his love of portraiture and studies of the anatomy, although he did study impressionism, surrealism, cubism and modern art. The education attained in Italy, along with the influence of his native Persia, has helped to shape the colorful, dramatic, exciting, bold artwork that can be no other than Hessam. The French press has called his paintings "a statement in the fluidity of human figures.....with tension between each figure, a kinship that provokes the viewer to seek reasons for such relationship."

..:: Learn More About Hessam ::..

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Teri Galleries has had a wonderful creative relationship with Hessam Abrishami and is very delighted with the opportunity to share his latest works with the public. Dynamic and vibrant, Hessam's style allows for the beauty and the vulnerability of the human figure to tell a rich and captivating story to the viewer. His bold choice of color is used to convey a mood that has become essentially Hessam's trademark. If you are interested in purchasing an original, please contact Teri Galleries at 504-887-8588, 800-533-TERI or www.info@terigalleries.com.

..::View all works by Hessam online at TeriGalleries.com::..

The History of New Orleans' Jazz and the Art of William Hemmerling

The History of New Orleans' Jazz...
Courtesy of Wikipedia.org
New Orleans has always been a significant center for music, showcasing its intertwined European, Latin American, and African cultures. New Orleans' unique musical heritage was born in its pre-American and early American days from a unique blending of European instruments with African rhythms. As the only North American city to allow slaves to gather in public and play their native music (largely in Congo Square, now located within Louis Armstrong Park), New Orleans gave birth to an indigenous music: JAZZ. Soon, brass bands formed, gaining popular attraction that still holds today. The city's music was later significantly influenced by Acadiana, home of Cajun and Zydeco music, and Delta blues.

The enormously famous New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival features jazz and many other genres by local, national, and internationally known artists.

The Art of William Hemmerling...
The Influence of southern folk culture and many diverse life experiences are incorporated into the eclectic painting of William Hemmerling. Bill was born in Chicago and moved to Ponchatoula, Louisiana in 1977. Upon retirement in March 2002, he finally found time to paint from the heart. He is an untrained artist, yet his work reflects sophistication and creativity in both subject matter and the use of unusual materials. Bill is constantly searching for and using found or recycled materials for his one-of-a-kind creations.

>>Click here to learn more about this Outstanding Louisiana Artist William Hemmerling