photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World
Original works from the late Lawrence artist Louis Copt are pictured at a pop-up gallery at 812 Massachusetts St.
A downtown Lawrence pop-up gallery opened Friday to celebrate — and offer for sale — the work of longtime local artist Louis Copt, who died this year at age 76.
The gallery, at 812 Massachusetts St., includes a collection of prints and original works from Copt, who was known for his landscape paintings, murals and other art pieces.
Copt’s widow, Phyllis Copt, told the Journal-World that most of the paintings and works for sale are from his archives and include watercolors, winter scenes of Douglas County and the Flint Hills, paintings of barns, and landscapes based on the couple’s travels in France and Spain.
“It’s a collection of his career, history and what he loved to do,” Phyllis said.
photo by: Courtney Bernard/LMH Health Foundation
The rooftop garden renovation at LMH Health, completed in May, features a large mural called “Kansas Symphony of Seasons” painted by local artist Louis Copt.
Louis started painting full-time in the mid-1980s. In 2011 he was named “Governor’s Artist” by the Kansas Arts Commission, a recognition of outstanding contributions to the arts and culture in Kansas — one of many other honors bestowed on his work. In his career, he traveled with the Kansas Geological Survey on a 16-day “re-photographic expedition” through the Grand Canyon as the official artist and led painting workshops to the Kansas Flint Hills and art travel programs to Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Paris.
Louis also has had a hand in painting multiple murals around Lawrence, including a mural of a prairie fire on the south side of Mass Street Music, 1347 Massachusetts St. — a collaboration with Kansas City muralists Isaac Tapia and Rico Alvarez — and a large mural called “Kansas Symphony of Seasons” in the rooftop garden at LMH Health. He also had an open studio at the Lawrence Arts Center, and Phyllis said he “loved to teach” other artists over many years.
Along with the original paintings on display and for sale at the gallery, Phyllis said there are posters and notecards he had designed for the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center and the Lawrence Public Library. Any proceeds from those prints will go directly to those organizations.
photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World
Prints of works from the late local artist Louis Copt. Items from his collection will be for sale at a pop-up gallery at 812 Massachusetts St.
Phyllis said numerous friends from local art organizations like the Cider Gallery, Phoenix Gallery and the Lawrence Arts Center helped to make the pop-up happen and to “(show) love for Louis and his work.”
“It keeps me close to him,” she said.
The pop-up gallery will be open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The gallery will have its final day on Saturday, Dec. 20.
photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World
Original works from the late Lawrence artist Louis Copt are pictured at a pop-up gallery at 812 Massachusetts St.
photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World
Original works from the late Lawrence artist Louis Copt are pictured at a pop-up gallery at 812 Massachusetts St.