Downtown Covington's Legacy of Art & Artists

To say that downtown Covington supports the arts is an understatement. 

Downtown Covington business owners are artists themselves in many ways, both in the traditional ways of thinking about art, and in more outside-the-box creative techniques of showcasing art as well. Here are the stories of the central business district merchant/artists who demonstrate skills central to the creation and  appreciation of art. 

In the middle of it all stands the landmark St. Tammany Art Association building, originally a toy store 100 years ago, now a resource providing outstanding classes, gallery exhibitions, and a mission of promoting the arts throughout the community. It was damaged in Hurricane Ida and classes are now being taught a block over on New Hampshire St. 

Below is a sampling of art galleries.  

Abby Sembera Art Studio and Gallery,  434 N Columbia Street
Saladino Gallery, 409 E Boston St
Brunner Gallery, 215 N. Columbia St.
The Rutland Street Gallery, 828 E Rutland St
Gallery 421, 421 N Columbia St
Tripolo Gallery, 323 N. Columbia St
Marianne Angeli Rodriguez Studio Gallery, 430 Gibson St
Savoye Originals, 1601 N Collins Blvd
BB's Eclectic Creations, 203 N New Hampshire St
Covington Art & Frame, 529 N Florida St 


Abby Sembera and her latest work 

 The list of artistic businesses is also quite impressive.

 Several incredible restaurants showcase the culinary arts across downtown Covington, in every setting from elegant evening eating to the daily lunch cafe encounter. The unique Louisiana style of delicious menu favorites is well represented, but there is an array of unique dining experiences available that cater to all tastes.


The Southern Hotel corner

There are clothing stores that range from avant-garde fashion to vintage collectibles you can wear, apparel for the young and the young-at-heart. The downtown Covington offerings include general merchandise and sporting goods stores, as well as shops for the discriminating cigar-smoking aficionado and artists who need supplies, easels, and frames for their finished products.

 Since Covington is a courthouse town, there are a number of attorney offices scattered about, but even the attorneys show off their artistic skills, with one attorney the recipient of many national awards for his essays, poems, and humorous cartoon books on the legal profession itself. Google the "Bard of Boston Street" to see what we mean. 

 

The Tammany Trace Bike Trail runs through the middle of downtown Covington.

One place of business specializes in the beauty of glass, for pieces of art as well as large corporate architectural installations.

And speaking of art, there's a galaxy of galleries, from exhibit galleries that offer works by a wide variety of artists in a wide variety of media, to individual galleries that spotlight the creations of individual artists, many of whom are nationally-known. Art schools are also a favorite, and visitors often seek out places where the famed writer Walker Percy used to hang out. 

Photographers are among the artists with their own galleries and studios. You can often see them taking clients for a downtown walk-around for pictures and posing in front of the classic old town storefronts.

For visitors who can't see it all in just one day, award-winning boutique hotel suites and several nearby bed & breakfast accommodations are available.

As time goes on, we will be adding to this website the stories of downtown Covington merchant artists, how they discovered their niche in the art of business (and the business of art), how they laser-focused their creativity, and most of all, how they packaged and promoted their art through successful merchandising. 

 So sit back, take out a map (or a smart phone GPS app) and chart your course to downtown Covington, Louisiana. 

It's the place to be to be the artist you are.

showing where Covington downtown can be found.


Antiques and Uniques Festival
Walker Percy 
The Southern Hotel
Three Rivers Art Festival Flows Into Covington 
The Columbia Street Landing Archways  
Movies Filmed In Downtown Covington 
Fall For Art
Covington Art Market

More information about Covington area artists:

John Akers - The Wildlife Environment Artist 

Artist Ann Gauthier 

Florence "Winky" Chesnutt 

Artist Claire Rohrbough  

The Stained Glass Windows of Carol Lapari  

John Hodge, Pottery Artist Extraordinaire 

Hasslock Re-creates New Orleans Street Name Tiles 

Mrs. Miriam Barranger, Artist  

Lyn Hill, Artist Teaching Art

Artistry in Woodworking 

Covington Artist Famed for Stage Scenery

 
 
Covington's favorite poster artist Suzanne King,
showing off her 2016 St. Tammany Parish Fair Poster. Her 2019 fair poster won first place statewide at the Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals annual meeting. 

For more information about Suzanne, CLICK HERE.

 
 

Belinda Miley of Covington is well-known for her creativity and design excellence. Now Living in Houston, Texas, Belinda began by designing custom items for special events of friends and family, and has risen in the industry as a national licensed designer. From Frames to shadowboxed crosses, wedding items, wall decor and other decor or celebration products, every Belinda Miley design sparkles with an inspirational touch. Many of her items can be seen at Once In A While Gift Shop in the old Alexius Brothers Hardware store building on Lockwood Street. 


Mardi Paws Entertains Hundreds

  The annual Mardi Paws Parade celebrated its 30th anniversary Sunday afternoon in downtown Covington. The parade featured hundreds of dogs, one cat, and a nutria.

Well over a thousand people lined the streets to enjoy the parade. Here are some photographs. Click on the images to make them larger. 








































Krewe of Bogue Falaya Revives Carnival Tradition

  The Krewe of Bogue Falaya revived an old Carnival tradition in Covington on February 12, 2024, with the Grand Marshal arriving by boat coming up the river to great fanfare.

Krewe Parade Captain Larry Rolling met Grand Marshal Grayhawk Perkins at the boat launch, welcoming him to the city and presenting him with a special official sash. Then the crowd of over 200 people joined him in a festive second-line procession up New Hampshire Street to the Southern Hotel where refreshments and king cake were served. The group was accompanied by live music and the dancing Lollipops. 

The special Lundi Gras event was a revival of a previous tradition where parade royalty were brought up by boat and docked at the Columbia Street wharf. 

Here are some pictures of the today's newly-minted event, 2024 style. Click on the images to make them larger. 


Grand Marshal Grayhawk Perkins


Large crowd waiting for the boat to arrive. 


The special guest slowly advances up to the dock. 


He is greeted by a cheering crowd.


And the band played rousing Mardi Gras music



Local news media were on the scene to record his first words.


Parade Captain Larry Rolling welcomes Grand Marshal Perkins


He receives his special sash. 


He is officially invited to lead the procession to the Southern Hotel. In the first decades of the 20th century, over 100 years ago, the Southern Hotel played a key part in area Mardi Gras celebrations.


Let the music play and the special second-line procession begin.


Led by a "Lundi Gras" banner.



Hundreds of people took part in the celebration


The crowd gathers at the entrance of the Southern Hotel for greetings by Parish President Mike Cooper and a proclamation by Covington Mayor Mark Johnson



Mike Cooper toasts the Grand Marshal


Mayor Johnson, at left, prepares to read the proclamation




The official sash


Many families turned out for the special occasion



Mayor Mark Johnson was on hand at the boat's arrival.
He's at left with Jimmy Nelson at right.

Here's a video of the day's activities.


Click on "play triangle" above to
view video

To enlarge the video to full screen, type the letter F.
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Over 100 years ago, this was the scene when Carnival royalty arrived at the Columbia Street Landing in Covington. The Bogue Falaya River was dredged to accommodate larger boats back in those days.





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