NEW ORLEANS― Just in time for Small Business Saturday, art boutique Miette, 2038 Magazine St., is making it possible to support Mardi Gras float artists, all in one place, on Saturday, November 28, 2015.
For the first time, the talented artists behind some of the most beautiful New Orleans parades will display and sell the authentic Carnival art pieces seen on floats.
Miette invites locals and visitors alike to stop by the boutique on Small Business Saturday to take a selfie with the magnificent display of giant flowers and winged beasts hanging from the ceilings and walls, purchase a locally made gift for a loved one and speak to the artists who will be present to answer questions about their handmade creations.
Organizers said they hope Small Business Saturday will inspire locals to head out and explore independent New Orleans businesses to do their holiday shopping, and support the local economy again this year. The shop-local holiday has been a successful alternative to corporate Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, they said.
“Not only can visitors to Miette support the local art community this Small Business Saturday by purchasing a unique piece of float art,” Miette’s owner Angee Jackson said, “they will have a chance to be part of our bigger vision to inspire a Renaissance in New Orleans Mardi Gras.”
Featured artists who have come together to make Miette the first dedicated retail outlet to purchase iconic pieces of float art include long-time parade designer and sculptor Thomas Randolph Morrison, Dana Beuhler, Brian Bush and Gabrielle Bruno. Morrison and Bruno are both currently creating float art work for the Krewe of Pygmalion’s 2016 parade “The Gods of Carnival.”
“We are really excited to be able to offer the public a little piece of Mardi Gras to take home with them,” said parade artist Beuhler. “I’ve worked behind the scenes with some of the artists Angee has chosen to showcase at Miette for years. We work on parades because we are passionate about the art that goes into creating each float. We don’t want to see that go away.”
The works on display will include a wide variety of elegant float-scale flowers, giant butterflies, fireflies and more.
“We want the shop to be a place where people can come and participate with the art,” said Jackson. “We’ve designed the display so guests can take cool selfies with the flowers, and have the giant bees and butterflies appear to be coming at them in the background.”
Visitors to the city will receive a discount if they take an Uber to the Lower Garden District shop and show their receipt.
Miette will be open during its normal hours of operation on Small Business Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
