Having lived the first ahem, three decades, of my life in the South, I completely understand why people are drawn to it. There is a co-mingling of worlds in the South, some owing to its sordid history, others a product of the atmosphere and the people who find themselves there. New Mexico artist Gigi Mills, having grown up with her family in the circus on the West Coast of Florida, far from the “traditional South”, finds herself repeatedly drawn to its charms. In her latest series, The Deep South and Other Stories, which debuted at Gallery Orange in New Orleans two weeks ago, the artist explores her attachment to a life that could have been hers.
Some Days, oil on panel, 20×16
A childhood in the circus, while filled with color, charm and adventure, doesn’t offer much in the way of stability. For Gigi, it is that sense of permanence of place, of generations of history that leads her again and again to southern places.
Somewhere on Esplanade Interior, oil on paper, 21×24
Laundry in a Dark Landscape, oil on panel, 24×20
Interior with Baker and Cake, oil on paper, 22×25
In her work, as in many areas of the South itself, there is an enchanting sense of elegance and charisma that completely bewitches us. But it is the complexities of this world that we find most intriguing– the secrets kept, the stories told and untold.
Lagniappe of Pearls, Conversation with Carlos, oil, 12×16
If you’d like to see more from the Deep South and Other Stories series, please visit the Gallery Orange website. Gallery Orange also has beautiful Gigi Mills books available for purchase through their website– a lovely way to learn more about the artist and enjoy her work, even if a painting is out of reach.
All images via Gallery Orange.
