Our Board Members
Charlie T. Johnson
MLK Exhibition Coordinator
Charlie T. Johnson, Jr., a native of New Orleans, is an artist, art educator, and art advocate who enjoys working in many art mediums, but painting is his primary focus. His artwork has been exhibited in the United States, Africa, Europe, and Canada. Although he prefers realistic portraits, social realistic painting, and photography, Charlie experiments with abstract and mixed media paintings inspired by the exquisite colors and designs he observed while touring Africa. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Art Education while attending Southern University at New Orleans and a Master of Fine Arts in painting and printmaking from the University of New Orleans. He again is attending the University of New Orleans in the graduate Urban Studies Department. Charlie recently retired as a professor at Southern University at New Orleans College of Education. He is a life member of the National Conference of Artists and has coordinated 25 Annual NCA Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Exhibitions. `Charlie curated exhibits of South African and Haitian art at the New Orleans Convention Center and numerous national and local exhibits.
Louise M. Johnson
Louise Mouton Johnson, visual artist, and arts educator was born and educated in New Orleans, Louisiana. After graduating from Xavier in 1976 with a BFA degree, she went to Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, and earned her MFA in 1980 specializing in printmaking. She taught visual arts in the New Orleans public school system for 33 years,14 of which were spent at NOCCA, while at the same time continuing to practice professionally, exhibiting, and selling her prints, drawings, and quilts. In the spring of 2018, Johnson was selected as an Artist-in-Residence at the Joan Mitchell Center, where she was able to use the time and assigned studio space to plan and complete a body of artwork, including a major collaborative mixed-media commission.
Connie Labat
Connie Mitchell Labat is a native born and raised in ninth ward New Orleans. In early 2001, Connie and Her husband of 30 years purchased their Arts venue located at 1427 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. Their desire to purchase, rehabilitate and operate the Arts venue which they named THE BUILDING (because they always felt as if they were building out the space—20 years and counting) derived from their extreme love and respect for the arts and those who produce it along with their desire to support and participate in the positive recultivation of the immediate historically rich community. Connie and her husband are both dedicated to supporting visual and music artists however and whenever they can with their business by hosting art exhibits and music presentations. Their ongoing wish and hope is to service the community and visitors to the city by providing inspiring and beneficial experiences through the talented artists they strongly desire to support with THE
BUILDING.
Ashley Hillard
Ashley Hillard an emergency medicine Physician Assistant and visual artist was born and raised in New Orleans,LA. She attended NOCCA for visual arts and graduated from St. John’s University in Physician Assistant studies. As a health practitioner, Ashley focuses on integrating the arts for optimum health. She has 13 years of emergency medicine experience and enjoys working in many mediums,but ceramics and painting are her primary focus. .
Eugenia Foster Adams
A native of New Orleans, LA, retired Captain, United States Public Health Service Commission Corps, experienced in healthcare administration and public health consultation.
Following high school graduation, she acquired Secretarial Certification from Straight Business College and Practical Nurse Certification from Booker T. Washington Sr. High in New Orleans, LA. Later, she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree, majoring in Business Administration from Xavier University of Louisiana and a Master of Public Health Degree from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine with a concentration in Public Health Administration.
Eugenia has held leadership roles in various community related projects and programs which expanded her administrative and public relations skills. She was the co-founder of the USPS Black Commission Officer’s John C. Eason, Jr. Scholarship, Inc., created Xavier of University Louisiana’s Legend of Jazz Award, created the Satchmo “What a Wonderful World” Art-Essay-Poetry contest for students in the New Orleans metropolitan area and successfully chaired Booker T. Washington Class of 1956 56th and 60th class reunion.
She is a Caregiver Facilitator for AARP and volunteers her time with other community organizations in Orleans parish.
Eugenia is a proud member of the Associate of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, Xavier University Alumni Association New Orleans Chapter, Booker T. Washington Sr. High School Alumni Association, USPHS Commission Officer Association, Military Officer Association of America, Louisiana Creole Research Association, Inc., New Orleans Jazz Celebration, New Orleans Museum of Art, Smithsonian African American Museum of History and the National WWW11 Museum.