Right before Thanksgiving we lost one of the most talented women I’ve had the pleasure to work with, Shirley Rabe Masinter. 
Her “hyper realistic” paintings of New Orleans captured the true city, with its cracking sidewalks, chipping paint and rusty door hinges. It was because of this dedication to detail that she won over SO many with her work and had fans all over the world. I had the pleasure of working with her on more solo shows and group shows than I can count. She had dedicated collectors at every show but most exciting were the new audiences discovering her talent for the first time even when she was in her 70s, 80s and 90s.  She may have slowed  but she never stopped making art at 90 years old. Her recent drawings have the same impeccable line work and details as her oils from 10 years ago. I like to think that this kind of dedication to her art is what kept her young. She was like family to us at LeMieux Galleries and will be dearly missed but Her memory will live on in her beautiful paintings and drawings. 
Shirley selflessly spent a lifetime educating others about art history, and donating her time to help new artists hone their skills and encouraging amateurs who shared her passion. A fund has been established at Ogden Museum to receive donations in memory of the Shirley Rabe Masinter, directed in support of art education, history and training programs, which can be made by email to development@ogdenmuseum.org  or by calling 504.539.9616. Gifts made to this fund honor the legacy of an important Southern artist, support the educational mission of Ogden Museum, and celebrate the excellence and diversity of art in the American South.
 

We're re-sharing a short documentary filmed years back. Shot by Kevin McCaffery and produced by LeMieux Galleries, The Artist's Voice highlights Shirley Rabe Masinter's visit to her childhood neighborhood and her process as a hyper-realistic artist.