Page 37 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2018

NEGROTTO’S FRAME+ART story and photos by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster
Negrotto’s has been a staple on
the Coast for the past 15 years,
and recently relocated to their new building off Cowan-Lorraine Road
in Gulfport. The new location has been a great fit for them, and was the perfect way to celebrate their 15th anniversary.
The gallery is co-owned by Butch Simpson and Rick Conason, who believe the community is the foundation of any business. “Since day one we have believed we owed the community that supported
us,” said Simpson. “We have been active in many different non-profits
by supporting them with their fundraising efforts and serving on numerous boards and committees. The community has supported us for 15 years, so we feel we should give back as much as we can.”
With the support of the Gulf
Coast community, Negrotto’s has flourished. Their custom frames are top-notch, created by lead framer Carlton Karnes who has more than
20 years of experience. Working with him is Nancy Creel, who creates the framing packages and has been in the framing industry since 1980. It’s their dedication to expertise and quality that truly sets them apart.
The process begins when a client
brings in an item to be framed. “We listen to the client and take their preferences and apply them to the color and frame style that best works with each piece,” Simpson said. “We have over 600 mats to choose from
and 2,000 frame samples in the gallery. The main goal in picking out suitable framing is to protect and enhance the art. If the frame is noticed before the art, it’s too much.”
Along with their custom framing, Negrotto’s functions as a gallery, featuring works by local artists. “We currently have about 18 local artists on display,” Simpson said. Some of their current artists include Emmitt Thames, Gerrol Benigno, Sadako Lewis, Robert Waldrop, Jim Howton, Joyce King, Liz Grossman, Stig Marcussen, Michelle Allee, Ed Martel and George Ann McCullough to name a few.
“We have a little bit of everything, such as oil paintings, watercolors, pen and ink, acrylic, jewelry and photography. We also have pottery, both thrown functional pieces and hand-built clay sculptures.”
The gallery often holds book signings and openings in the hope of giving artists a venue to exhibit their latests works. “We do host a holiday open house each year in December.” Simpson said. “It’s a great way for the
public to meet the artists and get an explanation of what moves them to create the things they do.”
The business began as a way to
give the community a place to come together and learn that what makes people different isn’t a bad thing.
“I’m retired Army, and the military does a lot to promote diversity. I think it’s even more important today that
we have a dialogue to get a better understanding of what’s going on in our country,” Simpson commented. “Art lets you express yourself. I’m
not just talking about the artist, but everyone who sees the work. Two people can look at the same piece and see totally different things. If they start discussing the differences in the art work respectfully, then that can lead
to discussing the differences they see in society respectfully. In my opinion, that’s the first step to bringing people together.”
9036A Carl Legett Rd Gulfport, MS 39503 228.388.8822 www.negrottosgallery.com
NEGROTTO’S
FRAME + ART
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December 2018 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 37