celebrate galleries and artists that shape the way we perceive the world and buy art . While we celebrate the big names leaving their marks on festival posters and the gallery business , we tend to overlook the personalities of the people behind the scenes who make our overall Royal Street experiences so memorable and adored . This all-star cast includes faces and names who have has been on Royal Street for decades , as well as new and fresh faces that are already leaving their mark on one of America ’ s most iconic streets .
You would be hard-pressed to say you visited Royal Street if you don ’ t know the face and the musical talents of Galerie Rue Royale ’ s much adored gallery director , Bilal McGlothan . Perched from Thursday to Sunday at the corner of Royal and Toulouse Streets at 541 Royal , McGlothan greets visitors and locals with the same magnificent smile . Adorned in dapper suits , even in the heat of the summer , his even warmer welcomes have become a calling card to the gallery ’ s success . While the gallery itself is a showcase of some of the most noted international and American artists in the world today , Bilal steals the show with his charming sense of humor . If you are one of the lucky few , you get the special treatment with a guitar serenade in the much sought after “ viewing room experience ,” where he strums his guitar and belts out tunes in what has been known to be the most impressive part of a visitor ’ s trip to New Orleans . But be warned , he ’ s a sly salesperson , and you just might start an art collection behind your whirlwind experience with this Royal Street veteran . McGlothan has sprinkled his magic from the same gallery on Royal Street for 19 years and his tenacity and love of people have helped the gallery launch several of today ’ s most recognizable artists .
Steps across the street from McGlothan is another Royal Street all-star who is just as influential , but with a very different approach . Catherine Martens Betz purchased Elliott Gallery at 540 Royal St ., after her family had spent years collecting the works of some the world ’ s masters there . Catherine purchased the gallery in 2014 and has continued to deliver one of the most impressively curated collections of the world ’ s masters in the state . Educated in art with BFA in drawing and printmaking and MFA in sculpture , she ran a wood shop and taught herself the importance of expanding your ideas beyond the materials you know . She shot to the top of the Royal Street family when she became part of the
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Michalopoulos - Julie Connely Nicoll
tiny team that breathed life back into the muchloved French Quarter event Dirty Linen Night . Her tenacity and true grit turned the once-failing event into the walking , talking success it ’ s been for the last seven years . But she doesn ’ t do it alone : her newest assistant , Declan , is her 21-monthold daughter who has been at the gallery daily since she was just one month old . Learning to crawl and walk amongst the Chagalls , the Matisses , and Miros , Declan herself has become a sweet addition to the street ’ s impressive cast of characters . Catherine juggles motherhood , a savvy business mind , a creative soul , and a reputation for excellence among some of the best galleries in the country . Her clients revere her as not only a gallery owner but an advisor to what is and what makes an art collection an all-star collection .
Truth be told , in the world of Hollywood you don ’ t have to be around for a longtime to become a star , and Royal Street is no different . New Orleans artist James Michalopoulos can speak to the birth of dynamic stars with his latest addition to his gallery staff . Just eight months into her career with Michalopoulos Gallery , Julie Connely Nicoll has impressed the even hardto-impress . Her bright and colorful personality comes to life when she talks about falling in love with New Orleans while riding her bike through the city before she owned a car . Julie likens the
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