Gallery view showing work by Alia Ali. Photo: Kristina Larson




Women Artists Shine 
at Octavia Art Gallery



All images courtesy Octavia Art Gallery unless otherwise noted.



Owned and operated by women, Octavia Art Gallery in New Orleans was founded in 2008 by Pamela Bryan. Octavia Art Gallery presents the works of emerging, mid-career, and established artists with diverse cultural backgrounds, along with a strong focus on abstraction and the work of women artists. Incollect spoke with Bryan about running a gallery in New Orleans and her strong lineup of shows planned for the fall. 




You provide art advising, collection management, and fine art appraisals. What collection projects have you done recently?

We have had an opportunity to serve as art advisors for Marriott Autograph Collection hotel properties. In New Orleans, we developed an art collection for the Eliza Jane Hotel, inspired by Eliza Jane Nicholson, pioneering editor of The Times-Picayune. We curated and sourced artwork that reflected her spirit — pieces that celebrated boldness, creativity, and storytelling. The resulting collection complements the hotel’s historic architecture and offers guests an experience rooted in New Orleans’ rich cultural and literary history.



Emilie Duval, Extraction (triptych), 2024. Acrylic, marker, collage, and spray paint, 84 × 114 inches.



Does each hotel art collection tell a story? 

The context sets the theme, and then we search for artwork that supports that story. For the interior of the Industrialist Hotel in a historic building in Pittsburgh, we chose art that reflects not only the city’s steel-driven past but its innovative and technology-driven future. The collection was designed to capture “The Industrialist” as a theme in a very broad sense, celebrating Pittsburgh’s diverse industries while creating a layered narrative that connects the hotel to the city’s evolving identity.



Gallery view showing work by Carmen Almon and Emily Farish. Photo: Emily Siekkinen



How did you get into the gallery and art business?

Hurricane Katrina inspired me to open the gallery to provide a haven for residents and visitors to New Orleans. I also wanted to provide a platform for New Orleans artists to showcase their art both nationally and internationally. The gallery was immediately successful and continued to grow from there.  



Why is art important for interiors?

Art enhances and transforms an interior space by expressing the interests of the people who live and work there. Artwork can turn a space into a personal sanctuary or an expressive environment. We work closely with our clients so that their individual interests and intended vision are coherently expressed through a curated collection of artwork. We also work alongside hospitals such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and New York-Presbyterian, integrating visual art into their environments to enhance the patient experience by reducing stress, anxiety, and pain. So art can be important for many kinds of interiors and can even help heal people. 



Fritz Bultman, Intrusion of Blue, 1974. Oil on canvas, 72 x 92 inches.



What qualities do you look for in artists? 

We focus on artists whose works offer a distinctive voice that we believe will resonate with our clients. As a women-owned and operated gallery, we strive to represent women artists whose practices align with our commitment to elevating innovative, thoughtful, and compelling contemporary art. We also handle the estate of Fritz Bultman, a native of New Orleans and one of the leading Abstract Expressionist artists. And, we represent the estate of Enrique Alférez, a renowned 20th-century bronze sculptor born in Mexico, who lived most of his life in New Orleans. Both these artists have a strong market following.




Left: Enrique Alférez, Relief #2, ca. 1900s. Mahogany relief, 96 x 20 x 3 inches.  Right: Enrique Alférez, Woman in Huipil. Cast bronze, 16 x 6 x 6-3/4 inches, 1971. Edition of 8 + 3AP.



What else is important for choosing an artist to show?

Social media is important for artists and galleries because it can expand an artist’s reach beyond traditional art spaces, which makes their work more easily accessible to collectors. It also helps collectors to get to know the artist beyond the artwork, sharing the artist’s creative process and personality.



What is coming up at the gallery for the fall season?

This fall, we have some exciting exhibitions planned. There are so many great artists working today, and I am lucky to work with some of them. Marina Savashynskya Dunbar’s ethereal color field paintings will be on view through September, Carmen Almon and Emily Farish’s botanicals in October, and Wayne Pate’s still lifes paired with Pierre Bergian's architectural interiors will finish off the season.



Ryoko Endo, Arc, 2024. Acrylic on canvas, 50 x 72 inches.



Carmen Almon’s work really stands out to me. Why might it be of interest to interior designers?

Carmen Almon’s metal botanical sculptures are exquisite and highly sought by collectors as well as interior designers because they are not only beautiful and beautifully made, but they are also so enjoyable to live with. Each sculpture is made out of metal sheeting, tubes, and wire. Almon then solders each component together and hand-paints them. 




Left: Artist Emily Farish holding one of her works, Dahlia No. 116, 2025. Charcoal on paper, 30 x 44 inches. Photo: Emily Farish Right: Carmen Almon, White Hollyhock with Dragonfly, 2025. Copper sheeting, brass tubing, steel wire, and enamel paint, 31 x 14 x 14 inches.



Emily Farish is also inspired by botanicals. How does her work differ from that of Almon?

Emily Farish is an artist who focuses on botanicals, although her works are quite different from Carmen Almon's because they are made with charcoal on paper. She is a master at drawing, and it really shows. These are also more versatile in terms of placement — her pieces have been installed in various settings, from a horizontal triptych hung above a sideboard to a 9-paper composition installed as the focal point of a living room.



Marina Savashynskaya Dunbar, Blue Iris, 2025. Sand and acrylic on canvas, 36 x 48 inches.



Marina Savashynskaya Dunbar looks to nature for inspiration, and she has an interesting painting process. Tell us about it.

Marina creates fluid, abstract paintings by manipulating water-based media on tilted canvases, allowing gravity and environmental elements to guide the flow. She often incorporates sand for texture and symbolic depth, and uses computer software to sketch and refine her compositions before translating them into layered, physical form. Her process videos are truly mesmerizing!



Wayne Pate, The Willow and the Iris, 2022. Acrylic on linen (unstretched), 23 x 21 inches, framed.



Where did you first come across Wayne Pate’s work?

I was introduced to Wayne Pate’s work through a friend who arranged a visit to the artist’s studio in New York. The work immediately appealed to me because of Pate’s muted tones, organic forms, and quiet elegance. His work often feels both contemporary and traditional at the same time, echoing the decorative arts and architecture of Europe while maintaining a personal sensibility. 



Pierre Bergian, Three Columns, 2025. Oil on panel, 15-1/2 x 18-1/4 inches.



Pierre Bergian is another artist showing this fall — his paintings of interiors are so complex you can look at them for hours. 

Yes! Pierre Bergian’s interior paintings are made with an eye for interior architecture, fine detail, and timeless European elegance. His work tends to be a favorite with architects and designers in particular, not surprisingly. 



Which gallery artists are most popular now?

Carmen Almon’s work has been in high demand. There is an appeal to the delicate realism and craftsmanship of her work. Her pieces take a good amount of time to complete, so clients have to wait to buy them. We have a long waiting list. 



Is there anything else coming up that you are excited about?

We typically participate every year in several important national and international art fairs such as Art Miami, Zona Maco, as well as doing satellite exhibitions in New York. This fall, we will do all this and also participate in several pop-ups for our sister company, TAVIA, which is our fine art fashion brand.



What advice would you give to a person buying art for the first time?

When acquiring contemporary art, the most important thing is to purchase work that speaks to you. Investing in artworks that you love can really uplift the spirit. Art has also proven to be a strong financial investment when major collectors, institutions, and museums are investing in the same artist’s work.   




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