Page 5

SEPTEMBER 2002

NBCA NEWSLETTER

Local Artist Has Big Dreams For Buckhead

By Maxine Rock

More and better outdoor sculpture, Buckhead as a classy arts district, even an art salon for the North Buckhead  community… these are the dreams of Debra Gavant Swan, a local artist with big ideas for Atlanta's cultural scene.

"There are some interesting art events going on downtown, but there's not anything like that in Buckhead," says Debra.  The Buckhead arts crawl is "at least one fun event," she adds, but it's not nearly enough.  In a metropolitan area of over four million people, says Debra, it's a shame that there is so little good art, and no major arts event.  The much-loved arts festival was recently scrubbed, and "Atlanta is unfortunately not serious about art."

But Debra is serious indeed.  Her parents opened Gavant Gallery in the 1960's, when Ivan Allen, Jr., was mayor.  It was one of the first art venues in the city, and such a major addition to Atlanta that the mayor attended the grand opening. "I spent my childhood around hippie artists," Debra says with a smile, and after a stint with CNN doing computer graphics she turned to making art full-time.  She now works out of her home in north Buckhead, creating figurative sculptures that are also jewelry size, which she calls "wearable art."

"I try to make objects people have never seen before," says Debra.  "I like to take

September 2002 Newsletter

Links to articles in this Newsletter:

Page 1 - NBCA's Fall Fling / Blue Heron Nature Preserve

Page 2 - Chastain Park Pool -- Under Neighborhood Management 

Page 3 - Membership Foul-up / Web Site Sponsor

Page 4 - Veteran's Sewer Trunk / Nancy Creek Tunnel

Page 5 - Local Artist Has Big Dreams For Buckhead

Page 6 - Discover Local Art Treasure / Brown Tap Water

Page 7 - Brown Tap Water - continued / Get NBCA Emails, Please / Businesses Join NBCA

Page 8 - Buckhead Intersection Changes

Page 9 - Did you get a Permit? / Tree Sale / City Government Contacts / NBCA Officers, Board and Committee Chairs 

Page 10 - Nancy Creek Tunnel Report

Page 11 - Nancy Creek Tunnel Report - continued