HUDSON STREET GALLERY LLC — Gail Gaines COUTURIERE

My Premiere Exhibition

“Guerrière Rose” Needlepoint words

18x21

She Raised Words Collection

“Natural Born Free…” Needlepoint words

Honoring Harriet Tubman, 18x21

She Raised Words Collection

“La Beauté de la Culture” Needlepoint words

19x24

She Raised Words Collection

“Feminist Stance”

15.6”x 24”

During the 19th century, black feminists and suffragists were in the fight to overcome the barriers for voting rights and equality.

She Raised Words Collection 2023

“Miss Praline”, 24x36, 2022

This piece is inspired by those early entrepreneurial women of color in New Orleans known as pralinières.

Studio Collection

“Enrapture”, 24x34, 2022

The Tignon Laws were passed in 1786 with aim to prohibit ‘creole women of color from displaying excessive attention to dress in the streets of New Orleans’. The law stipulated that they must wear a tignon (a type of head covering) or scarf to cover up their hair.
This piece honors the women of African descent who endured indignities and oppression yet remain resilient and enraptured.

Studio Collection

"Fannie Gillis"

This artwork honors my great-grandmother, Fannie Gillis. My mother gave me my grandmother’s vintage earring and I redesigned it for this piece.

Studio Collection

“Fannie Gillis”

Studio Collection

“Leopard Chaste”

19x25

Studio Collection

“Barbie de Nuit” (sex-trafficking in Paris)

14x22

Studio Collection

“Sisterhood”

12”x 16”

Honoring the love and friendships of sisterhood.

“Boulevard Barbies”, black/white (sex- trafficking in Paris)

18x22

Studio Collection

“Motherhood”

14”x 19”

This piece honors our modern mothers.

“Mother Daughter”

14”x 19”

Celebrating the bond between mothers and daughters.

“Paris Chic 1930”

16x25

Studio Collection

“Evening Soiree”

Studio Collection

“Dressed for Jazz”

21x23

Studio Collection

“African Safari”

21x26

Studio Collection

“Evening Dress”

Studio Collection

“Jazz Men”

Studio Collection, 2022

“Kango, Sweaters, and Scarf”

Embellished Giclee

Studio Collection, 2022

“The Leagues”

17” x 22”

This piece was created to honor and remember the baseball players of the Negro National Leagues.

Studio Collection, 2024

The Negro National League started in 1920 when what was known as a gentleman's agreement between owners left Black players out of the major leagues and on their own.

https://oxfordaasc.com/page/2497

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2021/02/05/black-history-month--negro-league-baseball-remembered

“Bleu”

17 x 22

Studio Collection, 2023

“Psalm 18:6”

In my distress, I call upon the LORD, And cried to my God for help…

Remembering Our Brothers, 2019

This piece is in the OGCCU Museum.

“Mother Bethel”

22x28

Anvil Collection and in the OGCCU Museum.

“Middle Passage”

26x36

Anvil Collection

“Thrown Over”

26x36

Anvil Collection

“Natural Born Free…”

Honoring Harriet Tubman, 15x15

She Raised Words Collection

“Liberté Chérie, Mais Oui!”

15x15

She Raised Words Collection

“La Noire est Belle”

15x15

She Raised Words Collection

“La Beauté de la Culture”

15x15

She Raised Words Collection

15x15

She Raised Words Collection

“Ma Beauté” Needlepoint words

18x21

She Raised Words Collection

“Ma Beauté”

15x15

She Raised Words Collection

The African American Museum in Philadelphia, 2019

Exhibition in the AAMP

“Miema Golden” (pronounced Me-em-ah)

She is my ancestral spirit. She is my guiding light in the disposition to do good and keeps me on the path of love and spontaneous acts of kindness.

“Ibrahim Golden” (father of many)
The name Ibrahim is of Arabic origin, meaning “father of many.” It is a common name in the Muslim world and is also used by Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews. Ibrahim, a name with a rich history and a meaningful origin. He is my ancestral spirit to guide you to embrace your inner leadership and make a lasting impact on the world!

Les Enfants Collection

“Safiyah Golden” (pure friend)
Safiyah is a girl's name of Swahili, Arabic, and Hindi origins, meaning “friend” and “pure.” She is my ancestral spirit associated with kindness, innocence, and fiercely loyal friendships!

Les Enfants Collection

“Sara on Sunday”

12”x 16”

This image honors Sarah Waters, my 6th great-grandmother. She was born during the 18th century in enslavement. I re-imagined her as a child. Her future generations of family are Howard University alumni and AKA sisters.

Les Enfants Collection 2023

“Little Self”

Les Enfants Collection

“Three Doll Babies”

19x19

Les Enfants Collection

“Mr. Ruffchil”

Mr. Arturo M. Ruffchil… He sails the seas blown by the winds of his ancestors.

Les Enfants Collection

“Miss Leemilone”

Miss Willu Leemilone… Just Leave Her Alone!

Les Enfants Collection

“Mr. Haypud”

Mr. Miles B. Haypud… Generational farmer of the promised land.

Les Enfants Collection

“Daniel 54th”

I re-imagine my fore-elders as children… Daniel joined the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment and fought in the Civil War. He is dressed in a hat of mud cloth that is designed in the style of the Black Civil War soldiers and a US Postal sweater...

Les Enfants Collection

Me and “Daniel 54th”

African Americans began the 19th century with a small role in postal operations and ended the century as Postmasters, letter carriers, and managers at postal headquarters. Newspaper accounts and federal census records have made it possible to identify more than 800 African American postal workers. Included among them were 243 Postmasters, 323 letter carriers, and 113 Post Office clerks.

References: https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/african-american-workers-19thc.pdf

“Little Mary”

My mom… I re-imagined her as a child... She is wearing a flower in her hair, like she likes to do and the vintage linen blouse she gave me years ago. Her eyes are colored emerald green in memory of Big Mary’s (Nanny) May birthstone.

Les Enfants Collection