Zana Brown Studio and LiBird Studio

by Kelly Hightower

ZANA RANĐELOVIĆ BROWN AND LISA ALPAUGH call each other flowerheads and fittingly so. Creating whimsical art adorned with flowers is their kindred connection. Zana and Lisa also share a similar journey into the art business. They both started working with art as a medium of personal expression which grew into a career.

Together they opened The Zana Brown Studio/LiBird Studio on October 1, 2022, the night of Art for Art’s Sake. According to Lisa, “We are humbled to be in the space formerly occupied by Mario Villa and Julie Neill of Julie Neill Designs. The floor in the front room still bears a golden sunburst hand painted by Mario Villa, and the ceilings are adorned with four of Julie’s beautiful chandeliers.”

The window overlooking Magazine Street always welcomes visitors with a playful floral arrangement. The combination of Zana’s floral paintings with Lisa’s blooming ceramics creates a stunning aesthetic in their gallery. The gallery is a welcoming artistic experience and a place to interact with art lovers and make new friends. Shoppers are able to meet Zana and Lisa and discuss the art with the artists who created the pieces. Having a gallery to display their work has exposed Zana and Lisa to a wider clientele of out-of-town visitors and art enthusiasts. They are thrilled to be a part of the Magazine Street art community.

“It is our joy to help our clients find the perfect piece of art that will speak to them,” Zana says. “Nothing excites us more than seeing our work in our client’s homes, and we love the process of creating custom pieces to fit these spaces.”

Zana grew up in Serbia and relocated to New Orleans in 2008. Zana started painting during a transitional time in her life, beginning with figurative abstracts. Out of those abstractions her beautiful female flowerhead figures emerged.

Lisa is a native of Kentucky and has considered herself a New Orleanian for many years. Lisa has always been a ceramic lover and collector. It is now, later in life, that she has the opportunity to create pieces with her own hands.

They are often busy creating work offsite, so give them a call to make sure the gallery is open or to make an appointment. “Collecting artwork will feed your soul, enlighten your home and make great family heirlooms,” Zana advises, “so always buy artwork that speaks to you!”

Zana can be reached at (504)355-7528 or zanabrownstudio.com, and Lisa can be reached at (504) 874-5131 or libirdstudio.com. Their combined gallery is located at 3908 Magazine St. and open Thursday-Saturday. Contact them for an appointment.