Laura Ousset’s artistic talent, sharp wit and big smile has been a fixture in the arts community in Picayune for many years. The retired data processor, and McNeill native since 1998, can do about anything you can think of artistically (which is one of the reasons I adore her) and recently began a one-woman show of her work at Pearl River Community College.

The show, which is titled “Bits and Pieces,” will be on display in Moody Hall Gallery through Feb. 13.

Her displayed works consist of her wood pieces and quilts.

“I was surprised when I was asked to name my show. I finally decided on bits and pieces, because when you think about what I do, as a quilter and wood turner, I take perfectly good fabric and pieces of wood and cut them into little pieces and put them together into something else,” Ousset said. “This is my first show, I have 20 wood turnings and 8 quilts. Of the 20 wood turnings, nine are segmented. The others are whole wood.”

Quilting is how Ousset entered the world of art. She joined the Picayune Piecemakers when she moved to McNeill and has never stopped her exploration of art in any form.

“I was really terrified of being bored when I moved up here from New Orleans,” she said. “I joined the Piecemakers, so when I ventured out to the grocery store, I might see someone I knew. That turned out to be the absolutely right thing to do. They are a great group and that is what started me into creating.”

From her classes in quilting, she ventured on to woodturning with her husband Gordon.

Ousset  also plays the bass guitar in the Jordan River Band and Henleyfield Pickers. She also has a music duo with Barbara Lane called Indian Summer.

“I am really busy right now and sometimes I catch myself feeling overwhelmed, but it is great. I love what I do and hope people come out to see my art,” she said.