Max Bernardi

Artist + Max Bernardi

I first began my career as a scenic artist in 1992, while attending Atlanta College of Art. painting scenery for corporate parties, murals and faux finishes on trade show booths for Nike and LA Gear, as well as on films such as “RoboCop III” and “Consenting Adults”. I landed my first experience creating exhibit work was and murals for the “Water Works Museum” in Clanton, AL.  

In 1996, I was inspired to move to the more culturally vibrant New Orleans. I was immediately hired by Kern Sculpture, and one of my first projects for them are the three larger-than-life alligators playing instruments which still grace the front entrance of the Orleans Casino in Las Vegas. I soon moved onto Spangenberg Studios, producing scenery for Mardi Gras balls, then became the scenic charge the the company was purchased by Maloney Productions (2001-2004), and worked simultaneously as the scenic charge at Southern Repertory Theatre (2002-2006). I left to once again freelance, and my main client for the next 10 years was the Audubon Institute. I executed many murals for the Aquarium’s Changing Exhibit area, as well as building and painting exhibits for the Audubon Zoo, Insectarium, and now defunct Nature Center. I also designed and painted murals in many privately-owned homes and businesses, such as McMillian’s First Steps and the Magnolia Mansion.

In 2007, an educational chapter of my life began when I was approached by Clarence Becknell to lead two groups of high school art students in executing two educational murals, at McMain High School (2009) and Warren-Easton High School (2010), with the theme of the historical contribution of the Buffalo Soldiers. Soon after, I designed and led an educational mural project for the House of Blues Foundation with the theme, “New Orleans: A Canvas for the Imagination”. In 2014, I was invited to be the Artist-in-Residence at Isodore Newman School, working with the students in both middle and high school to visually express their feelings about the Diminishing Wetlands in mural form. I did many projects while also supplementing my income by painting floats, especially for Bacchus, Endymion, Muses and Orpheus.

The most significant mural work I have done to date has been two large-scale murals on either side of Breaux Mart located in Uptown New Orleans. One features a 45’ alligator and a 6’ tall nutria, while the other depicts scenes of people buying and selling groceries in New Orleans during the 19th Century.

In the past years, Bernardi has further developed her style in the portrayal of local musicians in their own act of creation- on stage while improvising. Many of these works were exhibited at the club where these works were first inspired and conceived, and have been recently released in a 2021 calendar featuring 12 of these selected works entitled “The Sidebar NOLA Series”. Her mural work continues with a recent collaboration with New Orleans muralist Jamar Pierre, and with a commission currently in development for the Louisiana Pepper Exchange.


 

Meet the Artists

Local art is the lifeblood of our culture and communities. We source work from hundreds of painters, muralists, sculptors, metal workers, printmakers, illustrators, photographers, and textile artists, every one of whom is part of your local community.

Wildlife
Mary Singleton Painting
Mary Singleton
Blue Roots 1
Emma Fick Painting
Emma Fick
Mardi Gras Ball
Lee Morais Painting
Lee Morais
Moon Moss
Stephen Rooney Painting
LOWER NINTH WARD
Stephen Rooney
High Tide
Debbie Boyd Painting
ALGIERS POINT
Debbie Boyd
"India"
Ceaux . Ceaux Artwork
Painting
UPTOWN
Ceaux .
Bird Watching
Ember Soberman Painting / Mixed Media
MID-CITY
Ember Soberman
Awake Print on Cotton Paper
Josie Azuma Painting
UPTOWN
Josie Azuma
Uptown Ruler
Nicole Ockmond Painting
Nicole Ockmond
Land Before Time II
Leroy Miranda Jr. Painting
MARIGNY
Leroy Miranda Jr.
Unbroken Shadows
Blair Dupre Painting
Blair Dupre
Confluence of Emotions in a Field
Donald Fontenot Painting
MANDEVILLE
Donald Fontenot
'Mono No Aware' Fine Art Print
Heather Bird Harris Painting
GENTILLY
Heather Bird Harris
Hurricane Season homage to Trombone Shorty
George McClements Painting
BYWATER
George McClements
The Neighborhood
Ella Albrecht Painting
UPPER 9TH WARD
Ella Albrecht
Fragility- Fine Art Print
Kate Hanrahan Illustration / Mixed Media / Painting
Kate Hanrahan
Mardi Gras Muse
Nancy Wolfe Kimberly Gator Girl Art
Painting
EAST CARROLLTON
Nancy Wolfe Kimberly
Orgullo
MILAGROS Collective Painting
ALGIERS
MILAGROS Collective
The Godfather of Soul
Lucille Anderson Lucille Blues
Painting
LOWER 9TH WARD
Lucille Anderson
Golden Hour
Anne Blenker Painting
MARIGNY
Anne Blenker
Okra Farms: Lower 9th Ward, New Orleans, LA
Miro Hoffmann Painting
Miro Hoffmann
Scene from 'Alligator' (1980)
Thomas Deaton Painting
UPTOWN
Thomas Deaton
Tomb of The Unknown Slave
Queen Hope Parker Queen Hope Poetic Art
Painting
Queen Hope Parker
Watson 101 Print
Bruce Corona Drawing / Mixed Media / Painting
MID_CITY
Bruce Corona
Alejandra
Katie Kut Painting
BYWATER
Katie Kut
A Snowbird's Winter
Michael Eble Painting
LAFAYETTE
Michael Eble
The Blues
Darlene Langendonk Art Impressions
Painting
NORTH SHORE
Darlene Langendonk
Glissando
Connor McManus Mixed Media / Painting
UPTOWN
Connor McManus
Aftermath
Rebecca Birtel Madura Painting
UPTOWN
Rebecca Birtel Madura
Grey Green Ladder
Julie Silvers Julie Silvers Art
Painting
OLD METAIRIE
Julie Silvers
Shattered Shorty
Patrick Henry Victory Arts
Painting
SLIDELL
Patrick Henry
Buddy Bolden
Connie Kittok Painting
UPTOWN
Connie Kittok
Circus Pig – on Chartres Near NOCCA
Ramiro Diaz Painting
Ramiro Diaz
Pictures at an Exhibition
Stephanie Reed Painting
7TH WARD
Stephanie Reed
Le Bon Temp Roule
Nurhan Gokturk Illustration / Painting
BYWATER/LOWER NINTH WARD
Nurhan Gokturk
Aggressive or Soft
Katie Yaquinto Painting
BROADMOOR
Katie Yaquinto
Ascending Trees
Louise Guidry Encaustic / Monotype / Painting / Printmaking
Louise Guidry
Limerita Angelica
Rayne Bories Painting
UPTOWN
Rayne Bories
No Coasters Needed
Kristen Albrecht Mixed Media / Painting
Kristen Albrecht
Harley Baby
Rise Delmar Ochsner Painting
Rise Delmar Ochsner
Pink Cadillac
Cheryl Anne Grace Painting
UPTOWN
Cheryl Anne Grace
Abstract #2
Toné Lowe Painting
Toné Lowe
Swamp Goddess Print
Saegan Swanson Painting
CENTRAL CITY
Saegan Swanson
"Alesondra"
Brett Henderson Painting
MARIGNY
Brett Henderson
Yugen - Archival Print of Mixed Media Abstract on Watercolor Paper
Rachel Rice-Baham Painting / Mixed Media
DENHAM SPRINGS
Rachel Rice-Baham
Landscape Layers
Kat Ryalls Painting
BAYOU ST. JOHN
Kat Ryalls
Bicycle in the Marigny
Lyla Clayre Illustration / Painting
TREME / 7TH WARD
Lyla Clayre
Kermit Ruffins : BBQ swinger
Gabriel Flores New Orleans Paint and Design
Painting
RIVERBEND
Gabriel Flores
Close Encounter
Maddie Stratton Painting
TREME
Maddie Stratton
Tylor and His Dog Lemon
Paige DeVries Painting
7TH WARD
Paige DeVries
"The March"
Meghan Methe Painting
METARIE
Meghan Methe
Zulu Uptown
Sean Randall Painting
IRISH CHANNEL
Sean Randall
Summer Song
Anne McLeod Painting
Anne McLeod
Head to Toe
Kris Muntan Painting
NORTHSHORE
Kris Muntan
"Hubig Pies and a Barq's"
John Turner Painting
SOUTH CARROLLTON
John Turner
Blushing Oyster Original Painting
Sarah Nelson Sarah Nelson Fine Art
Painting
BYWATER
Sarah Nelson
Clouds Uplifting
Daryl D. Johnson Painting
BAYOU ST. JOHN
Daryl D. Johnson
Blue Notecard
Shelby Little Painting
SAINT ROCH
Shelby Little
Festival des Acadiens
Devin De Wulf Folk / Outsider Art / Painting / Photography
BYWATER
Devin De Wulf
seen
Jessica Strahan JHand Paints
Painting
UPPER 9TH WARD
Jessica Strahan
Infinite Sadness
Jeremy Paten Mixed Media / Painting
UPTOWN
Jeremy Paten
Red Cloud 12.01
George Dolgy Painting
BYWATER
George Dolgy
Touch of Magenta - Geode
Lori Sperier Mixed Media / Painting
COVINGTON
Lori Sperier
Waiter/Waitress
Alexandra Kilburn Illustration / Painting
FRENCH QUARTER
Alexandra Kilburn
Science Mural
Brent Houzenga Painting
Brent Houzenga
Temperance (XIV)
Margaux Hymel Art by Gaux Gaux
Painting
GARDEN DISTRICT
Margaux Hymel
Terrance Strikes a Pose on Lafitte Street
Drew Cooke Mixed Media / Painting
UPTOWN
Drew Cooke
Meeting Notes #185
Sean Clark Painting
Sean Clark
LYRS
Gabrielle Tolliver Painting
Gabrielle Tolliver
Lenny
Lionel Milton Elleone
Painting
Lionel Milton
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