A large, colorful, shaded mural depicting historic downtown Houma from 1906 is painted on the side of the Landry Furniture building. Each year, the mural stands as the landmark for the popular “Downtown on the Bayou” arts and crafts festival.
It took Nicholls alumnus Hans Geist and a friend just two weeks to complete the commissioned project for the Downtown Business Association. Since then, the 27-year-old from Houma has been asked to create more murals in the area by many organizations.
Geist, who earned a bachelor’s degree of art in graphic design in 2000, also owns Imagine This, a Houma art gallery and studio displaying many of his original works, along with sculptures and paintings from other local artists.
The majority of Geist’s artwork depicts Christian-based themes, nature and life in south Louisiana. Geist’s favorite work is his airbrushed “Baptism of Jesus,” a depiction of Jesus Christ looking up toward the heavens in water with bright tones of purple and blue surrounding him.
“It’s been quite an experience,” Geist said of managing the gallery. “For a while, it has been one of my dreams to own an art gallery and studio to not only display my work, but to have extra space and provide local artists with a chance to exhibit some of their work.”
Geist also designs and sells commercial artwork to customers, including custom-made murals, house paintings and canvas paintings. He also recently designed the illustrations for “Then Heaven Stood Silent,” a book by local author Chris Billiot.
Geist’s success, however, has not been limited to just owning a business. As a student in 1999, he created the grand opening poster for the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center, Morgan City’s Shrimp and Petroleum Festival poster and Houma’s Downtown on the Bayou festival poster. His artwork was chosen again to represent the 2002 Shrimp and Petroleum Festival.
Geist’s work has also gained national attention. Some of his artwork has been aired “Good Morning America” and the Food Network. In the fall of 2001, he created the promotional poster for “The Children,” an anti-child abuse play on Broadway in New York.
Although Geist fashioned the poster for the play on the computer screen, he also created a supplementary painting. The painting was auctioned off with proceeds benefiting abused and abandoned children. The performance, however, was overshadowed by another event.
“It was really supposed to be a really big time production,” Geist said, “but things changed when the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 occurred. Of course, that event changed the plans for many people across the nation.”
As a Nicholls student, Geist was not involved with many student organizations or clubs. Instead, he spent time studying and working. During his senior year, he opened Wazoo, an airbrush painting business he operated for the next two years in Houma.
On campus, he could often be found working in the art studio in Talbot Hall, hanging out with his friends in the Student Union or chatting with his instructors.
“I enjoyed having the freedom to do what I wanted to do and create what I wanted to create,” Geist said. “Nicholls had such a comfortable environment, and the art professors were really great and inspiring.”
Geist said he enjoys working with computer graphic design – creating business logos, brochure layouts, magazine layouts and book covers. But painting has always been his true passion. He majored in graphic design because he felt in today’s technologically advanced society, painting would have been too old-fashioned.
“I thought I had to do something with computers to make it big, but I soon found out that was not true,” Geist said. “I went ahead and did freelance painting work, realizing that’s what I really wanted to do. I knew I could make a good living painting. Painting is where my heart is.”
At an early age, he drew portraits in pencil, pen and ink. Then he gained an interest in airbrush painting through art classes during his teenage years at South Terrebonne High School in Bourg. His love for airbrush painting inspired him to open Wazoo.
Geist said he has been blessed to learn a variety of different ways to create visual art. Oil paintings on canvas have become his favorite medium.
Geist credits and thanks God for his success as an artist and in life. He believes any student can be successful if they put in time and effort toward a craft or field of study they truly love.
“I thank God every day for the opportunities he’s given me,” Geist said. “Don’t waste your time in college. Take advantage of the learning opportunity. Study what your heart tells you to study, not because of the money or because your friends are doing it.”
While Geist is thankful for the recognition he has gained as a local artist, he is most thankful for the gift he received on Dec. 5, 2003. On that day, he married former Nicholls student Sonni Collinson.
Geist’s artwork can be viewed at Imagine This, located at 7308 Main St. in Houma. The gallery is open from 9:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday.