Gretchen Howard was born and raised in New Orleans.  She studied design at Louisiana State University, and earned an Associate Arts Degree from The Art Institute in Atlanta Georgia.  A self-described colorist, she employs both symbols and color to communicate the deeply personal meaning of each work.  Her early focus included graphic design and decorative painting, and in the last ten years has shifted to consistent mixed media abstracts.  Her work has appeared in numerous private showings and is widely collected in New Orleans.   "Downlow" is her fourth solo gallery exhibition.