Jackson Free Press

As 36-year-old Karla Pound talks about the opening of Twenty-Nine 06 Studios, she notices a small group of people entering the gallery.

"Come on in and look around!" she says, beckoning cheerfully.

"We like the open space so people feel more invited," Pound says. "We want (visitors) to hang out here."

Twenty-Nine 06 Studios is located in Fondren Corner, and derives its name from the building's address on North State Street. Occupying the space that was formerly Sanaa Gallery, Twenty-Nine 06 Studios currently features artwork from painters such as Ginny Futvoye, Whitney Wester and Vicki Overstreet. Pound says the gallery wants to feature up-and-coming artists of any medium and encourages artists to come by the gallery to show their work.

Pound, a photographer who names Chris Grillis as her mentor, also shows work in the gallery, which shares space with her business, Pound Photography. When Pound and her photo editor and good friend Natalie Degelman started the gallery, they wanted to create a place to showcase local art and photography.

"We want to be more than your typical gallery," Degelman says.

The studio also houses Neon Marketing, a creative-based marketing and strategic-planning company. The marketing firm has produced videos for entertainers, as well as promotional films for businesses. Pound and founder Todd White met in March 2009 and began collaborating soon after to explore the relationship between art and marketing.

"A lot of times you don't see marketing firms with a creative aspect, but we try to do that," White says. " … We want to create a creative outlet for everyone, and not just for us."

Twenty-Nine 06 Studios will celebrate its grand opening June 4 with live music by the Hattiesburg-based band Thomas Jackson Orchestra. Pound and her associates hope to continue to grow and evolve with the changing fads while still maintaining their own style and originality.

"Hopefully, something will appeal to (everyone)," she says.