Contact: Sasha Steinberg

STARKVILLE, Miss.—In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mississippi State’s Department of Art is virtually presenting its 48th Student Juried Exhibition to showcase the talents of MSU artists.

Featuring 54 works selected from 162 entries, this year’s exhibition can be viewed online at https://www.caad.msstate.edu/our-difference/student-work/48th-annual-msu-student-juried-exhibition.

“While there is no replacement for viewing a work of art in person, we are excited to share exhibitions with a wider audience through digital experiences,” said Lori Neuenfeldt, MSU art instructor and gallery director. “Our commitment remains the same—to give the public access to art while giving our students opportunities to exhibit.”

Guest jurors are Diana Baumbach, a multi-media sculptor and associate professor of foundations at the University of Wyoming; Jimmy Fike, a photographer and residential art faculty member and exhibitions coordinator at Estrella Mountain College in Arizona; and Julie Spivey, a designer and professor of graphic design in the Lamar Dodd School of Art at the University of Georgia.

Any MSU undergraduate student enrolled in an art class during 2019 was eligible to enter. Submitted works had to be completed within the last year and not accepted into past MSU juried art exhibitions. Entries were divided into Foundations, Fine Art, Photography and Graphic Design categories and incorporate a wide variety of media, including drawing, painting, printmaking, photography (digital and film), ceramics, sculpture and graphic design (print and digital).

Fourteen students received awards for their pieces. They include (by hometown):

BRANDON—Courtney E. Bates, Graphic Design Honorable Mention for “Ironstrike”

FLORENCE—Meghan A. Norman, Graphic Design Honorable Mention for “Jeanne’s Menu”

JACKSON—Tommie J.N. “TJ” Barnett, Photography Best in Show for “SERIES TITLE: Light Relationship”

LOUISVILLE—Dontae D. Ball, Foundations Honorable Mention for “Final Pastel”

MADISON—Elaina G. Hart, Fine Art Honorable Mention for “Mandy”

MERIDIAN—Amelia Dalton, Graphic Design Best in Show for “Jeffrey Campbell Candle & Catalog Design—collaboration with CURiO”

MUSCLE SHOALS, Alabama—James L. Baggett, Graphic Design Honorable Mention for “Save the Monarchs: Butterfly Rebrand”

OCEAN SPRINGS—Layla J. Adkisson, Photography Honorable Mention for “Chaos Within: practically perfect”

RICHLAND—Mecca S. Givens, Fine Art Best in Show for “LeftTurn”

RIDGELAND—Juliet T.K. Buckholdt, Foundations Honorable Mention for “Octet-Inspired Paper Cut Design”

SAVANNAH, Tennessee—Hailey E. Nickels, Photography Honorable Mention for “A Rose By Any Other Name”

STARKVILLE—Alexus M. Milons, Photography Honorable Mention for “Final Form 1”; Mary K. Sanders, Foundations Best in Show for “Making Momma Proud”; and Hunter C. Smith, Foundations Honorable Mention for “Amethyst” and Fine Art Honorable Mention for “Porcelain Jars: Kuan Jar.”

For gallery updates, follow on Facebook and Instagram or email msuartgalleries@msstate.edu.

MSU’s Department of Art is home to the Magnolia State’s largest undergraduate studio art program. Learn more at www.caad.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.