Contact: Sammy McDavid
Some 150 artworks by 29 Mississippi State students are being featured this month as part of the university's 25th annual Student Fine Arts and Graphic Design Competition.
The exhibition represents the best of more than 550 total entries submitted for judging recently as part of the art department's annual spring event. On display in the McComas Hall Gallery through April 18, the 1997 collection may be viewed 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.
Monetary prizes totaling $5,600 went to selected winners. According to gallery director Eden B. Betz, this year's purse is "a record" for the event, making it "among the largest award packages among competitive exhibitions in the South" this year. Several non-monetary merit awards also were presented.
Providing financial support for the awards were a number of local businesses, campus establishments and private individuals. They included the Bank of Mississippi, Campus Bookmart, The Chalet, Colvard Union, Dux D'Lux Inc., Gun Dog Comics, Mississippi State University Bookstore, Terry Moulder of Starkville, Thomas Shelton Jones and Associates, and Jack and Emilie White.
Beauvis Lyons, art professor and director of the Hokes Archives at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, was juror for the fine arts entries. The graphic design juror was David Hobart, senior art director for the Jackson-based Cirlot Agency.