MMA Bi-State Competition / Exhibition
Annual event ’ s exhibiting artists to attend awards ceremony
Stacked , Dillan Ladner
Meat Packing District Series – The Perfec View , Shelly Graham
Asleep inthe Cherios , FUZZFUR ( Daniel C . Ethridge
Outstanding Mississippi and Alabama artists will be among those attending a special reception for Meridian Museum of Art ’ s 48th annual Bi-State Competition and Exhibition .
Set for Sept . 24 , from 2-4 p . m . at the downtown Meridian museum , the reception will conclude the competition and exhibition . Awards will be announced at 3:30 p . m .
“ Many of the artists that are exhibiting normally attend this reception ,” MMA Executive Director Kate Cherry said . “ It ’ s a good time for viewers to visit with the artists , ask questions or just talk with the artists .”
Recognized as the region ’ s oldest juried art completion , the prestigious Bi-State Art Competition and Exhibition recognizes and celebrates outstanding artistic achievements of current and past residents of Mississippi and Alabama . The competition offers more than $ 3,000 in awards and prizes , including the $ 1,000 Alliance Health Center Best of Show Award and the Charlie Busler Memorial Award .
This year ’ s Bi-State drew 274 entries , with 76 works selected by 59 artists . Ronna S . Harris served as the juror for this year ’ s event . Harris serves as an Associate Professor in the Newcomb Art Department with Tulane University in New Orleans , Louisiana , where she has instructed since 1989 .
Harris received her Master of Fine Arts / Painting at the University of California Santa Barbara and her Bachelor of Art / Drawing from California State University at Northridge , CA and attended the San Francisco Art Institute . Harris ’ teaching specialization includes painting , figure drawing , studio fundamentals , illustration , design fundamentals and color theory .
Mississippi artists selected to be in the exhibition from the Pines Region are : Bob Purvis , Denise Dengler , Elliott Street , FUZZFUR ( Daniel C . Ethridge ), Gary Howse , J ’ Marcus Alfred , Mary Clare Evans , Robert Hale , Shelly Graham , William Crudup , Winki Allen , Cynthia Buob , Julia Graber , Kathie Baeuerlin , Olin Perry Norton , Robert Gibson , Rowan Haug , Susan Nawrocki , and Thomas Nawrocki ; Capital / River Region are Anne O ’ Hara , Bailey Hughes , Brittany Davis , Charles Carraway , Jane Randall Cleek , Lesley Silver , Megan Hitt , Miriam Wahl , Nate Theisen , Paul Smith , Rick Anderson , and Sabyna Sterrett ; Coastal Region , Barbara-Ann Carver-Hunt , Betty Press , Carolyn Busenlener , Carolyn McIntyre Norton , George Ann McCullough , Joan McRaney , John Dumoulin , Kathy Tosh , Martina Sciolino , Mary Hardy , Mary Louise Porter , Melissa Smith , Pat Abernathy , Pat Odom , Paulette Dove , Sadako Lewis , Vanda McCormick , and ; Hills Region , John Armistead , Thomas Grosskopf and Angi Cooper .
Alabama artists selected are : Charlotte Wegrzynowski , Dillan Ladner , Julia Gary , Kelly Proaps , Martha Markline Hopkins , and William Dooley ; Georgia artist Terry Kahlmus Childers ; Louisiana artist Frahn Koerner .
All images and the exhibition can be viewed on MMA ’ s Facebook Page .
Meridian Museum of Art is located at 628 25th Ave . Museum hours are Tuesday-Saturday , from 11 a . m . -4 p . m . Admission is always free . For more information , contact Kate Cherry at 601-693-1501 , meridianmuseum @ bellsouth . net or visit their website www . meridianmuseum . org or the museum ’ s Facebook Page .
• The 48th Annual Bi-State is supported in part by its members , Sharon Busler and Rachel Busler Misenar , the Community Foundation of East Mississippi through endowments from Alliance Health Center and the Martin and Linda Davidson ’ s Family , the city of Meridian , the Phil Hardin Foundation , the Mississippi Arts Commission , a state agency , and in part from the National Endowment for the Arts , a federal agency , the Riley Foundation , The Paul and Sherry Broadhead Foundation , and the Ernest Worker ’ s Circle .
74 • MERIDIAN LIFE