Sawdust and Glitter: Ramona Sonin and Greely Myatt

Greely Myatt and Ramona Sonin are Memphis-based artists, Mr. Myatt is a sculptor and Ms. Sonin a textile artist. The title of the exhibition is borrowed from the name of their joint studio in West Memphis, Sawdust and Glitter. The work of both artists reflects what Ms. Sonin’s website describes as their “eccentric Southern background and upbringing.” Mr. Myatt creates whimsical sculptural objects from found materials and carved stone that evoke pop culture, folk traditions, and outsider art but are equally steeped in art history. The concept of his sculptures is often inspired by the nature of the found materials and the humorous or ironic titles provide clues to the artist’s creative process. Ms. Sonin create elaborate one-of-a-kind hand-stitched gowns from copious yards of tulle and lace that evoke ethereal femininity. She describes these gowns as representing the “armored feminine” and the way we use fashion to project and protect feminine vulnerability.

Ramona Sonin is a professor of fashion design and illustration at the University of Memphis and coordinator of the Fashion Design and Merchandising department. She has worked as costume designer for films such as Girl Interrupted, as freelance textile and fashion designer, and serves on the boards of various fashion technology companies and Memphis Fashion Week. Her work has been exhibited regionally as well as abroad, in 2023 she showed at the Paris World Fashion Exhibition, at the Devonport Regional Gallery in Tasmania, Australia, and the Dixon Gallery in Memphis, TN. Most recently, she organized the Come as Thou Art costume ball at the Memphis Brooks Museum, a collaboration with the museum’s Couture Collective.

Greely Myatt graduated with a BFA from Delta State University in 1975 and a piece from his student days will be included in the exhibition. He went on to earn his MFA from the University of Mississippi and taught at the University of Memphis over 30 years. He has exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the United States, Europe, and Japan and his work has been reviewed in prestigious art journals such as Art in America, ArtNews, Sculpture Magazine, and Artforum. In 2009, Mr. Myatt was honored with a retrospective of his works exhibited across nine museums and galleries in Memphis.

Sawdust and Glitter: Ramona Sonin and Greely Myatt will be on view in DSU’s Fielding Wright Art Gallery from November 7 through December 5.

2024 ANNUAL FACULTY EXHIBITION, OCTOBER 3 TO OCTOBER 31

Delta State University’s Art Department has a long history of artistic excellence and community involvement. DSU’s art faculty are practicing artists, designers, and filmmakers who regularly exhibit in venues across the nation. Art by DSU art faculty and students can be found in every office on campus, across the university’s and the city’s green spaces, and in local businesses. Art faculty participated in the establishment of Cleveland’s Crosstie Arts Festival and Delta Arts Alliance, served on the boards of these and other local arts institutions, and organized or contributed to countless other community events. Every fall since the founding of the art department in 1961,  the department has put on an exhibition showcasing work produced by its faculty. This year’s faculty exhibition will be the last of these annual exhibitions.

Participating artists are Jesse Ryan Brown, Ky Johnston, Ron Koehler, Michaela Merryday, and Cetin Oguz.

Jesse Ryan Brown is a photographer whose work explores the relationship between objects and the passing of time. His work was included in the last Mississippi Museum of Art’s Invitational and he is a recent recipient of a Mississippi Arts Commission Fellowship. Ky Johnston is a ceramic artist and painter. His work integrates influences from various sources into functional pottery. His goal is to allow the materials, processes, and long history to inform the end result. Some of his work is currently being auctioned as part of a fundraiser for the Grammy Museum and his student work will be for sale as part of the Empty Bowl Fundraiser at Delta Arts Alliance. Ron Koehler is a printmaker and sculptor, his interests include the human figure, food, tools, and paintbrushes. His pieces reveal his unique sense of humor and his knowledge of art history. His work has been shown in all 50 states in over 600 exhibitions and received numerous awards. Michaela Merryday is an art historian and the current director of DSU’s art gallery but also produces furniture pieces customized to the unique needs of their users. She recently received a $69,000 grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission to renovate DSU’s art gallery and organized a study-abroad trip to Austria for DSU students. Cetin Oguz is a painter and the former chair of the DSU’s art department. He works both in an abstract and a figurative style, what unites these bodies of work is Oguz’s interest in mental spaces – memories, transformation of memory and the self. His work is currently on view at the 32nd Annual Emerald Coast National Juried Art Exhibition in Niceville, FL.

The Annual Faculty Exhibition will be on view in the gallery from October 3 to October 31. An opening reception at which light refreshments will be served will be held on October 3 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY’S ART GALLERY PRESENTS NATHANIEL FOLEY: FLIGHT OF OBSCURITY XXI

Nathaniel Foley grew up in a family of pilots and was exposed to what he calls the “awe-inspiring mysteries of flight” at an early age. The artist recalls spending countless hours building model planes and talking about aircraft with his father, a certified aviation mechanic and instructor, whose passion propelled his curiosity. Foley’s sculptures are inspired by the dynamics of flight and the shapes of various aircraft and utilize the same construction techniques used throughout aviation history.

Foley sees human existence as closely tied to travel. According to the artist, man has always desired to travel, especially in ways he was not physically designed. “The boundaries of our existence on this planet have been significantly transformed in the last century as our yearning to defy earthly limitations via manned flight became a reality.” As much as Foley is fascinated with the possibilities of aviation, he is also conscious of the destructive potential of aircraft used in warfare. The delicate forms of his sculpture suggest both graceful movement and imminent danger.

Foley who received his Masters of Fine Arts from Miami University in Oxford, OH is an Assistant Professor of Art at the University of Indianapolis. He has shown his work in numerous group and one-person exhibitions across the Mid-West. Flight of Obscurity is a growing collection of sculptures that have appeared in various manifestations, each new manifestation identified by a Roman numeral.

Nathaniel Foley: Flight of Obscurity XXI will be on view in DSU’s Fielding Wright Art Gallery until September 22. A closing reception for Nathaniel Foley’s exhibition Flight of Obscurity XXI  and a gallery talk by the artist on September 26. The gallery talk will take place at 4:00 pm, followed by a reception for the artist from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

2024 MFA Thesis Exhibition II

Please join us as we celebrate the graduation of Delta State University’s first cohort of Masters of Fine Arts students. As part of their MFA thesis, students conceive, plan, and produce a body of work for exhibition. An opening reception for work by Tasha Huerta and Gunner Sizemore will be held on Thursday, July 25^th from 5:00-7:00 pm in the Fielding Wright Art Gallery.

The work of Tasha Huerta and Gunner Sizemore responds in different ways to childhood memories and experiences.

Tasha Huerta is a graphic designer from Cleveland, MS. For her thesis project, Mrs. Huerta abandoned the tools of her trade – the  mouse and trackpad – and embraced mono printing to turn the gallery space into a colorful forest. Her installation titled Where We Meet is based on childhood memories and intended to evoke nostalgia for the innocence of childhood.

Gunner Sizemore is a photographer from Boyle, MS. As a child, Mr. Sizemore regularly attended rodeos with his family, but it was not until he discovered the gay rodeo circuit that Mr. Sizemore who identifies as queer found a home. Over the last year and a half, Mr. Sizemore has traveled from rodeo to rodeo and created an intimate portrait of the gay rodeo community.

 2024 MFA Thesis Exhibition

Please join us as we celebrate the graduation of Delta State University’s first cohort of Masters of Fine Arts students. As part of their MFA thesis, students conceive, plan, and produce a body of work for exhibition. An opening reception for work by Angela Cole and Sara Wilkerson will be held on Thursday, July 11^th from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, the reception for Tasha Huerta and Gunner Sizemore will be held on Thursday, July 25^th from 5:00-7:00 pm.

The work of Angela Cole and Sara Wilkerson is shaped by their experiences growing up in the South and address gender expectations.

Angela Cole is a painter and educator from Grenada, MS. Mrs. Cole works predominantly in a figurative style. Her exhibition Unbound consists of large-scale paintings that celebrate women that defy familial expectations and social norms.

Sara Wilkerson is an artist and educator from Greenville, MS. She works in photography, video, installation, and performance art. For her exhibition Masquerade, Ms. Wilkerson has created a video installation that highlights gender as an act of performance.

Please join us to celebrate our graduating seniors:

Kayla Allred

Abigail Carter

Joshua Hamilton

Mars Kirby

Azlynn Strate

Makyrin Triplett

Emily Manning

Alice Ann Mullins

The Senior Thesis Exhibition will remain on view until Thursday, June 20.

Summer Gallery Hours
Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed weekends, holidays, and during semester breaks.

DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY ART DEPARTMENT’S 2024 ANNUAL JURIED STUDENT EXHIBITION

DSU’s Art Department will host its Annual Juried Student Exhibition on Thursday, March 7 to April 18. This highly anticipated event allows the art department to highlight the work our students have produced over the past year. The exhibition also allows students to gain professional experience by preparing work for exhibitions and submitting it to a jury process. Students submitting work are also eligible to win monetary awards in various categories. The awards are made possible through the generous support of art patrons from the Cleveland community.

This year’s opening reception also marks the completion of an extensive renovation of the Fielding Wright Art Center funded by a grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission.

This year’s juror is Susan Maakestad. Maakestad is a Professor Emeritus of the Memphis College of Art where she taught from 1997-2020. She now works as an independent artist in the Memphis area. Her work is in public collections including the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art and the City of Memphis. She recently completed a large glass installation for the Memphis International Airport.

As every year, the Annual Juried Student Exhibition will also feature a Salon des Refusés in the Holcomb-Norwood Annex which will display a selection of artwork that did not make it into the main event. The Salon des Refusés is inspired by a similar salon held in 1863 which featured work rejected by the academic selection committee. Yet, some of these artists would go on to change the history of art.

We want to express our gratitude to the Mississippi Arts Commission for awarding us a grant to renovate our gallery as well as to the following sponsors for supporting our students and the department through the donation of awards: Dave Alford and Adventure Frames, Maureen and Bucky Brooks, Cleveland State Bank, Betty Anne and Travis Cooper, Catherine and Ron Koehler, Bill Lester, Carmen and Cetin Oguz, Lisa Percy, Planter’s Bank & Trust, Carol Tatum, as well as Dr. Ellen Green, DSU’s Dean of the College of Arts and Science, President Dr. Ennis, and the President’s Cabinet.

Please join us in celebrating our students’ success on Thursday, March 7, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Awards will be presented at 6:00 p.m. The Annual Juried Student Exhibition will remain on view from March 7 to April 18.

 DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY’S FIELDING WRIGHT ART GALLERY PRESENTS EVAC – EXPERIENCING VETERANS & ARTISTS COLLABORATION

Experiencing Veterans and Artists Collaborations is an art project that has brought together veterans and artists who created visuals to illustrate the veterans’ struggles with posttraumatic stress disorder and other mental health struggles caused by their combat experiences. According to the project organizers “mental health providers are losing the battle with helping veterans in part because veterans feel iso­lated and don’t want to ask for help. Veterans commit suicide at a rate of 20 per day. Deployed veterans who served from 2001-2007 had 41% higher suicide rate than the general population. Studies show veterans who share their stories may help with PTSD recovery.” At the same time, the project seeks to create a bridge between military and civilian life to promote a better understanding of the long-term effects of exposure to combat.

For this project, the organizers interviewed veterans from all branches of the military and with a service history that dates from WWII to more recent conflicts such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan. The organizers then matched the veterans with artists who created a limited edition of prints that interpret the veterans’ experiences. The prints will be displayed side-by-side with excerpts from the interviews which will provide a context for the images and insight into the veteran’s experiences.

By providing a glimpse into veterans’ personal experiences, EVAC creates an environment for viewers that invites understanding and engagement. According to the organizers, “Art offers a unique opportunity to foster em­pathy, as it uses the senses to suggest feelings, stretches the imagination and invites understanding. Empathy is critical to fostering a so­ciety that places value on human dignity for all.”

EVAC – Experiencing Veterans & Artists Collaboration will be on view in the gallery from January 18 to February 15, 2024. An opening reception at which light refreshments will be served will be held on January 18 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

WILLIAM RULLER: ALL THAT IS SOLID MELTS INTO AIR

Delta State University’s Art Department invites the public to the opening of its new exhibition William Ruller: All That is Solid Melts into Air. Ruller who was born in Gloversville, NY explains that “the abandoned mills and tanneries of my youth and the dilapidated areas of metropolitan and rural sites, with its rust grey tones inform the visual and aesthetic language present in my work. These residual sites serve as the foundation for the work, which allows for a reinterpretation of the space into abstracted images.”

Ruller received a B.A. in painting and ceramics from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh in 2007. Following his undergraduate degree, Ruller moved to Oregon where he worked as a production potter and ceramics instructor. In 2014 he received is MFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Ruller has been exhibited throughout Europe and the United States in numerous group and solo exhibitions. His paintings have been featured in Friend of the Artist, Whitewall Magazine, New American Paintings, and Studio Visit Magazine Issues. His work is in private and public collections such as Hyatt Hotel Corporation, Savannah College of Art and Design, and Museo Riso.

William Ruller: All that is Solid Melts into Air will be on view in the gallery from November 2 to December 7. A reception at which light refreshments will be served will be held on November 2 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm to mark the opening of the exhibition. A presentation by the artist via Zoom is scheduled for 4:00 pm that day. The public may join the presentation via Zoom or view it in the gallery surrounded by his work.

DSU’s art faculty are practicing artists, designers, and filmmakers who regularly exhibit in venues across the nation. The annual faculty exhibition offers us the opportunity to showcase new work created by these artists.

Several faculty members are exploring aspects of the human condition. Cetin Oguz’s abstract paintings are allegories of the human condition with line, color, and texture carrying the meaning. While the work is informed by his own history, beliefs, and observations, Oguz strives to create images that have a timeless appeal. Korkut Akacik’s work is similarly informed by personal experiences, in this case, memories and yearnings, which he translates into sensory multi-media installations that invite viewers to probe their own memories and yearnings. Jesse Brown’s photographic work examines the social construction of masculinity. The artist argues that in a society that extols stoicism as a masculine virtue, males find themselves navigating a labyrinth of unspoken rules valuing toughness, self-reliance, and authoritative control. These hegemonic systems frequently lead to the adoption of dissociative strategies in order to preserve a calm exterior and maintain a sense of power. Lawson King is also interested in the issue of control, but he investigates the internal conflict between the need to stay in control and the liberating potential of letting go of control. Lawson represents these ideas in sculpture, paintings, and collages.

Nathan Pietrykowski, Robyn Wall, and Ted Fisher are interested in the associations that places carry. Pietrykowski likes to take walks around town, the observations from these walks form the basis for his prints, artist books, and installations which amount to a psychogeography of place. The focus of Robyn Wall’s work is the home whether the physical structures of homes which she recreates in paper constructions or the narratives she constructs about her neighbors in prints. These narratives are pieced together from the objects left outside their homes. Ted Fisher’s documentary film I Want to Be at the Meeting: Sacred and Secular in the Mississippi Delta highlights the unique relationship of Gospel and Blues music in the culture of the Delta. The documentary was created in collaboration with DSU students and co-produced with Don Allan Mitchell from DSU’s Department of Language and Literature.

The work of Ky Johnston, Ron Koehler, and Michaela Merryday is rooted in craft. Ky Johnston creates pottery that shows respect for his materials, for the people and pieces that have taught him, and for the people who might come to own the objects he makes. Recently, Johnston began to decorate his pottery with imagery that he had previously used only in paintings and prints. Ron Koehler has created a series of complex multi-axis wood-turned vessels for this exhibition. These unique vessels have a natural, flowing quality comprised of intricate curves and shapes that would be impossible to achieve with traditional woodturning. Michaela Merryday, on the other hand, creates wood furniture that promotes harmonious cohabitation with cats.

The Annual Faculty Exhibition will be on view in the gallery from September 28 to October 26. An opening reception at which light refreshments will be served will be held on September 28 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. 

 JENNIFER SEO: PAPERWORKS

Delta State University’s Art Gallery opens its 2023-2024 season with an exhibition of delicate paper sculptures by Jennifer Seo. 

Jennifer Seo painstakingly recreates everyday objects such as teacups, bowls, tables, flatware, eyeglasses, cross necklaces, and embroidered handkerchiefs she discovers in old family photographs as ghostly paper constructions. The artist says that she remakes these “objects to better understand what we find important about them and why.” According to the artist, “objects go from being simply a thing we interact with as utility to a thing that embodies a philosophy and culture.” For Seo who is of Korean descent and was born in Florida, the process of fashioning these paper sculptures is a way of connecting with her distant family and imagining their day-to-day lives. The fragile and abstract nature of these paper sculptures becomes a metaphor for her thought process, for the difference between her projections and actuality, between observation and perception.

Seo was born in Florida and grew up in Los Angeles. She received a BFA degree from Baylor University, then worked as assistant for the sculptor Karl Umlauf before earning an MFA degree from the University of Texas San Antonia. She currently is an Assistant Professor of Painting and Drawing at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. Her work has been featured in group and solo exhibition in the United States and South Korea.

Jennifer Seo: Paperworks will be on view in the gallery from August 24 to September 21, 2023. An opening reception at which light refreshments will be served will be held on August 24 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.