Art

Brad James Jr.

amw1419 — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 17:22:36 +0000

Brad James Jr. amw1419 Monday, November 24, 2025 - 11:22 am Alumni

By Ainsley Weems | ��Ҵ�ýapp Communication Student Class of 2026

Brad James Jr. discovered his passion for art with the help of his art appreciation professor at Mississippi State University. He decided to change his major to art and grow his skills in figure and portrait drawing, illustrations and graphics. However, a new world opened up to James when he took Timothy McCourt’s non-representational painting course.

“That shifted everything to me. After graduating, I took about three months and just did nothing but abstract art,” James said.

James’ newly found style inspired him to enter a few abstract pieces of work in the 51st ��Ҵ�ýapp Student Juried Exhibition. This exhibition is where his abstract piece won “Best in Show,” to his surprise.

“That came as a surprise because it was an abstract painting,” said James, typically a figure and portraits painter. “It meant a lot to get acknowledgment from your colleagues about something that you really don't even practice like that.”

When it came to painting the mural at Pita Pit’s Starkville location, he teamed up with fellow Department of Art graduate Donovan Weathers II, Class of 2024. James said this is just one of a few murals they have worked on together.

“It's not our first mural together,” James said, “but I think we'll both agree that this is definitely the most creative now the ones that we've done.”

Reflecting on his time as a student at Mississippi State, James said that he believes more art students need to get out of their shell within the first few years and connect with one another. By reaching out to a peer, the door is open for bonds to be formed. He also advises students to learn to take criticism well and look at it as an opportunity to grow.

“A lot of artists have a hard time with criticism, so if you find someone that you can get good criticism from and y’all both benefit from it, that will launch you,” James said, “because without criticism, you're not going to get better.”

Art

History of Art Pre-1300's - One Night Only Exhibition

amw1419 — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 17:19:40 +0000

History of Art Pre-1300's - One Night Only Exhibition Art amw1419 Monday, November 17, 2025 - 11:19 am No2025-11-20T14:00:00-0600 2025-11-20T16:00:00-0600 2nd Floor Union Art Gallery

Contemporary Art of Southwest Asia - One Night Only Exhibition

amw1419 — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 17:15:50 +0000

Contemporary Art of Southwest Asia - One Night Only Exhibition Art amw1419 Monday, November 17, 2025 - 11:15 am No2025-11-20T18:00:00-0600 2025-11-20T19:00:00-0600 2nd Floor Union Art Gallery

Come explore the different aspects of the Middle East through the eyes of students and their artwork. You can come and go as you please.

Former ��Ҵ�ýapp professor creates portraits for Postal Service Revolutionary War stamp collection

amw1419 — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 02:26:10 +0000

Former ��Ҵ�ýapp professor creates portraits for Postal Service Revolutionary War stamp collection amw1419 Monday, November 10, 2025 - 8:26 pm

7th Annual CAAD+CALS exhibition: Reception and Awards

kig27 — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 02:30:55 +0000

7th Annual CAAD+CALS exhibition: Reception and Awards Art kig27 Tuesday, November 4, 2025 - 8:30 pm No2025-12-02T17:00:00-0600 2025-12-02T18:00:00-0600 Old Main Art Gallery

The Mississippi State University Department of Art and Galleries is excited to present the 7th Annual CAAD+CALS Exhibition from December 1-5, 2025 in the Old Main Art Gallery.

This year, art students were invited to learn about the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design and its mission of "fostering the will and ability to plan, design, build, and manage regenerative communities".

Works included in the show range from drawing to collage to web design.

The Awards Reception will be held on Tuesday, December 2nd from 5-6pm in the gallery. Light refreshments will be provided.

Extra special thanks to Cory Gallo, Dr. Anne Spafford, and Professor Rowan Haug!

Visiting Artist: Alumnus James Karlson

kig27 — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 19:59:55 +0000

Visiting Artist: Alumnus James Karlson Art kig27 Monday, November 3, 2025 - 1:59 pm No2025-11-14T15:00:00-0600 2025-11-14T16:00:00-0600 Hunter Henry Room 1010

��Ҵ�ýapp Department of Art alumnus James Karlson will be visiting to speak about his time since graduating, working at the Walter Anderson Museum of Art and the upcoming FishEye Film Festival.

Lexus Giles

amw1419 — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 13:26:49 +0000

Lexus Giles amw1419 Thursday, October 30, 2025 - 8:26 am Alumni

By Ainsley Weems | ��Ҵ�ýapp Communication Student Class of 2026

For Lexus Giles, choosing Mississippi State University was about more than academics. It was about finding a community that nurtured her love for art.

“What made me fall in love [with ��Ҵ�ýapp] was how friendly people were,” Giles said. “It felt like home, and it felt like family.”

Initially planning to become a secondary school art teacher, Giles’s professors inspired her to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture, ceramics and mixed media. During her studies, she earned recognition at the Mississippi Collegiate Arts Competition for her metalwork Silenced and completed an artist residency at the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, deepening her connection to landscape and memory.

After two years teaching high school art, Giles followed her passion for studio practice and earned her Master of Fine Arts in ceramics from the University of Florida in 2023. There, she received the Grinter Fellowship for academic excellence and expanded her work into performance, video and projection-based art.

Her practice explores lineage and identity through clay, wood and found materials, especially the face jug, a symbol of African American resilience reimagined in a contemporary context.

Giles’s growing acclaim includes receiving the 2024 Lilian Fellowship from the Archie Bray Foundation in Montana, one of the world’s top ceramic residencies. This opened her up to her current Simone Leigh Fellowship, which supports her exploration of lineage, identity and material memory.

Her solo exhibition, Record Keeper: Testament to Resilience, is available for public viewing through Nov. 21, 2025, at ��Ҵ�ýapp’s Old Main Gallery. She also curated Black Space in Gainesville, Florida, and has exhibited nationwide.

Reflecting on her journey, Giles said, “Accept rejection, work hard, have fun. Choose what you love because the money will come.”

From her beginnings at ��Ҵ�ýapp to national recognition, Giles continues to embody creativity, resilience and community.

Art

Record Keeper: Testament To Resilience, Lexus Giles Exhibition

amw1419 — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 14:06:25 +0000

Record Keeper: Testament To Resilience, Lexus Giles Exhibition Art amw1419 Thursday, October 23, 2025 - 9:06 am Yes2025-10-27T08:00:00-0500 2025-11-21T19:00:00-0600 Old Main Art Gallery /exhibitions/2025/record-keeper-testament-resilienc…

William "Donovan" Weathers II

amw1419 — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 21:54:09 +0000

William "Donovan" Weathers II amw1419 Monday, October 20, 2025 - 4:54 pm Alumni

By Ainsley Weems | ��Ҵ�ýapp Communication Student Class of 2026

At Mississippi State’s ��Ҵ�ýapp, William “Donovan” Weathers II discovered how to merge his love of digital media with the discipline of painting. Originally drawn to art through technology and the digital visuals of early 2000s culture, he entered ��Ҵ�ýapp eager to strengthen his foundation in painting. Immersed in a community of artists and mentors, he developed a confident creative methodology that bridges traditional and digital worlds.

Today, Weathers creates mixed media works that explore nostalgia, memory, and impermanence, blending CGI-inspired visuals with painting techniques to re-contextualize moments from the past. His creative process begins digitally, using early CGI software before transferring and finishing each piece on canvas.

When it came to painting the mural at Pita Pit’s Starkville location, he teamed up with fellow Department of Art graduate Brad James Jr., class of 2023. Weathers said they decided to divide and conquer the project based on their strengths, with Weathers focusing on architecture and landscapes and James specializing in figures. The mural, “Greek Life at Pita Pit,” took about 2 months to complete, with the artists working outside store hours.

From murals to multimedia projects, Weathers embraces risk and experimentation. “A creative practice can be applied to anything,” he says. “It’s about approaching problem-solving with originality and an open mind.”

Art

Julianne Payne

cem123 — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 13:18:06 +0000

Julianne Payne cem123 Monday, October 13, 2025 - 8:18 am 2025

Why did you choose CAAD at ��Ҵ�ýapp?

I choose CAAD at ��Ҵ�ýapp because I wanted to pursue a creative career, and attending ��Ҵ�ýapp seemed to be a great way for me to do that.

Favorite spot on campus?

My favorite spot on campus is the benches outside the Chapel of Memories.

If you could go back and tell your high school self one thing, what would it be?

If I could go back, I would tell my high school self to relax a little more; life is short—don't spend it stressed all the time.

These are a few of my favorite things…

I enjoy Iced Sea Turtle drinks from Strange Brew Coffeehouse and spending time with my friends.

Art

2026

Art

Brad James Jr.

History of Art Pre-1300's - One Night Only Exhibition

Contemporary Art of Southwest Asia - One Night Only Exhibition

Former ���Ҵ�ýapp professor creates portraits for Postal Service Revolutionary War stamp collection

7th Annual CAAD+CALS exhibition: Reception and Awards

Visiting Artist: Alumnus James Karlson

Lexus Giles

Record Keeper: Testament To Resilience, Lexus Giles Exhibition

William "Donovan" Weathers II

Julianne Payne

Why did you choose CAAD at ���Ҵ�ýapp?

Favorite spot on campus?

If you could go back and tell your high school self one thing, what would it be?

These are a few of my favorite things…

Former ��Ҵ�ýapp professor creates portraits for Postal Service Revolutionary War stamp collection

Why did you choose CAAD at ��Ҵ�ýapp?