• overview
  introduction history accreditation give to the dept of art
• undergraduate
  how to apply art merit scholarship fall/spring visit days degrees/curriculum courses/study abroad artwork organizations
• graduate
  how to apply degree/curriculum assistantship courses/study abroad artwork organizations the graduate school
• areas of study
  ceramics graphic design painting photo/imaging arts printmaking sculpture art history
• exhibitions
  current past
• news
  recent past
• facilities
  meek hall gallery 130 ceramics drawing graphic design painting photo/imaging arts printmaking sculpture art history visual resources
• people
  faculty/staff graduate students alumni visiting artists
• outreach
• resources
  umdid.org university museum study abroad outreach the graduate school office of admissions ole miss oxford, ms local galleries
• contact
  contact

University Museum Releases 2009 Collectible Holiday Keepsake
Written by Sarah Cure
11/05/2009

OXFORD, Miss. - Just in time for the holidays, the University of Mississippi Museum has released its 2009 collectible keepsake, this year commemorating the life work of renowned folk artist and Lafayette County native Theora Hamblett.
The one-of-a-kind keepsake depicts Oxford's historic Theora Hamblett House where the self-taught, primitive artist created her signature oil paintings. Produced by a photo chemical etching process, the gold-plated collectible can be purchased at the museum's gift shop for $15 plus tax and shipped for an additional $5.

"The collectible keepsake is a great tradition started by the museum in 2001 as a way to commemorate specific structures important to the city of Oxford, the University of Mississippi and Lafayette County as a means to promote the general concept of historic preservation," said William Andrews, director of University Museum and Historic Houses.

"These are very popular gifts that people enjoy giving and receiving because they represent our appreciation for cultural heritage."

Designed and built circa 1872 by Swedish immigrant G.M. Torgerson, the house on Van Buren Avenue was purchased by Hamblett in 1939. To generate income, she rented space to college students and newlyweds but later converted the four apartments into her studio.

The structure was an example of Carpenter Gothic architecture, but the top of the house burned in 1929 and was rebuilt with a typical 1930s eave, said Margaret Fancher, owner of the house since August 1977.

"I think it's great the museum chose the Theora Hamblett House for the 2009 collectible keepsake," Fancher said. "There are many antebellum and Victorian houses in Oxford, but what makes this house special is this is where Theora Hamblett did her paintings."

The museum is in the midst of planning a traveling exhibit to showcase Hamblett's original paintings, most of which she willed to the university before her death in 1977, Andrews said.

"We thought this would be a good way to commemorate her (Hamblett's) presence in Oxford and celebrate her reputation as a national folk artist and visionary figure," Andrews said.

Previous University Museum collectibles include the Skipwith House (which was also designed by Torgerson), the Brandt Memory House, Lyceum, Ventress Hall, Barnard Observatory, Lafayette County Courthouse, Rowan Oak and Oxford City Hall.

The complete nine-piece set of collectible keepsakes is also available for $120 plus tax and an additional fee for shipping.
The University Museum Gift Shop is open 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1-4:30 p.m. Sundays. For more information or to place orders using a credit card, call 662-915-7073. Orders to be shipped in time for Christmas delivery must be placed by December 15.

To learn more about the University Museum, visit http://olemiss.edu/university_museum.

An opening reception is Sunday, September 27 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. The Museum is located at University Avenue and Fifth Street in Oxford.

The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 1:00 - 4:30 p.m. and is closed Monday and most University Holidays. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated.

For more information or assistance related to a disability, please contact: Tracy Stricklin, 915-7084

Visit 'Inside Ole Miss Online' for UM faculty & staff news at http://news.olemiss.edu/index.php/IOM/.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

William Beckwith Donates Bronze Bust of B.B. King to Blues Archive

Written by Elaine F. Pugh
UM photo by Robert Jordan
09/16/2009

A bronze bust of world-renowned blues icon B.B. King has been donated to the University of Mississippi's Blues Archive by its creator, award-winning artist William Beckwith of Taylor. The gift arrived in time for the Sept. 22 formal opening of the yearlong exhibition "Still Got the Blues: A Silver Anniversary Exhibition," celebrating the archive's 25 years of welcoming visitors from around the world. The public is invited to the 4-6 p.m. reception in the Faulkner Room of the J.D. Williams Library.

The bust is a welcome addition to the archive's B.B. King Collection, said Greg Johnson, blues curator and associate professor in the J.D. Williams Library.

Greg Johnson (left), curator of the University of Mississippi's Blues Archive, and sculptor William Beckwith admire a bronze bust of legendary bluesman B.B. King that Beckwith recently donated to the archive. UM photo by Robert Jordan.
"The timing couldn't have been more perfect," Johnson said. "It is highly appropriate for the bust to be displayed in an exhibit that celebrates the Blues Archive, which really came to prominence with the donation of B.B. King's personal record collection over a quarter-century ago."

Beckwith said he donated the bust out of admiration for King and to pay tribute to him for donating his record collection to the Blues Archive. After learning that the bust is to be permanently displayed in the Faulkner Room in close proximity to a bust of William Faulkner by artist Leon Koury, Beckwith said he couldn't be more pleased.

"Leon Koury was like a father to me, and I'm proud to be in the same room with him." Beckwith said. The two first met when Beckwith was 14 years old, and Koury became his longtime mentor.

Beckwith has produced public and private bronzes for more than 30 years. He is represented in public and private collections nationwide. His commissioned work includes "B.B. King," city of Indianola; "Flag Bearer, Mississippi 11th," Gettysburg National Military Park; and "William Faulkner," Oxford City Hall.

Beckwith's numerous awards and honors include winner of the statewide Governor's Award of Excellence in the Arts in 2001. His exhibition venues have included Splashlight Studios and Frank Marino Gallery in New York City, National Museum of American Art in Washington, D.C., Louisiana World's Fair in New Orleans and Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson.

Originally from Greenville, Beckwith works out of his studio in Taylor. He also is an adjunct assistant professor of art at Ole Miss.

For more information about the Blues Archive, call Greg Johnson at 662-915-7753. For assistance related to a disability, call 662-915-7091.

New University Museum Director
'Motivated by the Power of the Arts'

OXFORD, Miss. - William Pittman Andrews is a frequent traveler into the world of art but to him it's a two-way street.

The new director of the University of Mississippi Museum and Historic Houses makes an annual pilgrimage to New York City to view the works of the great Masters and rising contemporaries.

William Pittman Andrews has been named director of the University of Mississippi Museum and Historic Houses. UM photo by Kevin Bain.
While he finds such sojourns to be personally rewarding, he also stops along the way to encourage people to explore the valuable and renowned collections found within the halls of his latest workplace, and he invites noteworthy artists to visit and exhibit their work.

"Ole Miss is a cultural mecca; the museum and its collections definitely drew me to accept the position here," Andrews said. "The museum's Robinson Collection of Greco-Roman sculpture, the Millington-Barnard Collection of Historic Scientific Instruments and repository of Southern folk art were like a triple home run for me."

Expressing his support for the new director, Morris Stocks, UM provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, said, "Mr. Andrews has broad, extensive experience with museums, and he brings a breadth of knowledge, energy and excitement. His wide-ranging expertise aligns remarkably well with the strengths of our wonderful museum collections. He will invigorate our museum and help lead us to the next level of excellence."

Besides attracting exhibitions and increased traffic to the museum, Andrews stated two primary objectives. "I want us to regularly send out quality exhibitions. The works of artists like Theora Hamblett, Luster Willis and Sulton Rogers should all be traveling to great exhibiting institutions beyond the South.

"I also want the museum to continue acquiring the very best representations of various artists, genres, styles and periods for our collections. Because acquisitions are a critical part of the museum program, we need new additions to remain vibrant and vital."

Acknowledging that both traveling exhibitions and acquisitions can be costly, Andrews said he is encouraged by the enthusiasm and support by museum and university staff as well as members of the Oxford-Lafayette County community.

Everyone that I've met so far has been very passionate about what goes on here, which is very attractive to me," Andrews said. "Likewise, my wife Stacie and I are excited about joining the local art community via the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, Oxford Artists Guild and other organizations."

Well known in the art community statewide and beyond, Andrews was named the 2008 Mississippi Arts Commission Visual Arts Fellow. He has had solo exhibitions in Ellisville, Greenville, Columbus, Laurel and Meridian. He has also participated in group exhibitions in Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Boston, Chicago, St. Louis, Brooklyn and Little Rock.

Andrews examines a piece of pottery on display at the UM Museum. UM photo by Kevin Bain.
"William is motivated by the power of the arts; he demonstrates vision and imagination," said Malcolm White, executive director of the Mississippi Arts Council. "He is not bound by the limits of the status quo and is an asset to the creative community of Mississippi."
Andrews holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Mississippi State University.

Formerly, he was director of galleries for the College of Architecture, Art and Design and served on the art faculty at MSU. He also taught art at Starkville High School in the early 1990s. He expressed hopes that his third and terminal degree will eventually be earned during his UM tenure.

"The classical tradition at Ole Miss is so great, I've always wanted to earn a Ph.D. from Ole Miss," he said.

Forging ahead with his plans for the museum's growth and continued success in his chosen career, Andrews exudes a calm confidence. He says that by relying on his perspectives as an artist, he has more often than not made decisions that have been rewarding in his personal and professional life.

"That's how I came to this amazing experience in Oxford and at Ole Miss," Andrews said. "So far, my instincts have never led me wrong."

For more information about the University Museum, visit http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/u_museum/ .

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Ole Miss students showcase art from travels
Written by Rachel Johnson
The Daily Mississippian
9/30/09

Art isn’t just something to look at; it’s an experience.

For the artists, this experience represents the feelings and creative process they went through while drawing, painting or photographing a subject. For the audience, the experience is in catching a glimpse of someone else’s point of view - a moment captured in time that we otherwise might have missed.

Art students at the University of Mississippi were taken out of Oxford and thrown into two different worlds, New York City and Tanzania, and brought their experiences back to share with the Oxford community.

In New York, nine students blogged and drew their way through the city’s most iconic sites in a course led by Professor Lou Haney. In Tanzania, professor Brooke White and a group of six students immersed themselves in the people and animals of Africa through photography.

These two worlds and the projects therein came together at Frame Up Gallery on the Square Friday night for the opening of the exhibition “The Big Five and the Big Apple” which showcases the students’ work.

The Frame Up Gallery is a unique space in itself; walking downstairs into the dark gallery its visitors are not immediately aware of what they are about to walk into. After seeing juxtaposition of exposed beams and old brickwork, like in an old root cellar alongside new paneling and lighting, the atmosphere was set. This combination of old and new worked well with the contrasting cultures expressed in the pieces in the exhibit.

The art in the collection is complemented by cultural artifacts from the African tribes that Ole Miss students met with and a video of students dancing with the Masaai tribe, which gave visitors a complete picture of the experiences the students had.

The students who visited New York were guided by their professor to well-known landmarks such as the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Not only would they spend time sketching, but after the day’s work, the students blogged about their experiences, most of whom had never been to New York before.

Dr. Marvin King, an Ole Miss political science professor who attended the show, really liked the idea of blogging the experience. “I wish all the study abroad classes would do it,” King said.

On the other side of the globe in Africa, students traveled to national parks.

There they got to see the wildlife and spend time with the Hadzabe and Masaai tribes. Recent graduate Mi’chel Jarjoura said of the trip, “Over there you just feel different. You’re caught up in these animals and people and you’re not caught up in your life like here, you’re caught up in theirs.”

The exhibit will be open at Frame Up Gallery on the Square until Sept. 8.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The Big Five and the Big Apple
August 28th - September 8th, 2009
at FrameUp Gallery on the Square

Explore the art of travel through the student exhibition of drawing and photography from Summer 2009. The show exhibits work from Draw! New York led by Assistant Professor Lou Haney, and Digital Photography on Safari in Tanzania taught by Assistant Professor Brooke White.

Artist Reception:
FrameUp Gallery
Friday, August 28th 5-7pm

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

American Masters of the Mississippi Gulf Coast' Exhibition Opens July 25 at University Museum

Written by Edwin Smith
07/22/2009

OXFORD, Miss. - A traveling exhibition featuring the works of four renowned Mississippi artists is coming to the University of Mississippi Museum.

"American Masters of the Mississippi Gulf Coast" opens Saturday (July 25) and continues through Aug. 29. Organized by the Mississippi Arts Commission and underwritten by the National Endowment for the Arts, the display is the second in a series highlighting cultural contributions of historic Mississippi personas in art, literature, theater and dance. Included are paintings by George Ohr, Dusti Bonge, Walter Anderson and Richmond Barthe.

"We are fortunate to host this exhibit highlighting these extraordinary Mississippi artists," said Morris Stocks, UM provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. "Through their distinctive works, they have provided a glimpse into our unique history and culture."

Those working closely with the exhibition urge the public to take full advantage of the rare and remarkable project.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to examine modernism in Mississippi," said William P. Andrews, project director. "Much of the time, art history paints these individuals in a vernacular or naive light. The truth is, they were very avant-garde and exceptionally devoted to their unique vision."

To highlight the artists and the exhibit, MAC, the Starkville Area Arts Council and the Mississippi State University art department have published a 104-page, full-color, hardback catalog on the lives of the artists and artworks of the exhibition. The catalog is being circulated by University Press of Mississippi. Mississippi writer Patti Carr Black is providing her expertise to the project by serving as curator and editor of the catalog, which is available at Off Square Books in Oxford among other venues.

"Through this exhibition and publication, we hope to offer a thoughtful and respective view of these legendary visual artists who drew life and inspiration from our beloved Mississippi Gulf Coast," said Malcolm White, MAC executive director.

University Museum, Fifth Street and University Avenue, is open to the public 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-4:30 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 662-915-7073 or visit http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/u_museum/

The Mississippi Arts Commission is a state agency, funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Wallace Foundation, the Phil Hardin Foundation, Donna and Jim Barksdale, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation and other private sources. MAC is the official grant-making and service agency for the arts in Mississippi.

Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts. NEA created the American Masterpieces Series to acquaint Americans with the best of their cultural and artistic legacy.

For assistance related to a disability, call 662-915-7073. For more information on the University Museum, go to http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/u_museum/ .

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Abstract Sculpture Installation is 'Perfect' Ending as University Museum Director Enters Retirement

Written by Edwin Smith
UM photo by Nathan Latil

OXFORD, Miss. - On his last day as University of Mississippi Museum director, Albert Sperath received something more meaningful than the customary gold watch.

Sperath's parting "gift" was the opportunity to assist in the installation of the abstract sculpture "Bardo of Rose." Famed artist Roy Tamboli's piece of work has a permanent home on an island of land on the museum's west side. A public reception for the artist will be announced at a later date.

"This feels like coming in first in a race," said Sperath, who retired June 30. He and Robert "Bob" Pekala, the museum's technical assistant, helped Tamboli balance and stabilize the sculpture on its pedestal after it was mounted using a forklift.

The sculpture's owner, Wilbrod "Will" St. Amand Jr., UM professor emeritus of biology, offered earlier this year to give it to the museum through the UM Foundation's Friends of the Museum program. After some discussion, the gift offer was accepted, Sperath said.

Neither a bust nor a statue, "Bardo of Rose" is an extremely personal piece for Tamboli. Standing 108 inches tall and weighing roughly 300 pounds, the steel-and-glass artwork symbolizes the artist's mother and her experiences in caring for Mario Tamboli, her late husband and Roy Tamboli's father, who died three years ago from Alzheimer's disease.

Former UM Museum Director Albert Sperath (left) shares a moment with (from left) sculptor Roy Tamboli, his mother Rose Tamboli, and donor Will St. Amand. UM photo by Nathan Latil.
"'Bardo' is a Buddhist term literally meaning 'in-between,'" Roy Tamboli said. "The ring in the piece represents the circle of life. The break in the ring speaks of the gap in relationships created by the disease itself and the patient's loss of memory. The gap is bridged by coils representing the dedication and devotion of the patient's caregiver.

"The twisted coil near the top symbolizes the stress and trauma of living with someone who has Alzheimer's. Finally, the glass globe at the very top represents the pearl of joy found in the surrender of acceptance."

St. Amand met Tamboli and his mother more than a decade ago when the two began attending the Alzheimer's Caregivers Support Group of the Three Rivers Area Agency on Aging, which has been meeting monthly in Oxford for more than 25 years. Having experienced the loss of his own wife, sister and mother-in-law to the disease, St. Amand found many shared experiences with the Tamboli family.

"For years Roy, who lives in Memphis, has brought his mother, who lives in Sardis, to our meetings," St. Amand said. "His love and dedication to his parents have impacted me and many others as well."

Though "Bardo of Rose" has appeared in exhibitions in many cities around the country, Tamboli said he is pleased that it has found a permanent home at the university and in the Oxford community.

"I wanted it to be here because of Dr. (JoAnn) O'Quin and her support group," Tamboli said. "She always loved this sculpture. Therefore, I think this was the most appropriate place for it to live, where she and others can enjoy it." O'Quin, UM professor of social work and pharmacy administration, is coordinator of the Alzheimer's Caregivers Support Group.

Sperath said that beyond the artistry of Tamboli's sculpture, he hopes it will be a bridge of understanding and inspiration between the general public and those whose lives are touched by Alzheimer's.

"Having this piece installed on my last day here is my crowning achievement. What a perfect end to my time as director," Sperath said.

University Museum, Fifth Street and University Avenue, is open to the public 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-4:30 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 662-915-7073 or visit http://www.olemiss.edu/museum/

Digital Photography on Safari

Click here for past news