Crediting her Meridian Community College instructors, Maxine Davis won the John Michael Rushing Best of Show Award in the MCC Fine Arts Students Competition.

     “I want to say how much I appreciate the instructors – Mr. (John) Marshall, Ms. (Terrell) Taylor and Ms. (Cassandra) Spidle. They encouraged me to stick and stay,” Davis said.

     Her determination and her winning photograph, “Chemotherapy,” captured the attention of Juror Paula Duren, art instructor at Hinds Community College.

    “My reason for choosing this piece as ‘Best of Show’ came down to the message contained in the work. Layering effect, craftsmanship, and first impression makes this a total package, more than just photography,” Duren said.

     The annual competition was divided into the categories of painting, ceramics, two-dimensional design, drawing, graphic design, photography and three-dimensional design.

     Winners in the painting category were: Brittany Twilley, first for “Fading Fast”; Andrea Schuurman, second and third places for “Knit Together” and “Grey Still Life,” respectively. Destry Dancy and Jessica Tripi received honorable mentions.

     In the ceramics division, Davis won first place for her work, “Ancient”; Kenny Carraway won second place for “4-Bowls”; Jennifer Windham received a third place award for “Raku – Who?”; and Ashley McDonald earned two honorable mentions.

     Courtney Herald won first and third place honors in the two-dimensional design category for her works “Hand Me-Down” and “High Strung,” respectively; and Samantha Goffrier won second place for “Faceless.” Andrea Schuurman won two honorable mentions for “Handy Words” and “Oceans.”

     Harold also won first place in drawing category for her work “Envy Ascend”; Brittany McDonald, second, for “The Distance”; and Jessica Powell, third place for “First Chair.” Powell also won an honorable mention in the category, as did Brittany McDonald.

    In the graphic design division, Josue Gonzales won first place for his work, “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”; Ashley McDonald won for her work “Courage”; and Gonzales won a third place for “Look Me in the Eyes.” Jessica Tripi won two honorable mentions in this category.

     Kari Zendejas won first place in the photography category for “The Giving Tree”; Gonzales won second for “Dreams and Nightmares and Brittany McDonald third place for “18/2000.” Honorable mentions were given to Emmett C. Calvert and Jessica Tripi.

     Three-dimensional design honors went to Andrea Schuurman, first, for “Mr. Gibbs, The Seeing Eye Dog”; Ashley McDonald, second, for “The What Not To Do”; and Josue Gonzales for “Yo Quiero Taco Bell.” Schuurman also won an honorable mention as did  Alex Townsend in the category.