Each year in the winter, Meridian Museum of Art loves to showcase the talents of its members by providing space for a membership exhibition.

This year’s exhibit will begin Tuesday, Dec. 15, and run through February 2021. Original works of art, including paintings, drawings, printmaking, sculpture, photography, ceramics, fibers, glass or mixed media are featured. Last year, the annual exhibit featured works by 40 of the downtown Meridian museum’s members. “We are always encouraging new members to exhibit their works in the annual exhibition by helping them to have the confidence to exhibit,” MMA Executive Director Kate Cherry said.

“This can be really frightening to a new artist. One of our newest members, David Stevens, was recently encouraged to participate in the exhibit. Asked about his personal vision and why he exhibits Stevens said, ‘Art is a very personal pursuit. Whenever I go out to take photographs, I am simply collecting assets. With each subject stimulating me to some degree, my task is then to transform those assets into, paraphrasing Georgia O’Keefe, works that ‘Fill a space with something beautiful.’”

Established artists are always encouraged to participate.

Susan Clark’s clay sculptures always tell a story, Cherry said. Clark’s submission for the upcoming exhibit is “Shining Light on the 19th Amendment,” which features Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Susan B. Anthony — the ladies who started the process to give women the right to vote in 1851.

MMA Board President Keith Everett, M.D., first painted his grand dogs, Moses and Daisy, in January before the pandemic appeared.

“The thought behind that painting was I wanted to do a piece of my two grand dogs together. So, my idea was to have them depicted in abstract thought thinking about the theory and concept of gravity,” Everett explained. “The red ball suspended in midair represented the thought of gravity and the titles of the books that Moses is sitting on reinforced the theme of gravity and implied that they both had been reading books about gravity before looking at the red ball.” Everett’s second painting came along after a discussion about the first, which was hanging in his office.

“I made the comment that it was good that I had painted that one before the pandemic because everything in life had changed since the pandemic began and everyone’s life had changed, including those of Moses and Daisy,” he said. “So, I tried to recreate the first painting but changed the book titles that are about coronaviruses and pandemics. I also changed the ball to a coronavirus as a point of focus that represents Moses and Daisy having abstract thought about the pandemic and obviously put a mask on both of them as a sign of the times. My basic thought about painting this piece was that everybody and everything has been affected by the pandemic.”

That effect includes the membership exhibit.

“With the pandemic still here, a gala will not be held at this time,” Cherry said.

The MMA Membership Exhibition will be open to the public and may also be viewed on Meridian Museum of Art’s Facebook Page.

History and 50 Years

Meridian Museum of Art is celebrating 50 years in the old Carnegie Library.

“To give you a bit of history of our little museum, we will go back many years. Actually, the museum was born in the hearts of its supporters in 1933 with the Meridian Art League,” Cherry said.

The League held exhibitions in many venues throughout the city, but always wanted a permanent building. In 1968, that dream actually became a reality. After the city’s new library was built in the next block, that left the Carnegie Library empty. With seed money and a bond issued by the city of Meridian, the newly renovated building was scheduled to open in January 1970. However, a fire damaged much of the renovation.

After the building was rehabilitated, the museum officially opened in October 1970.

Programming and Community Service

Meridian Museum of Art is a vital organization within the city and surrounding community by continually offering programming for youths and adults. In past years, MMA has added new programming through outreach projects such as with the Meridian Freedom Project and the Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi.

MMA continues to add programming and has expanded its outreach efforts to art therapy sessions at nursing homes and adult daycare centers. The museum works with other organizations and the community’s citizens by providing many resources and space. Consistent programming has been offered for aspiring artists, emerging artists, and well-seasoned artists. Exhibits of works by Mississippi and Alabama artists have remained its focus since it’s beginning.

Supporters

Devotion is the key to a successful arts organization. Meridian Museum of Art’s programming would not be possible without the support of its members, donors, the city of Meridian, the Mississippi Arts Commission and foundations within the community, Cherry said. The Riley and the Phil Hardin foundations have provided operational support and funded many special projects. In 2019, The Paul and Sherry Broadhead Foundation provided operational support to add new programming.

The Community Foundation of East Mississippi is an excellent example of the community where the community helps, Cherry said.

“The museum receives funding from this organization through the Marty and Linda Davidson and the Alliance Health Endowments. CFEM provides funding for special initiatives, such as the Allie Carruth Grant that funded special projects for youth in our area during 2020,” she said. “Through this grant, MMA was able to coordinate activities with the Meridian High School Art Honor Society, Hope Village for Children, Meridian Public-School District, Mississippi Museum of Art, Meridian Freedom Project, Meridian Housing Authority, MCHE and HEARTS Homeschool Groups by providing materials, resources, scholarships, and art camps.”

In February, the museum provided an experience with a drawing lesson for 489 third graders from the Meridian Public School District. The lesson included the works of Meridian native and illustrator Edgar Parker from MMA’s and the Mississippi Museum of Art’s permanent collections. The students also learned more about the museum through a tour and lecture, Cherry said.

For more information regarding Meridian Museum of Art membership and the exhibition, contact by email meridianmuseum@bellsouth.net, visit meridian museum.org or the museum, or phone 601-693-1501.

Meridian Museum of Art is located at 628 25th Ave.; admission is always free. Museum hours are Tuesday-Saturday, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., and by appointment.