The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience’s latest exhibit, The South’s Most Elusive Artist: Walter Inglis Anderson, opens to the public Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with free First Saturday admission.

The highly anticipated exhibit will include 40 original works by the renowned painter, writer and naturalist, as well as a full slate of related programming. The exhibit will be on view in The MAX’s Fred & Sissie Wile Changing Exhibition Gallery through Nov. 23.

Several events are planned for opening day of the exhibit, including a 10 a.m. screening of the award-winning documentary, “Walter Anderson: The Extraordinary Life and Art of the Islander,” which was created and produced by Anthony Thaxton and Robert St. John, in the Alexander Family Church Gallery upstairs at The MAX.

Also on Saturday, at 11 a.m., the artist’s son, John G. Anderson, will discuss his new book, “The Bicycle Logs of Walter Anderson,” with collaborator Thaxton of the Institute for Southern Storytelling at Mississippi College.

The artist was well known for his epic cycling adventures and, in a nod to those journeys, area cyclists are encouraged to ride their bikes to The MAX on Saturday.

Born in New Orleans, Anderson spent the majority of his life in Ocean Springs, where his relatives owned a pottery studio and he often worked. He formally trained as an artist at the New York School of Fine and Applied Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

Anderson usually shunned the spotlight, preferring making trips to his beloved Horn Island, where he found the peace, serenity and beauty of nature favorable for his prolific drawing and painting.

“Often referred to as America’s Van Gogh, Walter Anderson’s influence is profound, and his work prolific. We couldn’t be more excited to host this prestigious exhibit,” said Penny Kemp, president and CEO of The MAX.

She said The MAX is excited to partner with artists and organizations throughout the state to offer fall programming in conjunction with the exhibit, with many of the events made possible by the support of the Mississippi Arts Commission, the Phil Hardin Foundation, the Riley Foundation and Visit Meridian.

Fall programming at The MAX includes:

• Monday, Sept. 9 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Hospitality Industry Night at The MAX. All restaurants, wait staff, bartenders, hotel staff and downtown retailers are invited to tour the Walter Anderson exhibit free of charge and enjoy complimentary beers.

• Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 4:30 p.m. – Teachers Night Out at The MAX. All educators are invited to tour the Walter Anderson exhibit free of charge and stay for the screening of the “Rising Hope Documentary” at 6 p.m.

• Thursday, Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. – Guided tour of the Walter Anderson exhibit by artist and educator Brent Funderburk, titled “Ecstasy: Walter Anderson’s Transcendent Moment.”

• Saturday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. – Meridian Symphony Orchestra presents Blue Like Jazz, featuring guest pianist Clayton Stephenson playing alongside 25 symphony musicians, upstairs at The MAX until 9 p.m. A 30-minute intermission will allow patrons to enjoy the museum exhibits.

• Thursday, Sept. 19 at 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. – Brown Bag Lunch series featuring live music by Krista Overby from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Night Market by Earth’s Bounty with live music by Neshun Holmes from 5-8 p.m.

• Friday, Sept. 20 at 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. – A Conversation with Patrick Sansone about Meridian’s arts and cultural legacy and downtown development from 3:30-5 p.m., followed by a Welcome Home Reception honoring Tony Sansone from 5-6:30 pm. Presented in partnership with Community Foundation of East Mississippi.

• Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. – JEMS in concert with Cyrena Wages in the Citizens National Bank Courtyard. Fresh off tour with their new album, JEMS is a singer/songwriter alternative folk trio made up of Jessica Rotter, Emily Colombier and Meridian native Sarah Margaret Huff. Members of The MAX are invited to come early for a members-only pre-show social starting at 5:30 p.m. featuring pop-up chef and James Beard Award semifinalist Hunter Evans.

• Saturday, Sept. 28 at 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Lean on Me Jubilee suicide awareness and prevention community event. In partnership with Stronger Together Foundation, Ochsner Rush Health and Community Foundation of East Mississippi, this event will feature live music, education and activities for all ages while raising funds and awareness of mental health services available via area nonprofits.

• Thursdays in October at 5:30 p.m. – Introduction to Pottery class by ceramicist Stephen Phillips, whose work has been exhibited and sold across the Southeast and featured by Mayco glazes.

• Thursday, Oct. 3 at 5:30 p.m. – Lecture by Brent Funderburk, titled “Inside Nature: Chasing the Path of Light Through Watercolor.” This event is in collaboration with the Meridian Museum Art, which is presenting an exhibit of Funderburk’s work from Oct. 4-Nov. 30.

• Thursday, Oct. 17 at 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Brown Bag Lunch series featuring live music by Starkville duo Shank & Maim.

• Saturday, Nov. 2, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Watercolor Workshop by Angi Cooper, a Mississippi-based painter, muralist, naturalist, mixed-media artist and teaching artist.

• Saturday, Nov. 9 at 10 a.m. – A reading of the just rereleased Anderson’s “Alice: Walter Anderson Illustrates Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Robinson: The Pleasant History of an Unusual Cat” children’s books by Walter Anderson, with an instrument petting zoo in collaboration with the Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library and Meridian Symphony Association.

• Saturday, Nov. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon – Earth Color Workshop by Robin Whitfield. Like Anderson, participants will connect to nature by working with raw materials, including inks and pigments gathered from wild locations in Mississippi and beyond.

• Thursday, Nov. 21 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Merry Night Market by Earth’s Bounty featuring live music, artisan and farm vendors, food trucks, live music and more.

• Saturday, Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to noon – Pottery demonstration by University of Southern Mississippi professor and sculptor Allen Chen, whose utilitarian forms and glazes reflect Anderson’s work and arts and crafts inspirations.