Category: Middle
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Nija Woods
Nija Woods “I am an abstract expression artist dedicated to harnessing the transformative power of color psychology to nurture positive mental health. My work transcends conventional artistic boundaries as I endeavor to shed light on the crucial intersection of emotions and colors. Fueled by an unwavering passion, my primary mission is to foster mental health…
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Gary White
Gary White “We are always in constant search of recording the world around us. This need can be seen in the works of ancient ancestors. From Moche effigy pots of pre-Columbian America to the latest high tech digital camera, the urge to record is undeniably in our genetic human DNA. The immediacy of clay has…
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Roger Smith
Roger Smith “I was born August 20, 1943, in Tallahassee, Florida. At an early age, we moved to Maury County, Tennessee. Here I attended a one-room school house, called Parks Station Elementary School. The school was located between Columbia and Lewisburg, Tennessee. Grades 1 to 8 were taught at this school, by one teacher. Since…
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Jamaal Sheats
Jamaal Sheats Jamaal B. Sheats, MFA is Director and Curator of the Fisk University Galleries and an Assistant Professor in the Fisk University Art Department. An alumni of Fisk, both positions enable Sheats to work with students, faculty, and the community in ways that integrate his expertise and passion for the arts, education, and mentorship.…
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Greg Ridley+
Greg Ridley Nashvillians will recognize Ridley’s work in the Grand Reading Room at the downtown library, ‘A Story of Nashville’ eighty hammered-copper repousse panels line the walls. Ridley graduated in 1944 from Pearl High School, continuing his education at Fisk University from 1945-1949, working under Aaron Douglas. He then finished his degree at Tennessee State…
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Jackie Schlicher
Jackie Schlicher “My pottery stands as evidence that humans, lived here – working, playing and creating – perfectly imperfect, humbled and in awe of the infinite possibilities born of earth, water, air and fire. I hold every opportunity to sit at my wheel and get dirty as a time to create playfully or dramatically with…
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Jernicya Onyekwelu
Jernicya Onyekwelu “My objective is to produce artwork that is commonly inspired by my desire to represent the global majority specifically of African American and African descendants and ethnic identities. Being a Black woman, I’ve always enjoyed adding pieces of my identity into any artwork that I create through concentrating on portraits that reflect strong…
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Jimmy Mumford
Jimmy Mumford Jimmy Mumford is Middle Tennessee State University’s newest chair member in their art department. Mumford took the position back in March 2022. He previously taught graphic design at Jackson State University. Mumford graduated with a BFA from Delta State University in 1997 and an MFA from Memphis College of Art in 2000. When…
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Elisheba Israel Mrozik
Elisheba Israel Mrozik “The narrative of Black identity has, for too long, been interwoven with threads of deception, appropriation, and commodification. Nowhere is this more evident than in the complex journey of Ankara fabric, a textile that many view as emblematic of African heritage. But as the ‘Hood Cloth’ series seeks to illuminate, the true…
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Elise Kendrick
Elise Kendrick Creating art has been an intrinsic part of my being for as long as I can remember. While my artistic path has varied, coming from a long line of storytellers and educators has contributed to my desire to visually tell stories. By using painting and printmaking as a vehicle to create, I am…
CRAFTING BLACKNESS 