The MTSU Todd Art Gallery announces Art Alums 2017: A Celebration, an exhibit of work themed around art students graduated 1982 to 2012.

This 30-year span is specific to the formative years of the department's graphic design program and ceases at a point that acknowledges each graduate's further artistic and professional career development over the last five years. Scheduled August 31-September 20, 2017, an MTSU Arts Patrons Reception is set Thursday, August 31, 5:30-7 p.m., MTSU, Todd Hall, Room 224A.

While the graphic design program is the department's largest area of study other areas include art education, and studio art. The origins of the department reach back 90 years when Hester Rogers Ray was hired to teach art education courses to Elementary Education majors. However, it was 1960 when the modern Department of Art was formed and Jere Chumley became the first graduate receiving a Bachelor's of Science (B.S.) in Art Education. Howard Hull followed the succeeding year, with many more since. Both Chumley and Hull studied with David LeDoux, late Professor Emeritus of Art, and the late Fred Reubens, who was Chairman of the two-person department. Since then, the department has grown to a faculty of more than twenty, who oversee more than 300 majors, and a newly appointed chairperson, Associate Professor Nicole Foran.

Periodically, during recent years the now renamed MTSU Department of Art and Design has invited its alums to participate in an exhibit at Todd Art Gallery. This is intended as an acknowledgement of their artistic successes while it examples the ongoing transformations found throughout their various artistic practices. After graduation each alum experiences new ways of thinking, seeing, and adapting that builds upon their student career at MTSU and informs their artistic pursuits across a lifetime.

As a result this exhibition seeks to portray that artistic evolution while it renews old friendships through an occasion to reminisce and celebrate. For both returning and current students new connections are made with insights and tall tales shared with and about past and current faculty.

Exhibit media includes: Book Arts, Ceramics, Fiber Art, Graphic Design, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Video Performance.

While not comprehensive exhibit participants include Anna Torrence, Beth Moore, Carolyn Ford, Cody Langford, Danielle Burns, Darlene Pendergrast, Daryl Stevens, Dave Rollins, Greg Phillipy, Jennifer Kasdorf, Jimmy Stephens, Katie Struk, Ken Uselton, Krishna Adams, Kristi Baughman, Lani Asuncion, Lonnie Long, Rachael Vaters-Carr, Reika Pratt, Richard Carr, Rik Crabtree, Scott McRoberts, Shaun MacDavid, Sher Fick, and Sherry Teal.

All Todd Art Gallery exhibits and receptions are free and open to the public. For questions, directions, and parking: 615-898-5532.