In partnership with the Rutherford County Property Assessor’s office the MTSU Todd Art Gallery announces the Fellowship of Artists exhibit at Murfree Gallery June 27-July 28, 2014. An opening reception is scheduled Friday, June 27, 3-4 p.m.

Curated by MTSU art major Rachael Smith a member of the Department of Art’s Student Gallery Committee the exhibit features the work of Dr. Barbara Hodges and husband Leroy Hodges in Murfree Gallery II and samplings of work from Dawna Kinne Magliacano, Michelle Sweatt, Ryan Sweat, Ryan Frizzell, Chelsea King, Mai Harris, John Bentley, and Jennifer Walker in Murfree Gallery I.

Smith joined the Student Gallery Committee this past year where she got her first experience with the committee’s governance of TAG | 210, the student art gallery adjacent to the Todd Art Gallery in MTSU’s Todd Hall  and off-campus venues that include Murfree Gallery and Boro Town Cakes on N. Church Street.

As a curator Smith’s interests focused on supporting student and emerging artists in the Murfreesboro and Rutherford County community. As an artist in her own right her connections to other artists as friends, associates, and classmates gave her a depth of knowledge to collect together a diverse group of artists for this summer event.

Barbara and Leroy Hodges are long-time favorites in Murfreesboro and are well-known for their efforts to support at-risk youth. Of her work Barbara states,” [I try] to capture the emotion and mood that tells a story that will uplift the spirit.  Art is communication.  I hope my art will speak to you.” Leroy has a slightly different take, “My paintings are designed to capture not only the beauty in nature, but also what can be imagined, the struggle, joy and pain of the Human experience.”

Magliacano has a growing reputation for organizing art events from the upcoming Murfreesboro Art Crawl and her collaborative efforts with May Day Brewery to her involvement in the Art Studio Tour. Harris recently joined the Murfreesboro Pulse to further develop their visual arts coverage. In all this is a wonderful group of artists not only expressing the aesthetic of their art to our community but also working to enrich the cultural heritage we pass to our descendants.

The Murfree Gallery is located on the second floor of the Rutherford County Office Building at 319 N. Maple Street in Murfreesboro and is free and open to the public Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4: p.m. For more information contact Property Assessor Rob Mitchell’s office, 615-898-7750 or Eric Snyder, MTSU Department of Art, 615-898-5653.