The Department of Art and Design welcomes the Tennessee Art Education Association to the campus of MTSU!

To join our announcements list, complete and save the form below, then email it as an attachment to ToddArtGallery@mtsu.edu.

Midsouth Sculpture Alliance Members Exhibition

Todd Art Gallery (TAG) presents FICTION: 2026 Mid-South Sculpture Alliance Members Exhibition from Wednesday, October 14, through Saturday, November 7, 2026. The exhibition continues an ongoing partnership between Art and Design and the Mid-South Sculpture Alliance (MSA), bringing nationally recognized contemporary sculptors to Murfreesboro. A public reception is scheduled for Saturday, October 17, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Todd Art Gallery.

Selected through a competitive, juried process, Fiction brings together 14 professional artists from across the Mid-South and the United States, celebrating a diversity of contemporary sculptural practice and the innovation, craftsmanship, and conceptual depth that define today’s three-dimensional art.

Juried by Nashville sculptor and educator Thomas Sturgill, the exhibition explores the role of narrative in sculpture: how artists build imagined worlds through material, form, and space. Rather than telling straightforward stories, the work invites viewers to question perception, embrace ambiguity, and complete the story themselves. “For thousands of years, sculpture has served as one of humanity’s earliest storytelling traditions,” About the exhibit, Sturgill wrote, “Whether

rooted in mythology, history, fantasy, or personal experience, sculpture has the remarkable ability to communicate narratives that transcend language while inviting viewers to complete the story themselves.”

Exhibiting Artists include Jason Brown, Emily Budd, Thomas Cornell, Brenden Deasy, Jonathan Durham, Gabi Madrid, Mark Mcleod, Greely Myatt, Stacey Rathert, Natalie Thedford, Patrick D. Wilson, and Jason Tanner Young.

Visitors can expect a wide range of sculptural approaches, from traditional materials to experimental processes, in works that are intellectually engaging, visually compelling, and rich in personal interpretation. Located within MTSU’s nationally accredited Department of Art and Design, the gallery provides exhibiting artists with a place in an active learning environment that fosters classroom dialogue, professional networking, and community engagement well beyond the gallery walls.

The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public. Todd Art Gallery is in the Todd Art Building, Room 224A, on the MTSU campus at 1301 E. Main St. in Murfreesboro. For GPS directions to nearby visitor parking, use 1512 Military Memorial, Murfreesboro, TN 37132. Campus visitors can obtain a visitor parking permit or use an available pay-by-plate parking area. Permit information and pay-by-plate options are available through MTSU Parking and Transportation Services. Parking questions may be directed to parking@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2850. Gallery hours are Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. The gallery is closed on federal, state, and university holidays; and on home football game Saturdays; other dates are designated for exhibition installation and preparation. For exhibition information, contact Eric V. Snyder, Coordinator of Exhibitions and Engagement, at ToddArtGallery@mtsu.edu or 615-898-5532, or visit art.mtsu.edu.

About MSA FICTION Juror Thomas Sturgill

About the Todd Art Gallery

The Todd Art Gallery presents exhibitions and programs that connect the MTSU community and the public with contemporary art, design, scholarship, and creative practice. Through faculty, student, regional, national, and international exhibitions, the gallery advances the Department of Art and Design’s commitment to learning, engagement, and artistic discovery.

Michael Baggarly

Helicopter

Mixed media

A practical guide for planning, promoting, installing, presenting, and closing your
senior exhibition

The John and Elva Griffon and Lon Nuell Memorial Scholarships

Open to incoming freshmen and transfer students entering Fall 2027.
Application Period: Monday, December 1, 2026 – Monday, March 1, 2027

MTSU Todd Art Building

Showcases Faculty Creative Practices

The Todd Art Gallery at Middle Tennessee State University presents the MTSU Department of Art and Design Faculty Biennial Exhibition from Tuesday, September 8, through Saturday, October 3, 2026. The exhibition brings together recent work by 24 faculty artists and designers, offering audiences an opportunity to experience the creative practices that inform both their teaching and professional work.

A public reception is scheduled for Thursday, September 10, from Noon to 1 p.m. in the Todd Art Gallery, located in the Todd Art Building, Room 224A.

Presented every two years, the Faculty Biennial highlights the breadth of creative and scholarly activity within MTSU’s Department of Art and Design. Encompassing contemporary art, fine craft, design, and illustration, the exhibition offers a closer look at how faculty members investigate ideas, develop new work, and contribute to their respective fields. Together, the works celebrate the distinctive practices of the participating artists and designers while reflecting the department’s collective creative energy.

“Our faculty bring their professional creative practices directly into the classroom, and the Faculty Biennial gives students and the broader community an opportunity to experience the work behind that teaching,” said Jimmy Mumford, chair of the MTSU Department of Art and Design. “The exhibition reflects the range of ideas, disciplines, and perspectives that make our department such a dynamic, creative community.”

Participating faculty are:

Erin Anfinson, Michael Baggarly, Douglas Dabbs, Kelsey Duncan, Kim Dummons, Donald Guevara, Todd Herzberg, Jarrod Houghton, Sisavanh Houghton, Kate Kinder, Joshua Lynn, Noël Lorson, Mark McLeod, Chelsea Moulder, Jimmy Mumford, Melissa Newman, Kathy O’Connell, Ambrose Prince, Tony Rodriguez, Nick Satinover, Sheri Selph, Stephanie Simkin, Holly Strickland, and Jake Wells.

The Faculty Biennial offers students and community members an opportunity to encounter the department’s faculty not only as educators, but also as active artists, designers, researchers, and creative professionals. Together, the works reveal both the distinctive character of each participant’s practice and the collective creative energy of MTSU Art and Design.

The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.

Todd Art Gallery is in the Todd Art Building, Room 224A, on the MTSU campus at 1301 E. Main St. in Murfreesboro. For GPS directions to nearby visitor parking, use 1512 Military Memorial, Murfreesboro, TN 37132.

Campus visitors must obtain a visitor parking permit or use an available pay-by-plate parking area. Permit information and pay-by-plate options are available through MTSU Parking and Transportation Services. Parking questions may be directed to parking@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2850.

Gallery hours are Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. The gallery is closed on federal, state, and university holidays; on home football game Saturdays; and on other dates designated for exhibition installation and preparation.

For exhibition information, contact Eric V. Snyder, Exhibitions and Engagement Coordinator, at ToddArtGallery@mtsu.edu or 615-898-5532, or visit art.mtsu.edu.

About the Todd Art Gallery

The Todd Art Gallery presents exhibitions and programs that connect the MTSU community and the public with contemporary art, design, scholarship, and creative practice. Through faculty, student, regional, national, and international exhibitions, the gallery advances the Department of Art and Design’s commitment to learning, engagement, and artistic discovery.

Art that Moves. Design that Matters.

Awarded to continuing majors in Art and Design, Music, Dance, or Theatre who demonstrate exceptional promise and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

Selection: Each September, the chair of the Department of Art and Design selects the Art and Design recipient based on faculty recommendations.

The recipient is then eligible for consideration as the College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Student.

Deadline: Friday, September 18, 2026.

Questions: ArtandDesign@mtsu.edu or ToddArtGallery@mtsu.edu

Installation Images

Representative Exhibition Images

In the News: “Artistic Expressions” Kicks Off MTSU Todd Gallery Season

MTSU Department of Art and Design’s Todd Art Gallery (TAG) opened its Fall 2026 season with “Artistic Expressions: Let Your Voice Be Heard.” Featuring the work of 34 artists, the exhibition explores a wide range of themes and artistic media.

The exhibit will be on view Aug. 8-29 at TAG, located in Room 224A of MTSU’s Todd Art Building. A public opening event was held on Saturday, Aug. 8, at 2 p.m. 

On Thursday, Aug. 27, an artists’ panel will be held for the benefit of the MTSU campus and the community. This panel currently includes Dalia Garcia, Jairo Prado, Fred H. Reaves, and Carlton Wilkinson. A brief, informal gallery conversation between artist Carlton Wilkinson and Dr. Paige Medlock, president of the Tennessee Art Education Association and a faculty member at MTSU, will follow.

Through media including painting, collage, sculpture, photography, mixed media, graphic design, and digital processes, this exhibition explores how visual art can convey ideas and experiences that extend beyond language. Each artwork will address subjects such as memory, environmental change, cultural hybridity, identity, social realities, and the expanding presence of data and artificial intelligence in contemporary life.

Some works offer social commentary, uplift, or critique, while others envision futuristic possibilities and realities. Throughout the exhibition, traditional techniques are extended into experimental, innovative, and hybrid practices.

“Artistic Expressions asks us to consider not only what artists have to say, but how their choices of material, imagery, and process lend form to that voice,” said Eric Snyder, Coordinator of Exhibitions and Engagement for Todd Art Gallery. “The exhibition allows distinct perspectives to exist beside one another, creating connections, contrasts, and opportunities for meaningful conversation.”

Among the works receiving special attention is the return of Carlton Wilkinson’s “Crucifixion,” a participatory photographic and mixed-media work centered on the image of a Black male figure in a cruciform pose. The central image is surrounded by handwritten names, signatures, and remembrances that accumulated through audience participation, allowing the work to evolve as individuals contributed memories and personal connections to its surface.

When “Crucifixion” was exhibited at TAG in 2025, Medlock studied the many inscriptions and unexpectedly recognized her late father’s full signature among them. Her father—a Kentucky resident who had lived in Lexington—had died only months earlier.

The discovery created a connection among Medlock, Wilkinson, and an internationally recognized artwork concerned with remembrance, participation, sacrifice, and how individual lives continue through collective memory.

“Paige’s discovery reminds us that an artwork’s meaning does not necessarily end when the artist completes it,” said Jimmy Mumford, chair of the Department of Art and Design. “A work can continue gathering associations, experiences, and relationships as it moves through the world. In this instance, TAG became the place where an artwork and a family memory unexpectedly met.”

For more information, be sure to visit the Todd Art Gallery’s website and social media. 

Article courtesy: Murfreesboro.com

From Tennessee Voices to America’s Future

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

WHAT IS VISUALIZE?

Visualize is a statewide celebration of student creativity, artistic achievement, and educational excellence presented by the Department of Art and Design and Todd Art Gallery at Middle Tennessee State University.

Visualize brings together outstanding student artists, educators, schools, homeschool programs, and community-based youth arts organizations from across Tennessee through exhibitions, awards, scholarships, and recognition opportunities.

WHO MAY PARTICIPATE?

Participation is open to Tennessee educational programs serving students in grades K–12, including:

• Public Schools
• Private Schools
• Charter Schools
• Homeschool Programs
• Virtual and Alternative Schools
• Community-Based Educational Programs
• Youth Arts Organizations

WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF VISUALIZE?

Visualize consists of four interrelated components:

• Visualize: A Winners’ Circle Invitational K–12 Exhibition
• America 250 – Tennessee Poster Division
• Tennessee Art Educators: Exemplary

DOES ARTWORK HAVE TO ADDRESS AMERICA’S 250 THEMES?

No.

Participation in the Winners’ Circle Invitational Exhibition does not require artwork to address America 250 themes.

Students are encouraged to submit work reflecting their current artistic interests, classroom experiences, and creative exploration.

The America 250 – Tennessee Poster Division offers a dedicated opportunity for students to engage with themes related to Tennessee, America, citizenship, history, community, innovation, freedom, and the future.

WHO SELECTS THE ARTWORK?

Artwork is reviewed by a selection committee assembled by the Department of Art and Design and the Todd Art Gallery at Middle Tennessee State University.

The committee may include:

• University faculty and staff
• Tennessee art educators
• Members of the Visualize Art Educators Advisory Structure
• Professional artists, designers, and arts administrators
• Representatives from community arts organizations and exhibition partners

Partner organizations may include representatives affiliated with initiatives such as:

• Stones River Crafts Association (SRCA)
• Boro Art Crawl
• Art Studio Tour
• Artists’ Row
• Other participating arts organizations and educational partners

The committee strives to achieve excellence, fairness, geographic representation, media diversity, and broad student participation.

HOW ARE STUDENTS SELECTED?

Schools and educational organizations may submit artwork for committee review in accordance with established guidelines.

A selection committee will review all submissions and determine final exhibition participation based upon available space, grade-level representation, media balance, and overall exhibition quality.

Submission does not guarantee acceptance.

HOW MANY ARTWORKS MAY A SCHOOL SUBMIT?

Schools outside Rutherford County may submit up to twelve (12) artworks for committee review.

Rutherford County and Murfreesboro City Schools may submit up to twenty-four (24) artworks for committee review, with up to twelve (12) designated for awards consideration.

The exhibition committee reserves the right to determine final selections.

MAY A STUDENT HAVE MORE THAN ONE ARTWORK ACCEPTED?

No.

Only one artwork per student may be accepted into the exhibition.

Schools are encouraged to provide opportunities for as many students as possible.

MAY STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN MORE THAN ONE DIVISION?

Yes.

Students may participate in each Visualize student component, provided that all division requirements are met.

Selection in one division does not guarantee selection in the other.

WHAT TYPES OF ARTWORK MAY BE SUBMITTED?

Eligible media may include:

• Drawing
• Painting
• Printmaking
• Photography
• Ceramics
• Sculpture
• Fiber Arts
• Mixed Media
• Digital Art and Design
• Illustration
• Other Traditional and Contemporary Visual Arts

Separate guidelines apply to the Poster and Expanded Poster Divisions.

ARE THERE SIZE LIMITATIONS?

Yes.

Two-dimensional artwork may not exceed 48 inches by 48 inches.

Three-dimensional artwork may not exceed 36 inches by 36 inches by 36 inches.

Additional specifications may be announced for divisions and media.

WILL STUDENTS RECEIVE AWARDS OR RECOGNITION?

Yes.

All students selected for exhibition will receive a Certificate of Praise and Recognition.

Awards may include:

• Best of Show
• Award of Excellence
• Award of Merit
• Creative Vision Award

Additional recognition may include:

• Mark of Distinction
• Juror’s Choice
• Media-Specific Awards
• Named Awards established through sponsorships or partnerships

The exhibition committee and jurors make award determinations.

WHAT ARE THE GRADE DIVISIONS?

The following grade divisions organize awards and recognition:

• K–2
• 3–5
• 6–8
• 9–10
• 11–12

ARE CASH AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE?

Yes.

Each grade division Best of Show recipient will receive a $100 cash award.

The 11th–12th Grade Best of Show recipient will additionally be eligible for a $1,000 Visualize Scholarship upon acceptance to Middle Tennessee State University and enrollment as an Art & Design major.

Additional scholarship opportunities may be announced as partnerships and sponsorships develop.

WHO MAY PARTICIPATE IN TENNESSEE ART EDUCATORS: EXEMPLARY?

Tennessee Art Educators: Exemplary is open to Tennessee visual art educators, teaching artists, homeschool art instructors, community arts educators, museum educators, youth arts leaders, and other individuals who provide meaningful visual arts instruction and creative mentorship to Tennessee students.

Separate eligibility requirements, submission procedures, and exhibition guidelines will be announced.

HOW IS ARTWORK DELIVERED?

Accepted artwork must be delivered to the Todd Art Gallery during the designated intake periods.

Participating schools, students, parents, homeschool representatives, or authorized individuals are responsible for arranging the delivery and retrieval of artwork.

Specific delivery and pickup information will be provided following the selection process.

IS SHIPPING AVAILABLE?

Limited shipping options may be available with prior approval.

Return shipping assistance may be offered in select cases if funding, sponsorships, or grants become available; however, such assistance cannot be guaranteed.

WILL FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS BE INVITED?

Yes.

Students, families, educators, administrators, and community members will be encouraged to attend exhibition events, award presentations, receptions, and related programs.

WILL THERE BE ADDITIONAL PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND VISUALIZE?

Yes.

Participants are encouraged to complete the Visualize Interest Form and watch for future announcements regarding additional statewide opportunities, including:

• AFTERWORDS — Literary Arts, Writing, Poetry, Storytelling, and Spoken Word

• STREAM Lines — Where Creativity Meets Discovery.
Middle Tennessee’s Home for STREAM, August 2027

Prospectuses, participation guidelines, and schedules for these initiatives will be announced separately.

HOW CAN OUR SCHOOL OR ORGANIZATION RECEIVE FUTURE INFORMATION?

Schools, educators, homeschool leaders, community organizations, and youth arts programs are encouraged to complete the Visualize Interest Form to receive updates, deadlines, exhibition announcements, prospectuses, and participation opportunities for Visualize, AFTERWORDS, Media Arts Tennessee, and related initiatives.

QUESTIONS?

Eric V. Snyder
Coordinator of Exhibitions and Engagement
Department of Art and Design
Todd Art Gallery
Middle Tennessee State University