Here, we blend the bold and the in-between — milestones, insights, and sparks of what’s next. It’s the creative space where ideas unfold in real-time.
April 6, 2025
At the 2025 Tennessee Association of Museums Annual Conference in Knoxville, MTSU’s Todd Art Gallery (TAG) was honored with a Certificate of Commendation during the March Awards Dinner. This special recognition celebrates Perceptions of Reality, the Department of Art and Design’s most recent annual collaborative exhibition, curated by Dr. Barbara and Mr. Leroy Hodges. The exhibition uplifts the voices and visions of artists of color through powerful visual narratives and lived experiences across cultures and disciplines. Todd Art Gallery is grateful to the Tennessee Association of Museums for acknowledging the importance of this work and its role in fostering dialogue, representation, and community through the arts.
MTSU Art and Design | April 12, 2025
A Lecture Presentation by Sara Abdoh, Spring 2025 Visiting Professor
MTSU Art and Design | August 16, 2025
A Quick Reference Guide to the Department’s Student Scholarships
MTSU Art and Design | April 10, 2025
The Town of Lexicon Lane Welcomes You @mtsuseniorshow | April 10, 2025 MTSU Graphic Design Capstone, the town of Lexicon Lane, welcomes you! April 19–26 | MTSU Todd Art Gallery, Todd Hall, Room 224A Opening April 19, 2025, 1–4 p.m. See the artwork of Quinn Allen • Bri Anderson • Joy Blohm • Luke Byrum…
Questions: alaina.miller@mtsu.edu
During the Tuesday, March 19, Awards Dinner of the Tennessee Association of Museums, the MTSU Department of Art and Design’s Todd Art Gallery was awarded a 2024 Award of Excellence for the collaborative effort involving the traveling exhibition, Crafting Blackness: Black Bodies Making Form. As a collaborative, East Tennessee State University’s Curators Karlota Contreas-Koterbay, Karen Sullivan, and the Tipton and Slocumb Galleries share this award with Tennessee Craft, Tennessee State University’s Hiram Van Gordon Gallery, and MTSU. We are most grateful for this special recognition to our Curators, fellow exhibition spaces, the artists of Black Bodies Making Form, and the Tennessee Association of Museums!
GLASS MOSAICS with Dr. Paige Medlock
Images: Left, a young student working in Glass Mosaics; Center, left, Dr. Paige Medlock; Center, right, Art Educators showing off their skills; Right, Glass Mosaics process.
The MTSU Department of Art and Design invites you to a Glass Mosaics Saturdays At Todd workshop guided by Art Educator Dr. Paige Medlock.
10 a.m.–1 p.m., Saturday, November 4, 2023, MTSU Todd Hall, Room 205
Participants will be provided with all materials.
This is FREE and Open to the Public Workshop geared toward Art Educators, General Educators, High School Students, MTSU Students, Alums, and Artists. Everyone interested is encouraged to participate.
Professional Development Certificates are available to all participating teachers.
REGISTRATION
Register BEFORE the session begins. Unfortunately, due to spacing, anyone not registered before the workshop will not be permitted to participate.
For additional information and other questions, contact eric.snyder@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-5532.
FREE PARKING is available in the Jones Hall lot adjacent to Todd Hall. DRIVING DIRECTIONS: 1512 Military Memorial, Murfreesboro, TN 37132-0025.
October 28 – November 8, 2023
Closing Reception: November 7, 4:30-6:00 pm
Todd Art Building, 210 Student Gallery
This immersive exhibit reflects on the experiences of individuals in Christian recovery groups. As they heal, they tell stories of radical new identities,
intimate community, gradual change, empowering
practices, and novel perceptions of God. Communicated Commemorabilia depicts the
sacred symbols in these stories of healing.
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Eli Ward is a Religious Studies and Nursing student who loves art. He studies the intersections of health and religion and plans to pursue medical mission work. His art has been published and received local and national awards.
Middle Tennessee State University College of Liberal Arts and the MTSU Department of Art and Design cordially invite you to Celebrate Art Educators and MTSU Art Education Alumni for their invaluable contributions to students. Also available on exhibition will be Job Skills of Tomorrow, a collaboration of king-size puzzle pieces from Middle Tennessee State University, its Colleges of Liberal Arts and Basic and Applied Sciences, and the Art Education program of the MTSU Department of Art and Design
Entitled Job Skills for Tomorrow, it includes the artistry of many hands from across campus and the broader community while showcasing essential skills through accompanying text that speaks to the gain students receive by studying the arts, humanities, and sciences. The text is from a list constructed from the World Economic Forum’s identification of the Top Ten Job Skills for 2020 in its Future of Jobs Report, with four additional pieces added from the 2025 list.
Enjoy the contributions made by local art educators with their exhibition of Job Skills of Tomorrow and MTSU Art Educator Debrah Sickler-Voigt’s new book STEAM: Teaching and Learning through the Arts and Design.
Please RSVP to Noel.Lorson@mtsu.edu to confirm your participation.
KATE MOORE
ART PRODUCER ILLUSTRATION AGENT
Join Professor Rodriguez to chat with art producer and illustration agent Kate Moore. Kate will educate us on her experiences as an agent and art producer in the advertising, editorial, and book illustration realms. Kate will also provide helpful information on how aspiring illustrators can procure illustration agents.
Notable Clientele:
As an art producer, Kate has worked with clients like Hasbro, Crown Royal, Royal Caribbean, Wright Watchers, Smartwater, Panera, Budweiser, the History Channel, HBO, Apple, and more!
When? October 31, 3 p.m. CDT
Where? Todd Hall, 3rd floor, Room 333
Hosted by Assistant Professor of Art and Design Tony Rodriguez
For Questions, contact Tony.Rodriguez@mtsu.edu
Join faculty from the MTSU Department of Art and Design along with CLA Advising for this open scheduling two-day event.
Questions: Jennifer.Tweedie@mtsu.edu
Join Art and Design Assistant Professor of Illustration Tony Rodriguez as he guides Zoom attendees through the next Common Ground Artist Lecture Series with Illustrator and Visual Development Artist Elise Hatheway.
With over a decade of experience in the animation industry, Hatheway currently resides in Dallas, TX, and recently concluded movie work with Netflix on “Thelma the Unicorn.” Her other film credits include “Maya and the Three,” “Lego Movie 2”, “Book of Life,” “Free Birds,” and “Rock Dog.” Additionally, she has worked with several award-winning studios, including Disney, Warner Bros, Animal Logic, Reel FX, Gaumont Animation, and Tangent Studios. Currently, you can find her working at Paramount Animation on Spongebob Squarepants.
If you’d like to participate in this call with Elise, contact tony.rodriguez@mtsu.edu by Thursday, April 13, 2023, for meeting links.
Common Ground is an ongoing series that highlights exciting and inspiring success stories from artists with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences.
Still from Netflix’s Maya and the Three by Elise Hathaway