Jackson, MISS. – In partnership with the Carnegie Public Library, the Mississippi Arts Commission will host an exhibit celebrating featured artists on the new Mississippi Folklife Directory website www.msfolkdirectory.org. The exhibit features the work of five traditional artists around the state, including Alan Kolodny (tatter and jewelry maker), Janice Mitchell (quilter), Vish Shenoy (sitar player), Paul Gore (sign painter), and Sharde Thomas (fife player).

The exhibit will be on display in August at the Carnegie Public Library, located at 114 Delta Ave. in Clarksdale, Miss.

The exhibit also includes three public programs:

Artist Demonstration Day: artists Janice Mitchell and Alan Kolodny will demonstrate and discuss their art forms. The event will take place on Friday, August 12, 2022, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Fife and Drum Performance: Sharde Thomas and the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band will perform songs for the public. Thomas will also talk about her family legacy of fife and drum music. The event will take place on Friday, August 12, 2022, at 3:00 p.m.

Beginner Quilting Class: Janice Mitchell will lead a beginner-level quilting workshop on Saturday, August 13, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Participants will complete a small quilting project that focuses on foundational quilting skills. Participation is free, but registration is required. Please register by calling the library’s circulation desk: 662-624-4461.

For more information about the exhibit, please contact Maria Zeringue, folk and traditional arts director, at the Mississippi Arts Commission at mzeringue@arts.ms.gov.

This project is free to the public and is possible thanks to the generous support of the Mississippi Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. 

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The Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) is a state agency serving more than two million people through grants and special initiatives that enhance communities, assist artists and arts organizations, promote arts education and celebrate Mississippi’s cultural heritage. MAC is funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Mississippi Endowment for the Arts at the Community Foundation of Mississippi, and other private sources. For more information, visit www.arts.ms.gov.