Contact: Sammy McDavid
The creations of five Mississippi State University graphic design majors will serve over the next five years as the official artwork of Starkville's Cotton District Arts Festival.
At a recent meeting, the festival committee took the unusual step of selecting the top signature images for the 2002-06 spring events. The entry of senior Lauren J. McClure of Collierville, Tenn., will be used for the 2002 festival to be held April 27.
Subsequent years of the Starkville Area Arts Council-sponsored festival will feature the works of fellow seniors Catherine C. Coker of Corinth, Jonathan W. Shull of Philadelphia, Jennifer N. Simmons of Athens, Ala., and Janna E. Scott of Aberdeen.
"We intended to select one design for this year's festival, but they were all so impressive that we decided to pick five and use them over the next few years," said council president Emily Jones.
In acquiring design recommendations, the festival committee worked with MSU graphic design professor Jamie Mixon, whose students participated in a class project to develop both the poster design concepts and accompanying art.
"Our committee was extremely impressed with the quality of work and delighted to have the opportunity to interact will all the students," Jones said.
In addition to being used for advance publicity, the designs will be featured on T-shirts and limited-issue prints to be sold during the daylong events.
The festival takes place in the Cotton District residential area near campus and along University Drive, the main thoroughfare linking MSU and downtown Starkville.