Jackson Free Press

For most college students, graduation is the capstone of their last four years and a marker of achievement. However, diplomas don't mean as much as they used to, and graduation isn't always the proof of success that it should be.

At Belhaven University, visual art majors demonstrate the fruit of their education through the rigorous ordeal of a senior show. For the last four years I, along with 11 of my friends and colleagues, have worked to build a body of work. Rather than creating a show out of a collection of our favorite class assignments, we have sought to assemble a body of artwork that accurately reflects our individual visual languages and our ability to produce a cohesive series of pieces.

The influence of a mentor's hand is always present in a student's work. The guidance and teaching of Bob Pennebaker, chair of the Visual Arts Department at Belhaven, as well as the rest of our dedicated faculty, help unify the show. Yet, the exhibit also highlights the diversity of 12 different artists—12 different voices speaking through a wide array of styles and media. 

We hope this exhibition manifests the quality of Belhaven's education, our dedication as artists and the beauty of well-crafted art. 

Belhaven University presents The Collective a Senior Art Exhibition, from March 22 through April 8 at the Arts Center of Mississippi (201 E. Pascagoula St., 601-960-1500). Admission is free; hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.