ELLISVILLE – Two William Carey University and Jones College graduate’s artwork is currently on display at the Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery on the campus of Jones College in Ellisville through February 19, 2024. Trinity Stewart of Ellisville recently shared her creative process with JC students and on Wednesday, February 14, at 1:30 p.m. in the Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery, Janna Lewis of Stonewall will be giving her “Art Talk,” which is open to the public. Both students were selected as “Emerging Artists” in 2021, by the Hattiesburg Arts Council, and each artist has unique styles, according to their Jones College Art instructor, Melanie Eubanks.
“Trinity was always creating the most intricate pieces. She would build objects that included patterns and elaborate work which were usually difficult to piece together or display. Janna also worked on a different level of creativity, pushing herself to find unique ways to show off her art like using embroidery,” said Eubanks.
Stewart explained to Jones College art students during her recent Art Talk that functional art sells more often but she really enjoys working with intricate objects and trying different mediums and styles. Despite her dislike of creating large works of art, Stewart pieced together clay strips to form a large jug, then created bright butterflies to decorate the stoneware.
“This is what I tell students especially, give everything a try, different mediums, and styles. I guess my grandmother influenced me to explore art this way,” said Stewart.
Visitors will have to look closely at some of her unique artwork. Using a six-centimeter pottery wheel, she created a diminutive display of stoneware cups, pots, and vases, which also included her grandfather’s chair. Additionally, Stewart used embroidery hoops as her canvas to display small stoneware toggles, floral fasteners, and moth medallions.
“I aim to portray these oddities or unique objects in a playful manner through an exploration of pattern, color, and surface texture,” said Stewart. “Much of my work derives inspiration from the often-overlooked obscurities within nature, incorporating an insect motif throughout.”
Lewis’s artwork on display at Jones College also combines embroidery and painting. Her specialty or favorite genre is landscape painting, however, the graphic designer uses her creativity in designing logos and graphic illustrations to incorporate landscape designs. On display at the Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery, are her ocean scenes from Cozumel and the Gulf Coast.
“I wanted to have contemporary compositions with a traditional palette, like Fairfield Porter, but I use photography to begin the process. Using Adobe Illustrator, I can create a graphic illustration of a landscape scene and use graphic shapes to show off the design, creating a landscape. This process gives me full control over color and shape, illustrating the importance of leaving things out,” said Lewis.
The unique graduate’s art show by Stewart and Lewis will be on display in the Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery until February 20. For more information about upcoming JC art shows or to arrange a visit to the gallery call 601-477-8401. The Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., and by appointment only on Wednesdays. The gallery is closed during the holidays. To learn more about the Jones College Art Department, https://www.jcjc.edu/programs/finearts/ or the JC Art Department’s social media: Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/JCJCFineArts/ and on Instagram @artatjonescollege.