Mississippi State University’s Department of Art will present its 2015 Fine Art Thesis Exhibition “Tangent” Thursday through April 30 in three different galleries on campus.

“Tangent” will display student works in the Department of Art Gallery in McComas Hall, the Colvard Student Union Art Gallery and the MSU Visual Arts Center off campus located at 808 University Drive.

For “Tangent,” the art gallery in McComas Hall is open special hours Monday through Friday from 12-4 p.m. The Colvard Student Union Art Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Visual Arts Center Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 12-5 p.m.

“Tangent” will display the original works of 13 senior fine art students. It will feature artwork from Molly Howell, Jacob Craig, Hal Boerner, Eleanor Bailey, Zachary Kloor, Anna Callaway, Victoria Cheek, Shelby Nichols, Bonnie Brumley,  Reagan Watts, Alison Petro, Merritt La Foe and Thomas McBroom. 

“Tangent” is defined as a curve that comes in contact with a line, but never intersects it. This definition represents the spirit of the group as well as paths each student has taken individually. Each student has participated in the yearlong process of fine art research, writing, presentation and advanced studio practice to prepare for the exhibition and accumulate a body of work.

Eleanor Bailey, one of the senior fine art majors who is working to put together the exhibition, said she and the rest of the students spent at least 20 hours a week in the studio preparing for the event.

“We planned everything ourselves, from advertising to the reception parties,” Bailey said. “We still have some work to do in the galleries, but we’ve all worked so hard for this—it’s the pinnacle of our careers as art students.”

Zachary Kloor said his work in “Tangent” is a digital narrative work describing the life of a car as it goes through a journey to find life in an uninhabited environment. He said he hopes the exhibition will have a great turn out this year.

“I also am a little nervous, but excited to know that this will be the beginning of something much greater for myself and every senior presenting their work,” Kloor said.

A reception will be held for the public from 5-6 p.m. Thursday in the Department of Art Gallery in McComas Hall. Receptions will also be held the same day in the Colvard Student Union Art Gallery and MSU Visual Arts Center from 6-7:30 p.m.  Food and beverages will be served.

The art galleries present museum shows, traveling exhibits, group and solo exhibitions by professional artists, student shows and other special events. For more information about the Department of Art Galleries or “Tangent,” visit www.caad.msstate.edu or contact Lori Neuenfeldt, the Department of Art Gallery director, at [email protected] or (662)325-2970.