Brent Funderburk, a professor in Mississippi State University’s Department of Art for 36 years, is set to retire at the end of this semester.
A reception will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. May 2 in the Colvard Student Union Dawg House. Faculty, students, staff and the community are welcome, and refreshments will be provided.
After working in three institutions over the past 40 years, Funderburk described his time at MSU as a magnificent ride. He said MSU allowed him to pursue his own creative endeavors, while encouraging art students to do the same.
Funderburk has received multiple recognitions during his time at MSU. In 2016, he earned MSU’s SEC Faculty Excellence Award, was named a William L. Giles Distinguished Professor and received the Ralph Powe Faculty Research Excellence Award in 2015. Funderburk also received a John Grisham teaching award and a Burlington Northern teaching award. In addition, his artwork has also gained international attention.
Despite his numerous awards and honors, Funderburk’s biggest source of pride is his students’ successes.
Before MSU student Madison Cheek became an art student, he was blown away by his future mentor’s beautiful artwork.
“His masterful use of rich watercolor and strong contrast builds a spiritual gateway into another world,” Cheek said. “Now that he is going to retire, he has a chance to work full-time painting. I’m excited to see where his art will go from here.”
Funderburk also credited his wife Deborah Funderburk for the artistic muse she is as a dancer, choreographer, fellow artist and MSU professor.
Throughout his teaching career, Funderburk taught twice in Europe and traveled with students across the Gulf’s barrier islands, the Rocky Mountains, under Utah’s red rock arches and across the Black Prairie’s fossil-filled badlands.
Katie Erickson, one of Funderburk’s traveling partners and students, said he is the most memorable professor at MSU.
“No matter the distance, Brent (Funderburk) has always been right there for me in the most pivotal points in my career as an artist,” Erickson said. “I can even say that his passion has been abundant enough to overflow into my life and drive my unforeseen success as a student here at MSU. Ask any student, whether they have had him as a professor or not, Brent is the main icon of the art department.”
He once lost vision in his left eye for a 2-month period while teaching, and combined his current painting course with his wife’s dance classes. It was a marvel to witness non-art majors uncover their hidden talents, Funderburk said.
Funderburk’s favorite memory at MSU, however, took place last Wednesday. In his Painting Survey course, the final results of a finished project critique brought him to tears. The professor was reportedly not alone in this reaction; the entire class felt the same closeness to this grasp of beauty.
Senior art major Claire Burgett gave Professor Funderburk full credit for bringing her to MSU. Burgett attended a portfolio review day at Watkins College of Art, where Funderburk represented MSU.
“I knew as soon as I left that table, I wanted to attend Mississippi State University,” Burgett said. “That day he spoke to my soul, my gut, whatever you want to call it. I just knew I had to go.”
Despite all this reminiscing, Funderburk refused to focus on the past.
“I don’t have time to be nostalgic; I want each day, class, student to be better, to surpass, supersede, to be transformative against the odds,” Funderburk said. “Yep, today. I remember most the scintillation of today’s colors.”
Funderburk first came to MSU in 1982 under the job title “Watercolor Painter,” one of the only university studio art positions he had ever seen. Funderburk was more than prepared for this work after being mentored by American master watermedia artist Edward Reep. He was also in awe of the art by Walter Inglis Anderson, and thrilled to move to Anderson’s home state of Mississippi.
Funderburk’s original life plan was to become a record album cover designer. When cassettes took the stage in 1978, however, Funderburk was informed by a staff member at his graduate school he was born to be a teacher.
With no teaching experience whatsoever, Funderburk applied to a few schools and took the first offer, leading him 1,000 miles from home to Lincoln, Nebraska. Once there, it only took a few demanding students to ignite his passion for teaching.
One of his current students, Shawna Williams, vividly remembered the encouraging and inspiring advice Funderburk once gave her regarding being a music and fine arts major.
“I now know that my life’s journey consists of completing the songs that my spirit sings and sharing them to the world, not just through my artwork, but through my ability to play, sing and write music,” Williams said. “These words remind me of why I strive so hard every day to do what I love doing the most.”
More than students inspire Funderburk to keep working, though.
“Working with passionate colleagues who set high standards has also kept my fever for teaching, for learning up,” Funderburk said. “Robert Henri said that an art school should be a ‘boiling, seething place.’ The high energy of our department and college still inspires me.”
Funderburk also disclosed his secret to vitality—waking up each day to a classroom of 20 year olds. Though he still avoids mirrors, this has made him feel perpetually younger, he said. Funderburk will not officially retire; instead, he said he will continue creating and residing in his 20-year-old amber.