The Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters (MIAL) has announced its 2020 awards, presented annually to artists, writers, and musicians for excellence in works published, performed, or shown in the previous year. Winners are selected by out-of-state judges who are specialists in their fields. The awards are usually presented at a gala banquet held in different venues around the state, but this year’s celebration has been postponed until 2021 as a result of the Covid-19 health crisis. The works of these winners clearly demonstrate that storytelling in all its styles, genres, and variations is alive and well in Mississippi.
The winner in Visual Arts is Coast Episcopal School’s art teacher, Stacey Johnson! Ms. Johnson, of Pass Christian, was honored for her sculpture exhibit, Storytellers. A Yazoo City native, Ms. Johnson grew up playing in cotton trailers, making mud forts, and riding horses, which were important influences on her storytelling in clay. The clay figures, all female because women are “keepers of wisdom,” push against stereotypes and portray bold, complex figures with vivid personalities.
Ms. Johnson holds an MFA in ceramic sculpture from the University of Georgia and a BFA from Loyola University. She is a two-time recipient of a Mississippi Arts Commission artist fellowship and a member of Local Creatives, a networking group on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
For more information about the winners and about MIAL, visit their website at www.ms-art
