The Southern Miss Activities Council (SMAC) hosted its second Art Pop Art Walk at Shoemaker Square on Nov. 16.
Multicolored balloons arched the event’s walkway between the fountain and the library as SMAC members, local artists and art students came together to celebrate art on the Southern Miss campus. SMAC members offered patrons various paints and brushes to express their creativity and participate in the event.
The event allows for artists and students to showcase and sell their work to the Southern Miss community.
“It started mainly to showcase the visual arts department here on campus, but this year we integrated the Mississippi School of the Arts because we wanted them to interact with our department here as well and try to get some feedback on their work,” said SMAC member and head of the event Ajanae Tolliver. “It’s just a great opportunity for them to actually meet.”
Tolliver said SMAC’s goal with the event was to inform students about artists in Hattiesburg that are necessary a part of the Southern Miss art.
“Especially last year, a lot of people came through and wanted to buy some of the work that they saw,” she said. “They were interested in seeing the local artists had this type of artwork that they didn’t know that was here.”
The event profits artists and businesses that bring their art out to show or to sell it.
From 5 foot canvas paintings to a human-shaped grass sculpture, the Art Pop Art Walk featured an array of modern art.
Junior medical laboratory science major Taylor Smith hosted a table of her own handmade jewelry to sell.
“I don’t have a shop anywhere, because I’m a busy college student,” Smith said. “Other students think it’s impressive that I do this. I love to share this with other people. I’m really proud of all of my work.”
Charcoal drawings, jewelry, paintings and sketches were some forms of Pop Art featured at the event.
Tolliver said SMAC contacted the Mississippi School of the Arts for the first time to invite students to the art walk.
“It was a great experience for them and for us to see younger individuals because they’re in high school,” she said. “To experience their art and college art was very interesting. I hope this event carries along and gets better throughout the years because it’s an important event to have on campus.”
