Over the past week, the University of Southern Mississippi’s Art and Design program in the School of Performing and Visual Arts hosted Raisonné, a printmaking exhibition honoring Professor Emeritus of Art and Design William Baggett.
The exhibit, located in the George Hurst Building, is curated by USM alumnus Andrew Blanchard, professor of printmaking and photography at Converse University.
Baggett taught art and design for 39 years before retiring as professor emeritus at USM. He is an internationally recognized artist who has returned to his craft full time after retiring from his teaching career. Many of Baggett’s works are displayed in the exhibit, along with works from Blanchard.
Blanchard cited his time learning under Baggett as a major influence in selecting the artists featured in the show. Much of his style and views on art can be traced back to his time as Baggett’s student.
“It’s just kinda thinking about what kind of insight he had in my life in regard to my choices. He was really good at pointing out certain artists, so I just took that sort of mindset and applied it to 2025,” Blanchard said. “Just kind of thinking about what I was inspired by in 1995, when I was his student, and the versions of those types of artists today.”
The process for curating came together organically for Blanchard. With prior curating experience, he enlisted the help of Mable Ni, a recent graduate he taught at Converse University, to bring the exhibit together. He expressed deep admiration for the artists featured, some of whom he selected out of a desire to see their work in person.
The program also seeks to honor a trio of USM alumni — Blanchard, Wendy Eddleman Cooper and Amanda C. Myers — to demonstrate the school’s lasting impact on the field not only in Mississippi but across the nation. Visitors can engage with works from other contemporary artists from a wide range of locations across the United States.
The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art loaned works to the exhibit from Maltby Sykes, a Mississippi-born artist known for his influential works on paper. Sykes taught at Auburn University for 36 years before retiring as professor emeritus in 1977. His works are part of several museum collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Museum of Modern Art.
Blanchard has been teaching for 21 years, but he said the learning process is not only for students. His time as a professor has enabled him to view art from a different perspective and keep his craft fresh and current with the latest trends.
“Teaching has been able to fine-tune how I speak and navigate the art world. I can utilize my successes and my failures to inform my students,” Blanchard said. “I think sometimes teachers don’t always do what they say, so I’ve been able to continue to produce; therefore, I feel like whatever I’m trying to communicate to my students is legitimate because I’m still doing it, as opposed to thinking of my past as a means to teach.”
Blanchard hopes the exhibit will provide the community with an opportunity to see Baggett’s legacy on display. Baggett retired from USM in 2010, and for many, this will be their first time viewing his work.
“The title, 'Raisonné,' that means sort of a ‘strong collection.’ I think there’s a myriad of different thinking processes, so they get to see a decent selection of works,” Blanchard said. “They get to enjoy seeing some of his work and some of the people who he taught or some of the people who collected his work. It’s an in-real-life exhibit of a legacy, really. It’s a generational show, so to speak.”
On Oct. 30, Blanchard will host a printmaking demonstration from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Room 121 of the George Hurst Building, followed by a gallery reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Visitors can view the works, converse with other guests and interact with some of the artists. The exhibit will remain open through Nov. 14.
