Mt. Pleasant Commission recognizes work of student artists

Mike Christen, The Daily Herald
·2 min read
Works from local students are displayed at the Mt. Pleasant Record Art Gallery in Mt. Pleasant, Tenn., on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021.
Works from local students are displayed at the Mt. Pleasant Record Art Gallery in Mt. Pleasant, Tenn., on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021.

Students at Maury County Public Schools Mt. Pleasant campuses have gained the attention of city leaders.

During November’s meeting of the Mt. Pleasant Commission, the elected leaders issued a proclamation celebrating 13 local students who participated in the local gallery’s first art show.

“I wish you would join me in honoring these outstanding individuals,” said Bill White, the city’s mayor. “I call on all the citizens of Mt. Pleasant to join with us in recognizing these outstanding students. Congratulations and thanks to each and every one of you.”

Commissioner Wille Alderson, studnet Emiyah Malone, Commissioner Mike Davis, student Jonah Thomas , Mayor Bill White, student Mac Wainwright , studnet Allie Sutliffe, Commissioner Eric Harvey and studnet Ann Lee Sandrell pose inside City Hall in Mt. Pleasant Tenn., in November 2021.
Commissioner Wille Alderson, studnet Emiyah Malone, Commissioner Mike Davis, student Jonah Thomas , Mayor Bill White, student Mac Wainwright , studnet Allie Sutliffe, Commissioner Eric Harvey and studnet Ann Lee Sandrell pose inside City Hall in Mt. Pleasant Tenn., in November 2021.

More: 'Pretty amazing': Mt. Pleasant art gallery opens showcasing students’ work

During the art show held in October, the Mt. Pleasant Record Art Gallery celebrated its grand opening with an exhibition of work from local students.

The show featured paintings and sculptures created by the local students.

“You couldn’t make this up. I have never heard of this happening before,” said Mike Mitchell, the director of arts for the city’s three schools.

“Visual arts has often been on the chopping block, but (it's satisfying) to see the community recognize how valuable the arts are and how the city is willing to double down on its importance. The community has been very supportive of what happens at Mt. Pleasant’s schools. It is interesting to see how schools can be a gathering point, and it is really fun to be a part of that."

More: 'A grand building': Brothers return home to open art gallery in Mt. Pleasant

The recognized young artists are students of Nichole Rich at Mt. Pleasant Elementary School, Liz Tenny at Mt. Pleasant Middle School of the Visual and Performing Arts and Whitney Herrington at Mt. Pleasant High School.

The event marked a step forward in the local schools ongoing effort to combine the community and the classroom to provide students with experiences beyond the school campus and standardized curriculum.

Reach Mike Christen at mchristen@c-dh.net. Follow him on Twitter at @MikeChristenCDH and on Instagram @michaelmarco. Please consider supporting his work and that of other Daily Herald journalists by subscribing to the publication.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Mt. Pleasant recognizes student artists