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Water Valley artist wins ‘Gulfs among Us’ state competition

The Mississippi Museum of Art recently announced the winner of the 2023 Mississippi Invitational Exhibition.

Adrienne Brown-David of Water Valley, MS, was awarded the Jane Crater Hiatt Artist Fellowship for her piece “Taken Aback by My Own Beauty #3” oil on canvas. She will receive a grant of up to $20,000. 

“There must be something in the water in Water Valley, Mississippi,” said museum director Betsy Bradley.

Mississippi artists joining Brown-David in showcasing their works across a variety of mediums were: James Kane, also of Water Valley; Sabrina Howard, Jackson; Kwasi Butler, Brandon; Brenden Davis, Jackson; Taylor Loftin, Water Valley; Adrienne Domnick, Jackson; Robin Martéa, Jackson; Rory Doyle, Cleveland; M. Robyn Wall, Cleveland; Kariann Fuqua, Oxford; Hannah Wegner, Perkinston; Caroline Hatfield, Starkville; Brooke White, Oxford; and Monica Hill, Jackson.

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Curator Katie Pfohl said, “I thoroughly enjoyed driving all over the state of Mississippi meeting the artists in their hometown workspace settings. Visiting with them gave me a true sense of place and context where these artists created their pieces for exhibit that is so reflective of our theme, “Gulfs among Us,” regarding environment, social political, cultural, and geographic divisions that confront the world today.”

An added attraction to the exhibition was a display of photographs by Earnest Withers, the official photographer for Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.  

Mrs. Myrlie Evers-Williams was also present to address the large crowd. “I’m here to thank everyone who came together to celebrate who we are, not by the color of our skin, but as individuals who have so much to contribute to this state.  We are on our way; I feel Medgar’s presence here. Thank each and everyone for believing in the cause that Medgar fought for.”

The artists’ work will be on exhibit thru September 17, 2023. For more information, visit www.msmuseumart.org.

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Author

Dr. Brinda Fuller Willis was raised on a large farm in Attala County, just outside of Kosciusko, Mississippi. She is what some would call a “Double Identical” twin amongst a family of  sixteen siblings. She is a life-long member of the Palestine Missionary Baptist Church where she recited a many long and protracted Easter speeches because her speeches had to match her height; she has been 5’9” inches tall since grammar school.

Brinda graduated from McAdams High School and went on to Holmes Jr. College in Goodman, Mississippi graduating with a Social Science degree. Afterwards she graduated from Mississippi State University with degrees in Social Work and Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling. In 2007, she received a (Ph.D.) in Theology from New Foundations Seminary in Terry, Mississippi.

Once she made the move from Chicago, Milwaukee and Atlanta then back to Mississippi she began writing the “Ask the Twins” advice column with her twin sister, Linda that appeared inside the historic Jackson Advocate Newspaper for several years garnering numerous faithful readers who sought to get answers for questions regarding love, faith, career, disability and education. Her audience ranged from young adults to sage seniors. Eventually, she took a break from the advice column to pursue other interests and obligations with the onset of becoming a grandparent, managing a blues singer and world traveler.

Presently, she is a freelance writer for the Jackson Advocate Newspaper (2001-Present) and the Jackson Free Press (2012-2019). She is a member of the Speakers Bureau with the Mississippi Humanities Council and is the recipient of the Council’s 2019 Educator’s Award. Additionally, she has written for BOOM Jackson Magazine, Our Mississippi Magazine and Big City Rhythm & Blues Magazine.

Previously, she was married to Chick Willis, an internationally renowned blues singer with whom she had one daughter, Savannah. Dr. Willis is huge blues music fan and will travel anywhere to hear blues music at festivals, honky tonks and hole-in-the-wall jook joints. She and her twin sister are the owners of Twice As Nice Entertainment, LLC and are the managing agents for Keith Johnson “Prince of the Delta Blues” who is the great nephew of Muddy Waters.

Presently, she lives in Richland, Mississippi and is the proud grandmother of 5-year old, Charlotte Lucille Gray and 18-month old Liam Moberg.

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