Now Through September 23rd at Jackson County Campus

The MGCCC Jackson County Campus Fine Arts Gallery kicked off the school year with an exhibit featuring the works of Bobby and Deana Goldsmith. The exhibit will run through September 23 at the Gautier campus.

The husband-and-wife artists are residents of Perkinston, and their love for the natural beauty of Southern Mississippi is captured in their work. Although Bobby grew up on the prairies of Oklahoma, he instantly fell in love with the wildlife and scenery when he moved here eight years ago. Using his kayak, he will go places not typically seen by most so that he can bring that experience home to the viewer.

“My hope is that the time spent exploring the great outdoors and composing the images will be felt by the viewer,” he said. “To know that my work touches them the way it touched me is, I think, the greatest achievement.”

Bobby works in black and white, with an eye for detail and realism. “I am blown away by how you can create an image just by changing values,” he said. “To me, black and white is calming, and in this in-your-face world, I think we all appreciate a little calmness.”

Deanna Goldsmith started honing her skills with colored pencil about 14 years ago. Her blending and lifting techniques give her works a soft yet realistic look. She has been published in Colored Pencil Magazine.

“I have always drawn. At a very young age my father taught me how,” she said. “He was an avid sportsman, so there was an ample supply of Field and Stream magazines for reference material.”

Marc Poole, Jackson County Campus fine arts instructor and Gallery director, had the opportunity to see the Goldsmiths’ work up-close at the annual Singing River Arts Association Spring Show in Pascagoula. He was impressed with the quality of work.

“I’m a big fan of technique, and their work stood out to me,” Poole said. “They both showcased the things about craftsmanship that I try to reinforce with my students.”

Gallery hours are Monday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., and Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. For more information, contact Marc Poole at (228) 497-7684.