August 12, 2016 (Jackson, Miss.) - Mr. Nate Theisen, professor of art for Belhaven's Visual Art Department, is garnering the attention of the art community in Mississippi and beyond. His sculptures, mixed media and paintings are being praised by many for their beauty and design.
He was recently awarded a Visual Arts Fellowship Grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC). The grant honors Mississippi artists who demonstrate the ability to create exemplary work in their chosen field. MAC's fellowship program is highly competitive and only a small number of the total applicants receive the award.
Theisen's work was also selected to be in the 2016 Mississippi Invitational Exhibition at the Mississippi Museum of Art. The show, scheduled to run December 17 - February 18, features the top contemporary artists, living and working across the state.
He creates works out of the desire for discovery through art. Theisen said, “My work is motivated by the need to make things and to discover the world, ourselves, and in my case, the Creator of the Universe.There is a desire for order, efficiency and connection to others through communication that I think we all share. In my case, I get to express these visually.”
The awards and recognition began earlier in the year when Theisen won second place during the 24th Southeast Regional Juried Fine Arts Exhibition in Florida. Theisen had two pieces in the exhibit, which lasted from January 23 to March 4. His art was included in an art festival in Louisiana and another exhibition in Georgia.
Over the summer, the accolades and recognition continued to grow. He earned first place in the 28th Annual Juried Exhibition hosted by the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council in Texas. In Alabama, three of Theisen's pieces were selected for the 58th Annual Juried Show, sponsored by the Gadsden Art Association and hosted by the Gadsden Museum of Art. One piece of artwork was added to the 51st National Juried Artists Exhibition at the St. Tammany Art Association's Miriam Barranger Gallery in Louisiana.