The second annual Guitar As Art exhibit, a Soybean Festival event, opened with a reception in the Fine Arts Building gallery Sunday, Sept. 6.
The reception doubled as the award ceremony for the grand prize winner. Jackson Taylor was awarded a $500 purchase prize for winning the Best in Show this year. His guitar, Antiqued Ivory, featured a detailed hand-drawn elephant with a very ornate dressing.
Local residents, numerous students and alumni, and others from the campus and community flocked to the Fine Arts Gallery to see the 25 guitars hanging around the room. UTM Chancellor Robert Smith, Martin Mayor Randy Brundige and Carsen Rooney, an 18-year-old from Cordova who is the current Miss Tennessee Soybean queen, were among the crowd of people admiring the decorated guitars.
Some of the guitars featured designs of elegant flowers, reflections on the music industry and specific artists, or simple American pride. The artistic diversity was extensive, demonstrating local diversity and a common ground in love for family, fun and good music.
Jason Stout, an associate professor of Art, co-created the Guitar as Art exhibit last fall. Stout said this year was as successful as last year with only a change in content. He also credited the event’s success to the artists who entered the contest as well as to “such an accepting community that not only loves physical art but musical art as well.”
“A great appreciation for fine arts and such a strong sense of community solidarity was the theme of this event, and that theme will hopefully continue on for the rest of our Soybean Festival celebrations,” Stout said.
The exhibit will be open through Sept. 20 and is free to the public.
