[149] MTSU artists play integral role in city’s inaugural ‘Boro Art Crawl’ Friday

MURFREESBORO — MTSU's Todd Art Gallery, Baldwin Photographic Gallery and the student gallery for the Department of Electronic Media Communication are part of Murfreesboro’s inaugural Boro Art Crawl, set this Friday, Oct. 9.

The 6-9 p.m. event, which showcases the best of Murfreesboro's artisans and art venues, includes 19 stops around town for art lovers to enjoy the area's creativity and celebrate the artists who put their stamp on it.

“The Crawl gives our faculty and students a perfect opportunity to network within the art community of Murfreesboro, to exhibit, to interact and to celebrate the best of our city," said Eric Snyder, director of MTSU's Todd Art Gallery, a longtime member of the Murfreesboro City Hall Art Committee and a planning committee member for the Boro Art Crawl.

"We’re especially excited to be in a position to share this experience with our friends in the Department of Electronic Media Communication. Our three galleries will be open, class work on display, and a number of student and faculty works presented throughout Todd Hall.”

MTSU art professor Sheri Self’s Portfolio I class designed a series of promotional posters for the Boro Art Crawl that will be on display in Todd Hall, including this year’s final selection. The class also designed the accompanying social media work.

Two of Self’s students in that class, junior graphic design major Jackee Lafever and senior graphic design major Keli Hardin, designed the Boro Art Crawl logo in late summer.

Sculpture professor Michael Baggarly also “has been instrumental in organizing the student effort that will be present,” Snyder said.

At MTSU, Boro Art Crawl patrons can enjoy works of art from faculty and students on display in the Todd Hall main gallery as well as in TAG | 210, the student gallery, and the new TAG | West, a gallery chamber adjacent to the main gallery. Artwork also will be on display throughout Todd Hall.

A searchable campus parking map is available at http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParking2015-16.

“I think this is the right event at the right time,” said Lee Rennick, a Boro Art Crawl planner and a longtime local arts supporter. “The support from the community at the initial meeting was amazing. And the art crawls in Franklin and Nashville have become major social and economic forces in their communities. With the city looking into creating a special arts area in Murfreesboro in the near future, I think this is a great start.”

You can learn more about the Boro Art Crawl and its venues at http://boroartcrawl.com.

Additional Todd Gallery exhibits planned this fall include:

·        “Mistreated Islands” by Yoshiko Shimano and “Too Hot” by Vitus Shell, Oct. 15-Nov. 5.

·       MTSU Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition Series: BFA Candidates in Studio Art, Nov. 15-24.

·       Chawan Expo USA, Dec. 1-9.

For more information about MTSU Arts events on campus, visit http://www.mtsuarts.com.

For more information about the Todd Art Gallery, including parking and directions, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or eric.snyder@mtsu.edu or visit http://www.mtsu.edu/art.