Artists travel to Starkville for inspiration, art shows and more

Just outside of Starkville, artist and entomologist Joe MacGown creates brightly colored and heavily detailed surrealist paintings focused 

on what he calls “subconscious meanderings.” When he creates art, he tends to follow what is natural, including insects, plants and the fossils under his feet. 

But following what is natural goes beyond the studio for MacGown. A little over a year ago, he started a paid private artist in residence program at the MacGown Art Retreat and Studio. To him, it just made sense. 

“Why are we doing it?” MacGown said. “I have no idea, ultimately. I just think it’s really cool to work with other artists. … We’ve got the place. We’ve got some time. Why not? I think it’s cool, why not share it?” 

Since August 2022, MacGown and his son Joseph – who also lives on site – have hosted five artists in a cabin on his property, each coming to stay in Starkville for two to four weeks. Each artist has worked in a different medium, from watercolor to cyanotypes to mural painting to poetry and acrylics. The goal is for artists to be inspired by nature, push their creativity and learn about the business side of being an artist.

MacGown said the residency intentionally selects artists working with different mediums, but also in various stages in their careers. Some are more established, while others are newer to the business of art and have never had their own show.  

“Everybody’s different,” MacGown said. “We want to bring in some people who will inspire others, and then we want others that we can inspire, potentially, and help out.”

Joseph Garland, the first artist in residence for the program, said staying with the MacGowns for a few weeks in their “art garden” helped to open him up to going with the flow when it comes to artistic inspiration.

“That was when I started getting in touch with… stillness and nature,” Garland said. “Being out there was a wonderful opportunity. The whole challenge of being an artist is wanting to be alone but also wanting to be surrounded by like minded people, and that place felt like a meeting of the two.” 

Following Garland’s stay, MacGown also hosted artists Karina Rovira, Julia Reyes, Zoe Ishee and Amy Webb. 

Former artist in residence Julia Reyes painted a portion of the art gallery building on MacGown’s property.

Ishee, who is also a Mississippi State University student, said when she arrived at the residency program, her art style was filled with influences from her work in graphic design. But her time at MARS opened her up to new mediums, including the magazines and collage materials that appear in her work today. 

“I was apprehensive at first,” Ishee said. “... But after, it was the best experience I could ask for. I would encourage other artists to take up the offer, and the community to support the artists that are there. It’s a great opportunity for artists to make weird stuff.” 

Besides encouraging the artists, MacGown said the program also encourages art in the city through public receptions, live art demonstrations, workshops and other events. Artists also leave their mark on the city by leaving a piece of original artwork at MARS, with the goal to eventually fill the property with pieces to inspire future visitors and artists in residence.

MacGown said the residency is one of the only paid private residency programs in the state, which is only possible due to funding from the Del Rendon Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports music and art in the Golden Triangle. 

Andrew Rendon, one of the founders of the Del Rendon Foundation, said supporting the artist in residency program felt like the “next natural step” of the foundation’s evolution.  

“The MacGowns are constantly trying to do things to raise the level of interest and activity and passion regarding art in this community,” Rendon said. “He saw it as an opportunity, we saw it as an opportunity, and we jumped on it as a perfect marriage.” 

Rendon said the foundation also applied for a Mississippi Arts Commission Grant for about $5,000 specifically dedicated to the program, which will go toward the artist in residency program to keep bringing more artists to the area over the next two years. 

STORY BY ABIGAIL SIPE ROCHESTER

JOSEPH GARLAND COURTESY PHOTO

ZOE ISHEE FILE PHOTO

ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY RORY DOYLE