Rocking in Rolling Fork

Rolling Fork ambassadors Lynne Moses, Meg Cooper and Mary Corban stop for a picture on the porch of the "blues cabin." The cabin was moved downtown from nearby Mont Helena Plantation and serves as a replica of Muddy Waters' birthplace. The Muddy Waters Mississippi Blues Trail marker is just a few steps away from this cabin, which serves as a museum and welcome center during the Deep Delta Festival and the Great Delta Bear Affair. If you haven't spent much time in Rolling Fork, or aren't very sure where to find it on the map, I encourage you to visit and experience the great hospitality, arts, food and music.

Communities LinkUp! Concert at USM

On Wednesday May 19, students from the Hattiesburg area attended a concert in USM's Bennett Auditorium featuring the USM Symphony Orchestra. Through Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute, the participating schools were provided with the curriculum and recorders so they would be able to perform along with the orchestra. The Mississippi Arts Commission is proud to be a partner with Carnegie to bring this outstanding program to Mississippi.

On the road....

Elayne Goodman of Columbus, MS

It has been my pleasure to be out and about this week visiting artists around the state with a my co-workers here at MAC. Doing this makes me realize how much I truly love this work. To see these artists in their own environments, creating their beautiful work is so inspiring. To be able to assist them in some small way is a true gift to me.

First we traveled to Louisville, MS where we met Katrina Estes-Hill, a folk/pop artist and storyteller. She has a wonderful, creative spirit and draws her work from her life in rural Mississippi. Our next stop was Columbus, MS where we visited the studio and home of folk artist, Elayne Goodman. We were all astounded by this amazing woman's work and story. She is a true gift to this state. Finally, we visited the home of basketweaver/painter Charles Jenkins of Hazelhurst. He actually goes into the woods, cuts down a small tree, brings it back to his home and begins the process of creating a basket....needless to say it is an amazing process. He also creates beautiful paintings using mud and clay.

The talent in this state never ceases to amaze me! A week like this makes me love my job even more!

Susan Dobbs, Public Relations Director

While traveling down the road in the Mississippi Delta, I stopped to take a look off the beaten path and found the House of Khafre in Indianola. They were unpacking and moving into their new location at 103-105 Main Street. House of Khafre is a multi-use facility with a museum/gift shop, performance space, event space and much, much more. There's even a really cool bayou in the back.

Jazzy Debut

MAC Whole Schools Institute director Judi Holifield takes a minute to share some acting tips with the students at Nora Davis Magnet School in Laurel, Miss. on April 28. Students from the third, fourth and fifth grades were chosen to perform the debut production of "Nora's Ark," a jazz musical written by Eli Yamin, a veteran instructor at the annual Whole Schools Summer Institute.