Senate Resolution 12

A RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE RECOGNITION OF THE MISSISSIPPI SENATE TO AWARD-WINNING ART PROFESSOR BRENT FUNDERBURK AS THE RECIPIENT OF THE 2024 GOVERNOR'S ARTS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN VISUAL ARTS AND EDUCATION.

WHEREAS, the Governor's Arts Awards Program has announced its 2024 recipients, which include award-winning Art Professor Brent Funderburk as the 2024 Governor's Arts Award recipient for Excellence in Visual Arts and Education; and

WHEREAS, established in 1988, Governor's Arts Awards are given to individuals and organizations to recognize outstanding work in the artistic disciplines, as well as arts-based community development and arts patronage in Mississippi. The awards are presented in partnership with the Governor's Office and signify the important relationship between government and the arts; and

WHEREAS, Brent Funderburk is a William L. Giles Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Mississippi State University where he served as Art Department head and taught for 36 years. He has been recognized with the University's highest academic, teaching and research honors, including the Southeastern Conference Faculty Excellence Award (2016), the John Grisham Teaching Award, the Ralph E. Powe Faculty Research Award, and the Burlington Northern Faculty Excellence Award, among others; and

WHEREAS, an artist known for his exuberantly-hued watermedia paintings as well as energetic teaching and lectures, Brent Funderburk is a Charlotte, North Carolina, native who has worked as a teacher/administrator for three universities in three states for over 40 years. From a robust life of art practice and travel, Funderburk has researched, produced, exhibited and lectured passionately, working from life and in the studio in Starkville, Mississippi. He has presented 34 one-person exhibitions across the United States, and has been represented by galleries in Jackson, Atlanta, Charlotte, New Orleans and Memphis, with work in public and private collections across the United States and abroad. His works are displayed at the Mississippi Museum of Art, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and Memphis-Brooks Museum of Art; and

WHEREAS, Funderburk's artwork has been juried into over 100 regional, national and international shows, with numerous awards, such as the International Society of Experimental Artists Award, the Holbein Artist Award, and Isabey-Savoir Faire Award, at the National Watercolor Society 100th International Open Exhibition (San Pedro, California, 2020), the Artistic Excellence Special Award I at the Missouri International Exhibition (Barcelona, Spain, St. Louis, Missouri, 2020), the Juror's Special Award and Certificate of Merit at the 6th Fabriano International Prize (Fabriano, Italy, 2020), and had work that toured seven Chinese museums in the Shenzhen International Watercolor Biennial (2015-2016); and

WHEREAS, Brent Funderburk's work has been published widely, in national/international periodicals such as American Artist, Artists Magazine, Creative Quarterly: The Journal of Art and Design, Studio Visit, Watercolor Artist Magazine, Southwest Art and Splash: The Best of Watercolor. Funderburk's painting "One to One" was chosen as cover art for the 2022 Splash annual publication; and

WHEREAS, in 2010, Funderburk was named the Official Artist of the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, regarded for his depth of research and enthusiastic delivery, Funderburk has presented talks to over 100 museums, universities and to professional organizations across the country. He curated and lectured with the exhibition "Ecstasy - The Mystical Landscapes of Walter Anderson" that toured four U.S. museums (2008-2010) as well as spoken about Anderson in association with the Smithsonian Institute exhibit "Everything I See is New and Strange" (2003). In addition to presenting his multi-media lectures, such as "A Halcyon Day! A Day in the Life of Walter Anderson," "Deep Harvest" and "The Beathing Eye," he has presented illustrated lectures on 20th Century visionary modern American artists such as Will Henry Stevens, Robert Henri and Edward Reep, subjects such as American watercolor, art and architecture, and often about his own art; and

WHEREAS, Funderburk has taught courses dedicated to the vision of Walter Anderson; "Sea Earth Sky" (80s), "Encounters" (90s), and "Walter Inglis Anderson and American Art" (2018), has led field classes in U.S. national parks, and has taught semester courses in Vicenza (2007) and Rome (2016), Italy; and

WHEREAS, the artist is married to dancer/choreographer Deborah Wyatt Funderburk, a retired university professor in Dance at Mississippi State University. They have two adult sons and reside in Starkville, Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we pay tribute and express appreciation for the talent of a Mississippi artistic leader who has made Mississippi a better place and exemplifies the artistic traditions of our great state:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby extend the recognition of the Mississippi Senate to award-winning Art Professor Brent Funderburk as the recipient of the 2024 Governor's Arts Award for Excellence in Visual Arts and Education and extend our congratulations to an artistic leader on this auspicious occasion.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Brent Funderburk as part of the Governor's Arts Awards presentation and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.