MTSU’s Todd Art Gallery is celebrating 40 years of educating professional designers with its new exhibit, “Tracking Characters: Connecting 40 Years of Design Grads,” open through Thursday, Feb. 12.

This charcoal and oil on canvas by MTSU design alumnus Michelle Fizer, “Partly Cloudy with a Chance of Optimism,” is part of a new exhibit, “Tracking Characters: Connecting 40 Years of Design Grads,” at the Todd Art Gallery through Feb. 12.

The exhibit is sponsored by MTSU Arts and features works by 32 MTSU art alumni now living from Connecticut to California.

Todd Art Gallery Director Eric Snyder said the exhibit is, “in a sense, a homecoming, as well as a first of its kind, acknowledging the important contribution of the study of graphic design and its alumni to the art program at MTSU.”

Alumni were asked to submit work showcasing their current endeavors rather than produce something especially for ”Tracking Characters.”

If they considered submitting work outside graphic design, Snyder said, all the better, because that would “highlight the fact that many work across media and are artists in more than just one sense.”

Cathy J. Cobb-Walgren, MTSU’s first commercial art graduate, was one of the first to respond to the Department of Art’s call for submissions. Now a teacher at Georgia State University, the May 1975 alumna’s first job out of school was for Gresham and Smith Architects.

The exhibit includes works from art alumni Aaron Rayburn, Abigail Atkins, Austin Hale, Ben Stewart, Brennan Scott, Cal Morton, Chip Payne, Chuck Stephens, Daniel Brown, Danielle Smith, Davion Baxter, Debra Naeve, Deena Cruz, Devin Warren, Ethan Farmer, Grant Cooley, Jenna Russell, Katie Clagg, Kelsey Greer, Kevin Tucker, Kyle Jones, Kyle Scudder, Lauren Wood, Louis LaPrad, Melissa Grabiel, Micah Loyed, Michelle Fizer, Neal Miles, Sean Hood, Shaun MacDavid, Stephanie Cobb and Suze Morton.

All Todd Art Gallery exhibits and receptions are free and open to the public. The Todd Gallery is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends and state and university holidays.

For more information about MTSU Arts, which presents a full slate of art, theatre and music offerings at the university each year, visit www.mtsuarts.com.

For more information, including parking and directions, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or eric.snyder@mtsu.edu or visit www.mtsu.edu/art. You also can find a campus parking map at http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParking14-15.

— Gina E. Fann (gina.fann@mtsu.edu)

MTSU design alumnus Kyle Jones’ “Space Cadet” is part of the “Tracking Characters: Connecting 40 Years of Design Grads” exhibit at the Todd Art Gallery through Feb. 12.

This image by MTSU design alumnus Kevin Tucker for the pilot episode of a TV show, “How Come,” is part of “Tracking Characters: Connecting 40 Years of Design Grads” at the Todd Art Gallery through Feb. 12.

MTSU design alumnus and Creative and Visual Services employee Micah Loyed’s poster for the university’s “#TRUE” athletics campaign is part of a new exhibit, “Tracking Characters: Connecting 40 Years of Design Grads,” at the Todd Art Gallery through Feb. 12.