MTSU’s Todd Art Gallery is kicking off the spring 2014 semester with a fresh new exhibit, “Shoebox: An International Sculpture Exhibition,” and an awards reception for the participating international artists.

The Department of Art at MTSU welcomed artists and the public to the free Jan. 21 reception, which is set from 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 21, in the gallery inside the university’s Todd Building. The “Shoebox” exhibit will be on display through Friday, Feb. 14.

A searchable campus map with parking notes is available at http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParkingMap13-14.

Showcasing works by artists and academics from across the United States, Australia and Europe, the new Todd Gallery exhibit features sculptural renderings that had to fit in a shoebox.

The resulting variety of sizes ranged from baby shoes to larger boxes made for athletic shoes and boots. The works also could be contained within a shoebox and assembled on-site.

About 185 works of art were submitted for consideration, Todd Art Gallery curator Eric Snyder said, and 40 were selected for the on-site exhibit in the gallery. Another 38 were chosen for an exhibit slideshow and to accompany the exhibit’s online presentation at www.MTSU.edu/art.

Michael Aurbach, professor of art in sculpture and drawing at Vanderbilt University, served as juror for the exhibit. Artists creating nine of the on-site works received awards, including:

• Best of Show/Sapphire Award — “Rural Route 1” by Randy Reid of Maroa, Ill.
• First Place/Pearl Award — Hanna Jurban of Grimesland, N.C.
• Second Place/Sterling Award — Traina Frank of Stockholm, Sweden.
• Third Place/Award of Excellence — Andrew Smith, Oxford, Miss.

Honorable mentions went to Dana Harper of Columbus, Ohio; Derek Chalfant of Elmira, N.Y.; Bruce Humphries of Menomonee Falls, Wis.; Clifford Blanchard of Morristown, N.J.; and Ronald Koehler of Cleveland, Miss.

MTSU’s Todd Art 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. All Todd Gallery exhibitions and events are always free and open to the public.

For more information, including parking and directions, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or eric.snyder@mtsu.edu or visit www.MTSU.edu/art.

— Gina E. Fann (gina.fann@mtsu.edu)

“Moonrise,” a soapstone and bronze sculpture by North Carolina artist Hanna Jurban, is part of MTSU’s new spring 2014 “Shoebox” exhibit in the Todd Art Gallery. Jurban received the exhibit’s first-place Pearl Award for her work. (submitted photo)

Ohio artist Dana Harper created “Nestle” from plaster, resin, paint, polymer clay and plastic lace for display in the “Shoebox” spring 2014 exhibit in MTSU’s Todd Art Gallery. Harper won one of the exhibit’s honorable mention awards for her work. (submitted photo)

Wisconsin artist Bruce Humphries uses found objects to tell a story in his sculpture for the “Shoebox” spring 2014 exhibit at MTSU’s Todd Art Gallery, “Well Ain’t That A Kick In The Paints.” Humphries won one of the exhibit’s honorable mention awards for his work. (submitted photo)

“Footprint,” a relief cast and polyurethane sculpture by Colorado artist Christopher Nelson, is one of the works included in the new “Shoebox” spring 2014 exhibit in MTSU’s Todd Art Gallery. (submitted photo)