Author: Sycamore Arts

Advisor

Jean Bennett received a BSE degree in art from Delta State University where she also obtained a Gifted Education degree.  She was inducted into the Delta Lambda Chapter of Kappa Pi International Art Fraternity.

She taught the gifted art class at Senatobia High School for 15 years and was chosen as Educator of the Year by the Tate County Economic Development Foundation.  She has numerous students who are now art educators at high school, junior college and university levels.  Other former students of Bennett’s now have art careers in interior design, architecture, anime, landscape architecture and graphic design.

Some of Bennett’s art works in Tate County are in buildings on the NWCC campus, Tate County courthouse and at City Hall.  She has served on the Board of Directors of the Sycamore Arts Council for 20 years.  She prefers working in acrylics, oils, and mixed media in her studio.

Vice President

Rachel Roberts, like most artists, loves working with her hands, creating in lots of different media.  She has a degree from the University of Memphis in graphic design and worked as a creative director and designer for various printing companies over the years. She was responsible for a team of designers and photographers and worked directly with clients at printing companies to produce a wide variety of printed materials. That work lent itself to other forms of artistic expression including her own photography business (portraiture and nature), designing and building stained glass windows/panels (both residential and commercial), and creating utilitarian and decorative items from various media including wood, metal, paint, fabric, glass, etc.

Rachel trained and worked at a Memphis photography studio for 2 years, shooting primarily high school seniors in studio and on location. She was the photographer for the Mother’s Day Out Program at Trinity Baptist Church in Cordova for 3 years. She now photographs students, families and business people as well as landscapes/nature.

One of the most valuable things that she has gained from her involvement and serving on the Board at Sycamore Arts over the last 4 years, is meeting and working with other artists and learning new ways and media to continue expressing herself through art. Rachel’s work has been included in exhibits at Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia, Business After Hours in Senatobia, Sycamore Arts Holiday Show and at DeSoto Arts in Hernando, MS.

President

As a Tate Countian Sharon Williams has been a member of the Sycamore Arts Council almost from conception. She is currently serving as the SAC president and has also served in other board capacities. 

Sharon majored in Art at NWCC and then was accepted at Memphis College of Art as a painting major.  She fell in love with fiber and color after taking a small tapestry class. She was juried in as a fiber member of the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi in 1986 and has served on the CGM board of directors as well as being a past president. 

Sharon is a member of the Chimneyville Weavers and Spinners Guild and has served as a board member and past president.  She is also a founding member and president of the CWSG CO-OP. 

Sharon enjoys coordinating exhibitions of fiber as well as other types of art.