July 26, 2022 – November 5, 2022
The natural world around us has inspired the newest exhibition at the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience. Mississippi: Lost and Found, created by Adam Trest of Laurel, is a visual journal of his adventures while traveling across the state. The exhibition integrates the arts with science, exposing visitors to local flora and fauna.
The exhibit opens July 26 and is sponsored by the Tupelo-based Caron Gallery, which recently opened a second location in Laurel. The gallery represents Trest and dozens of other Mississippi artists.
Trest, a Mississippi State University graduate, has been a studio artist for over 10 years. His style is heavily influenced by early American and eastern European folk art, with flora and fauna inspiring the central theme of his work. “I choose to paint traditional Southern imagery in a whimsical illustrative style, and because of that, my work helps to tell people's story,” said Trest.
Trest is widely known for his work on HGTV’s Home Town, a home renovation show set in Laurel and starring Ben and Erin Napier. Prints of his art are also available for purchase at the Napiers’ Laurel Mercantile Co., as is The Lantern House, a children’s book written by Erin Napier and illustrated by Trest.
Mississippi: Lost and Found celebrates the magic found in each region of the state, sharing Trest’s adventures and memories in the form of paintings. The exhibition will be on display at The MAX from July 26-November 5, 2022.
“While his style is whimsical, I appreciate the innate spiritual undertones to his work,” said Stacey Peralta, Curator of Exhibitions at The MAX. “Adam Trest captures the spirit and the movement of the outside world in a way that celebrates the refuge of nature and brings about the feeling of peace.”
To learn about related events, check with The MAX via telephone at 601.581.1550 or view our event calendar.