Mesa-Gaido profiled by Ruckus art journal, exhibits work in South Carolina

Elizabeth Mesa-Gaido, professor of art at Morehead State University, produces artwork that is informed by global events and personal experience. 

She was recently profiled by Ruckus, a Louisville-based, independent journal that highlights art in the Midwest and the South. The Q&A article highlights her artistic journey, what brought her to MSU and some of her artwork.   

“I was thrilled to be contacted by Anna Blake, the writer, about her wanting to interview me for the Ruckus article. She did a phenomenal job of synthesizing our hour-long conversation for the publication,” Mesa-Gaido said. “It was an honor to have my work showcased and thoughts written about by Anna and published by Ruckus.” 

Mesa-Gaido’s art is currently on display in A Common Thread: Textiles Past & Present, an exhibit showcasing contemporary concepts in textile art, running through Jan. 9, 2021, at The Art Center of Greenwood in South Carolina. The show is free and open to the public.  

According to Mesa-Gaido, the majority of her work in the invitational exhibit was made possible with the support of two MSU Creative Productions Summer Fellowships (2013 and 2020). It includes 51 abstract, wall-hanging sculptures, representing 50 states and the District of Columbia (D.C.), that were inspired by graphs of COVID-19 cases. 

To read the interview Mesa-Gaido in Ruckus, visit www.ruckuslouisville.com/SPEAKING-Elizabeth-Mesa-Gaido.  

Learn more about A Common Thread: Textiles Past & Present by visiting www.emeraldtriangle.us/arts-center/art-exhibits.  

For more information on MSU’s Department of Art & Design, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/art, email arde@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-2766. 

Photos: Elizabeth Mesa-Gaido's artwork from her “Cuban-American Piñatas” and “Then & Now” series ( right, photo by Ted Wathen) and her “Dubious Utopian Structures” series (left, photo by artist).