Greenfield Farm’s Plein Air Invitational 2024: A Jackson State University + University of Mississippi Collaboration

On the afternoon of Sunday, September 29, 2024, Mississippi's vibrant art and literary communities will converge near Oxford for the second Plein Air Invitational. A celebration of artistic talent and the natural beauty of the Mississippi landscape, this year’s event is a collaboration between Jackson State University and the University of Mississippi.

Mark Geil, chair of the art department at Jackson State University, joins the curatorial team for this second annual Plein Air Invitational. Geil was honored with the Humanities Teacher Award for Jackson State from the Mississippi Humanities Council in 2022. Brooke P. Alexander, a University of Mississippi Instructional Assistant Professor of Art, solo-curated the first invitational. Alexander was recently named the 2024 Mississippi Fellow for Visual Arts by South Arts, underscoring her influence and commitment to the arts in Mississippi.

Featured artists span the state and include Jason Bouldin, Virginia Chavis, Kira Cummings, Latrice Lawson, Victoria Meek, Jerrod Partridge, Jonathan Smith and Shawn Whittington.

Plein Air Invitational 2024 is presented by Visit Oxford and supported by Rowan Oak, the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, Mississippi Hills Heritage Area Alliance, and Greenfield Farm Writers Residency, a project of the Mississippi Lab at the University of Mississippi.

Schedule of events:

1:00 - 4:00 PM | Open House at Rowan Oak (916 Old Taylor Rd, Oxford, MS) | Explore the historic home of William Faulkner, the Nobel Prize-winning author.

4:00 - 5:30 PM | Plein Air Invitational at Greenfield Farm (CR 249, off Hwy 30, 13 miles east of Oxford, MS) | Stroll through the woods of Greenfield Farm, while accomplished artists create in real-time. Mingle with artists and judges, share a bite to eat from Tarasque Cucina, and enjoy a special cocktail created by Joe Stinchcomb of Bar Muse in celebration of Greenfield Farm’s Plein Air Invitational. At the close of the event one featured artist will be awarded a $1000 prize. Free and open to the public, children are welcome. We encourage guests to wear boots or similar.

Directions - Greenfield Farm is located between Oxford and New Albany, MS.  To get there from Oxford, travel eastbound on Highway 30 East (MS-30 E/Hwy 30 E) for approximately 13 miles until you reach County Road 249 (Co Rd 249). Take a left on Co Rd 249 and drive approximately 8/10 of a mile.  Just over a bridge, and to the left, will be an opening in the trees.  From here, signs will point the way to parking and the entrance.

Coordinates for Greenfield Farm: 34°26'59.0"N 89°18'33.9"W

Google Maps Search Location: Greenfield Farm, CMXR+V6, Cornersville, MS 38655