JACKSON—Karen Bennett of Kokomo, Miss. has been awarded a $500 grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission. This grant is a portion of the more than $1.75 million in grants MAC awarded in Fiscal Year 2024 and will be used to purchase professional level oil paint.
“With the additional funds provided to MAC this fiscal year, we are able to fund 37 more grants that are providing an economic impact for Mississippi communities, the arts and education throughout the state,” said David Lewis, executive director for the Mississippi Arts Commission. “We are grateful for the support from the Mississippi Legislature and elected officials who helped prioritize the arts in Mississippi.”
Karen Bennett is an award winning artist painting in oils in plein air (open air, outdoors) and in the studio. She delights in capturing the light/shadow and mood of a landscape.
“Growing up in rural South Mississippi has allowed me to admire and appreciate the beauty of God’s beautiful creation,” Bennett said.
Karen’s artwork is represented by Pacesetter Gallery in Flowood, Miss. and can be viewed on her website at www.karenbennettart.com
MAC’s annual grant funds come from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mississippi State Legislature. Awards were made in 104 Mississippi House of Representatives districts and 60 state Senate districts. The Mississippi Arts Commission is a state agency serving more than two-million people through grants and special initiatives that enhance communities, assist artists and arts organizations, promote arts education and celebrate Mississippi’s cultural heritage. MAC is funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts the Mississippi Endowment for the Arts at the Community Foundation for Mississippi and other private sources. For more information, visit www.arts.ms.gov.
For information about the Mississippi Arts Commission, please contact Ellie Banks, Communications Director, at (601) 359-6546 or ebanks@arts.ms.gov.
