Featuring one of the largest gallery spaces in Kentucky, the Clara M. Eagle Art Gallery provides members of the Murray State community and the greater region an opportunity to engage with meaningful, innovative visual art exhibits free of charge. Located on the 6th floor of the Price Doyle Fine Arts Building, the multi-level hall features work by students, faculty, and nationally and internationally renowned artists alike on a rotating schedule throughout the year.
According to Mike Martin, Director of University Galleries, the gallery serves as a resource for students and visitors to learn about the history of art while experiencing the powerful implications of contemporary new media. It’s also an extension of the classroom — a place for art majors to gain firsthand experience curating, installing, and maintaining an exhibit space. Students and interns working in the galleries learn how to handle fragile art in a variety of mediums, how to package the art, how to provide contextual information to help visitors engage with the art, and how to repair the gallery itself.
As part of its exhibition schedule, the gallery hosts Senior Capstone Exhibitions at the end of each semester, which feature work by students receiving their BA, BS, and BFA degrees in art. These exhibits are accompanied by receptions for the exhibits, which family and friends can attend to celebrate the students’ hard work and artistic accomplishments. The gallery also hosts the Magic Silver Show, a biennial photography competition, and frequent exhibitions by Department of Art & Design faculty and alumni.
One of the gallery’s most popular events is the annual Art Auction, held on the second Friday of November. Hundreds of original artworks are auctioned off, either by silent or live auctions. These works are donated from faculty, staff, students, and alumni, as well as local and regional artists. The event is open to the public and raises thousands of dollars in student scholarship support.
This year’s Art Auction will take place on Friday, November 11. Festivities begin at 4:30pm with a preview and refreshments from the Big Apple Cafe for those ages 21 and over. Registration and the silent auction begin at 6:00pm and are open to all ages. The live auction — which you don’t want to miss! — begins at 7:00pm. This year’s featured artist is Cintia Segovia, Assistant Professor of Photography and New Media at Murray State, whose work has been exhibited widely across the United States.
The gallery is open 8:00am-4:30pm Monday thru Friday, with additional evening and weekend hours that vary throughout the semester. The gallery is open and free to the public. For more information on the gallery exhibits and hours, contact the Department of Art & Design at 270.809.3052 or msu.eaglegallery@murraystate.edu. You can also follow their social media accounts at @murraystateart and @eaglegallery_murraystate . For more information about the department, visit murraystate.edu/art.
College of humanities and fine arts 