MSU art students create mural celebrating agricultural crops on campus building

In Starkville, Mississippi, two talented fine arts students at Mississippi State University have left a remarkable impression by undertaking an additional project in their final year of studies.

Covington’s Chloe V. Ruggiero and Ridgeland’s Abbey R. Temple, who graduated in spring 2024, completed a mural project for the Department of Agricultural Science and Plant Protection at Mississippi State University. The sprawling 32-foot-long mural, situated on the first floor of the Hill Agriculture Science Building, portrays specific Mississippi crops, including corn and rice, along with the ailments that afflict them. To create the mural, the duo consulted a reference book of crops and collaborated with faculty and experts in the department to determine the mural’s content.

“Temple mentioned, ‘We translated their imagery and samples into our unique style,'” shared Temple.

“We selected the most visually appealing ones,” Ruggiero added. “Plant diseases aren’t always visually appealing, surprisingly.”

To ensure the crops and diseases were identifiable, the artists diligently worked towards that goal. Following extensive discussions and research, the mural’s progression involved initial sketching, feedback collection, and approvals.

“Getting an accurate representation of our iPad-sized sketch on a large wall was challenging,” Ruggiero noted. “Initially, we did a lot of one-to-one, sketch-to-wall conversions. It was akin to solving a puzzle, rearranging sections until the optimal placement was achieved.”

While Temple focused on the initial stages, such as sketching and planning, Ruggiero later delved into color and texture selection.

Ruggiero expressed, “I admire the rice and corn on the far left of the mural. The color palette is appealing to me; I lean towards warm tones, with yellow being my favorite color.”

Both students, primarily oil painters, found the project exhilarating, considering it their first venture into such a significant artwork.

“It was an enjoyable change of medium,” Ruggiero remarked.

Professor Soon Ee Ngoh from the MSU Department of Art, renowned for supervising various student murals on campus, provided invaluable guidance throughout the creative process.

“During the entire journey, she wholeheartedly supported us. I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor to oversee and guide us,” Ruggiero acknowledged.

For more information on Mississippi State University’s College of Architecture, Art, and Design, and the Department of Art, visit them online at www.caad.msstate.edu and www.caad.msstate.edu/academics/majors/art.