Portrait by Michael N. Foster
Church Goin Mule is a southern artist who was born and raised across the south, her kinfolk came from the mountains, and she keeps her studio in the Mississippi delta today.
Artist Statement
Church Goin Mule's work is a memory jug, a death-vase mash of the collective southern past, pearls and rusted nails, song and story, lore and loss.
The mule is our common ground, the creature that every man, woman and child of all origin knew, in a time before t-models and tractors.
In a time of remarkable and perhaps increasing polarity, the mule is our grounding rod, pointing to not a better past, but a different one.
The blues was born behind a plowing mule. Stories and poems, jokes and songs were prolific about the south's four legged machine.
Like much of our history, it's been forgotten and framed to tell a different tale. That story is a well known one, of glory and triumph. Our true story, our true flag is the white one of surrender, and of hard work, poverty and loss.
The mule was the first hybrid and he was always there, able to work harder, live longer, eat less. He stood beside moonshiners, levee builders, cotton farmers, timber-haulers, oil drillers, sugar cane men. He worked six days and brought his folks to church and town on the seventh.
Gallery Affiliations
Caron Gallery, Tupelo, MS.
The Little Green Store, Huntsville, AL.
Press (Click the portion in Italics to visit)
Interview with Mississippi Arts Hour - Church Goin Mule with Lauren Rhodes.
Interview with Stories from Nowhere - “Episode 1 - Church Goin Mule” with Andrew Monroe Rice.
Interview with Rooted Magazine - “Mississippi Transplant: Church Goin Mule.”
Article in Country Roads - “I.Believe in the Delta” Charlottes Jones & Church Goin Mule.
Article in Delta Magazine - “Church Goin Mule” By Mary Lee McKee.
Article in Country Roads - “Wanna Get Lost, Wanna Get Found.”
Article in Our Mississippi Home - “Smile, and Think Folk Art.” By John Dolan.
Article in Acadiana Profile - “Lost History Found on Four Legs.” By Will Kalec.
Article in The Current - “Southern Graphic.” By Wendy Raffel.
Article in Country Roads - “100 Days of Mississippi.” By Chris-Turner Neal.
Interview with The Little Yellow Building - “Spotlight On: Church Goin Mule”
Artist talk with Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment - “Meet the Maker: Church Goin Mule”
Artist collaboration with Mega Mega Mega & Molly McGinn - “Mega Conversations”
Interview with William Lusk Coppage - “Fables & Folk - Art and Connection of Place”
2024
The Little Green Store, Solo show, “This Old World,” Huntsville, AL. February.
Greenhouse Biloxi, Solo show, “Tell Your Dreams,” Biloxi, MS. April.
Lemoyne Arts, Juried Show, “Soulful Feelin': A Folk Art Celebration,” Tallahassee, FL. April.
Hey! Cafe, group show, TBD, New Orleans, LA. May.
Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment, Solo show, TBD, Huntsville, AL. November.
2023
Columbus Arts Council, Solo Show, "Belonging,” Columbus, MS. March.
Gail Keenan Arts Center, Group Show, “Paper Fools 2023,” Long Beach, MS. April.
Acadiana Center for the Arts, Juried Show, “Cūr Nōn,” Lafayette, LA.
Finster Fest, September 24 & 25th. Summerville, GA.
One Night Stand at the Ole Miss Motel. October 21st. Oxford, MS.
2022
Exhibitions
Gail Keenan Arts Center, Group Show, “Paper Fools,” Long Beach, MS.
Delta Arts Alliance, Solo show, “Beholden,” Cleveland, MS. June.
Mississippi School of the Arts, Group Show, “Introductions,” Brookhaven, MS. June.
Greenville Arts Council, Group Show, “Hearts Like Railroad Steel,” Greenville, MS. September.
Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment, Solo show, “Land-Formed” Huntsville, AL. November.
Residency
The Tin Shed at 100 Men Hall, Bay St. Louis, MS. January.
2021
Exhibitions
Dedo Maranville Fine Arts Gallery, Juried Show, “Valdosta National 2021,” Valdosta, GA.
Green House Biloxi, Solo Show, “Honeysuckle Jam", Biloxi, MS.
Mega Mega Mega, Solo Show, “Lots of Love to Give,” virtual.
The Little Yellow Building, Juried Show, “7 Deadly Sins,” virtual.
Residency
Jx Farms, Cleveland, MS. January.
High Hope Farm, Cedarbluff, MS. March.
Newnan Art Rez, Newnan, GA. September.
2020
Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment, Solo Show, “Signs & Wonders,” Huntsville, AL.
Smith & Lens, Group Show, “Women of Color,” Bay St. Louis, MS.
River Oaks Square Arts Center, Juried Show, “5x5x5,” Alexandria, LA.
Acadiana Center for the Arts, Group Show, “The Healthy Artist,” Lafayette, LA.
River Oaks Square Arts Center, Solo Show, “Hope Don’t Rust,” Alexandria, LA.
Cape Fear Studios, Juried Show, “2020 National 2D Exhibition,” Fayetteville, NC.
Craven Arts Council, Juried Show, “Bank Of The Arts National Juried Exhibition,” New Bern, NC.
Arts Council of York County, Juried Show, “31st Annual Juried Competition Exhibition,” Rock Hill, SC.
Art Works, Juried Show, “Mother May I,” Richmond, VA.
Gallery 5, Juried Show, “Dreams,” Richmond, VA.
Residency
Twelve Oaks, Ocean Springs, MS. January-May.
Learn more here. The project is supported in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
2019
Armadillo Gallery, Solo Show, “Church Goin Mule,” Denton, TX.
Smith & Lens, Group Show, “Women of Color,” Bay St. Louis, MS.
The Greenhouse on Porter, Solo Show, “Church Goin Mule,” Ocean Springs, MS.
Levee Contemporary, Group Show, “Weather Appropriate”, Princeton, WI.
Main Street Gallery, Group Show, “Finster Forward,” Clayton, GA.
MS Rezny, Juried Show, “Not Big (5),” Lexington, KY.
James May Gallery, Juried Show, “Water,” Algoma, WI.
Walter Anderson Museum of Art, Juried Show, “Water, Water,” Ocean Springs, MS.
Gallery R, Solo Show, “A Miracle of Mules,” Lafayette, LA.
Old Courthouse Arts Council, Juried Show, “Identity,” Woodstock, IL.
Gallery Edit, Group Show, “Edit: Waiting,” Richmond, VA.
Kirkwood Arts Council, Solo Show, “Missouri River Running Mule,” Kirkwood, MO.
Residency
Azule Artist Residency, Hot Springs, NC. September.
2018
Almost Circle Gallery, Two Person Show, “Saints + Superstitions,” Biloxi, MS.
Craven Arts Council, Juried Show, Bank Of The Arts, New Bern, NC.
Oxford Tree House Gallery, Group Show, Mary Day, Oxford, MS.
Gallery 333, Victory Garden, Group Show, Lafayette, LA.
Residency
The Martyn House Artist’s Residency, Ellijay, GA, September.
2017
Arrow, Solo Show, Church Goin Mule, New Orleans, LA.
Lounge Gallery, Solo Show, Untitled, Lafayette, LA.
Smith & Lens, Group Show, Dolly Should, Bay St. Louis, MS.
2016
Smith & Lens, Group Show, Dolly Should, Bay St. Louis, MS.
Gallery 333, Group Show, Painting Invitational, Lafayette, LA.
Reve, Two Person Show, Tapestries & Mules, Lafayette, LA. Smith & Lens, Solo Show, Church Going Mule, Bay St. Louis, MS.
Warehouse 535, Juried Group Show, Warehouse Project, Lafayette, LA.
Almost Circle Gallery, Group Show, Mark Makers Making Marks, Biloxi, MS.