Oxford: Home to a Unique Artist

Southside Gallery is hosting Hailey Hodge’s Chromophos solo exhibition along with artist reception on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Hailey Hodge is a rare breed. She is a young artist that has an eye for capturing and creating work that mixes art with science.

Hodge’s solo exhibition, Chromophos, meaning colorful light, is not vague in its description. She is able to capture the intricate details that make outer space so fascinating and captivating to look at. The style and texture Hodge creates comes from her use of several different mediums, ranging from CMYK screen printing on Plexiglass to ultraviolet ink on metal to simple ink on paper.

“Unusual. Unlike most art you see here typically, but there’s so much more than that to her work,” said Hannah Spears, gallery assistant of Southside Gallery. “Hodge’s is so technically skilled and strong cohesively.”

Hailey Hodge, a master of fine art candidate in printmaking at the University of Mississippi, currently has a solo exhibition called Chromophos.

Hodge got her start in art as a young child in Sumter, South Carolina, when her mother, who is an artist, and her father, who is a chemist, gave her paint brushes and drawing tools. Her creativity and passion for art took root in her soul with an insatiable drive to design. It is safe to say art is in her genes.

“Art came more naturally to me, but you can see that science greatly influences my inspiration
as well,” Hodge said.

In 2013, Hodge received her bachelor of science in business administration from Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and then went on to finish her bachelor of fine art in studio art in 2014. While at Converse College, Hodge was mentored by Andrew Blanchard, a former Ole Miss graduate student, who also has an art exhibit currently at Southside Gallery.

“When I was looking for a graduate school, Andrew highly recommended Ole Miss. So I visited, applied and got in,” Hodge said.

Hailey Hodge, Spectroscopy.

Hodge’s continuing love for art has taken her from Spartanburg and brought her to Oxford, Mississippi. She is a second year graduate student as a master of fine art candidate in printmaking at the University of Mississippi.

Hodge continues to push her ability to create works that influence, inspire and bring appreciation to the complex ideas and sciences in life that she finds inspiration in. She strives to stay true to Leonardo Da Vinci’s artist statement: “Study the science of art. Study the art of
science. Develop your senses; learn how to see. Realize that everything connects everything else.”

Anyone interested in viewing Hodge’s full exhibition is invited to attend her artist’s reception on Thursday, Nov. 19, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Southside Gallery on the Square. For more information on Hodge’s solo exhibit, visit www.southsidegallery.com.

Peyton LoCicero is a senior broadcast journalism major at the Meek School of Journalism and New Media. She can be reached pelocice@go.olemiss.edu.