Penny Kemp’s ties to Winston County paved the way for an invitation from the Louisville Rotary Club to speak about her work at The MAX in Meridian, MS.
Penny is the daughter of Jimmy and Peggy Kemp of Noxapater. Jimmy was a long-time mayor of the city of Meridian, where Penny grew up. The Kemps have since moved “home” where Jimmy owns Kemp Associates and serves as the Winston County Engineer. Penny is now the President and CEO of The MAX, the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience located in downtown Meridian.
Penny’s highly informative presentation noted how The Max isn’t just a tourist attraction for Meridian; The MAX is a testament to the talents of many Mississippians. The gallery exhibits facts and interesting items that are truly reflections of what it means to be from the Magnolia State.
Robert St. John, who owns a number of restaurants in Hattiesburg, is a featured talent at The MAX. St. John owns the Crescent City Grill, Ed’s Burger Joint, and Loblolly Bakery among other establishments. He is also an author, with his latest offering being Mississippi Mornings. St. John is “passionate about furthering his home state,” and he will be hosting a “Breakfast for Dinner” event in late 2024 to help fundraise for The MAX.
Speaking of food, The MAX sponsors the Earth’s Bounty farmers’ market on the first Saturday of each month. This market offers not only the opportunity to purchase locally sourced produce and baked goods, but The MAX combines the event with the arts and creativity. In May, there will be a guitar demonstration as well as a “jam session” between 10:00 AM and noon. Because of the May the 4th date, there will also be a “take and make” craft workshop featuring Star Wars-themed crafts.
Of course, music and Mississippi go hand in hand. Most people don’t realize that today’s popular music is heavily rooted in the Mississippi blues. Even British musicians (think The Beatles and The Rolling Stones as well as Eric Clapton) have spoken in interviews about their love of Mississippi blues music. The MAX taps into this part of Mississippi history. James “Super Chikan” Johnson will be featured during the month of May, and on May 11, he will present a guitar demo.
Those who regularly attend the Jimmie Rodgers Music Festival in Meridian will also be pleasantly surprised to learn that The MAX is a major sponsor of the festival and offers many activities around the event.
Art is another prime exhibit at The MAX. Visitors may see and learn about art from Mississippi artists, including Walter Anderson, known for his watercolor paintings. The MAX will also be recognizing multiple Mississippi talents when it inducts five “beloved art figures” in its MAX Hall of Fame. These individuals include Shelby Foote (an author and historian), William Ferris (founding director of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at Ole Miss), Bobbie Gentry (singer, “Ode to Billie Joe”), Mac McAnally (musician), and Natasha Trethewey (poet).
Teachers should especially check out the potential for learning at the facility. There are interactive exhibits throughout The MAX, and groups may opt to participate in scavenger hunts to learn in a fun way. Teachers may also add on a MAXClassroom activity. The MAX also provides assistance with transportation to the facility for qualifying schools! More information about this may be found at https://www.msarts.org/learn/teachers/.
Kemp wanted to encourage all present to consider visiting The MAX for its educational exhibits, including promoting field trips to the facility. Not only are the exhibits hands-on and fun, but all Mississippians can benefit from learning about how our state has influenced various areas of art – including culinary arts, music of all genres, poetry, painting and more.
Those who wish to visit The MAX may visit msarts.org for more details. For teachers looking to plan a field trip, contact Stanley Wright at 601-480-1550 (extension 29).
