“Calligraphy is an art form that uses ink and a brush to express the very souls of words on paper.”
― Kaoru Akagawa

A calligraphy set at a young age and a love for all things pretty grew into a business for Beth Hunt, owner of Beth Hunt Calligraphy. “I’ve always been drawn to art,” says Beth Hunt. “At a very young age, I received a calligraphy set for Christmas. From there what began as a hobby and doing something I love, has turned into a business where I teach others this beautiful art form.”

During college and after, friends would ask Beth to do lettering for them or address wedding invitations. Eventually word spread and what was once a fun, therapeutic hobby became Beth Hunt Calligraphy in 2009. Since then, her business has grown and over the past 3-4 years she has ventured into teaching calligraphy. “People began asking for lessons,” Beth says. “By teaching, I give them the tools to use to learn it and they can go home and perfect it on their own.” Beth continues, “People often think calligraphy is hard to learn and to do, but anyone can do it. It takes practice just like any art form.”

Beth offers several workshops including Intro to Calligraphy, Continuing Calligraphy and Intro to Brush Lettering. She also offers private Intro to Calligraphy classes and a 3-part Private Lesson Package.  She has taught hundreds of people across the state since she began offering workshops.

Beth also sells original art that you can order, print out and hang in your office or home. These prints include hand-lettered quotes, bible verses, and silhouettes. For more information about Beth Hunt Calligraphy or to register for a workshop or purchase products, please visit www.bethhuntcalligraphy.com or find her on Facebook or Instagram.

The Mississippi Children’s Museum’s newest summer exhibit, Curious George™: Let’s Get Curious! exhibit will open Saturday, May 20, 2017. Children of all ages will love this peak into the world of Curious George, the inquisitive little monkey who has captured the imagination and hearts of millions of children and adults for 75 years. The exhibit will introduce young children to George’s curious world and lead visitors on a fun, interactive math, science, and engineering-based adventure.

“This exhibit is on a twenty-city tour across the United States and we are very lucky to have it here in Jackson,” says Mary Alex Thigpen, Assistant Director of Communications for MCM. Visitors will recognize familiar characters and places featured in the classic stories by H.A. and Margret Rey and the television series that airs on PBS KIDS®. The exhibit inspires children’s natural curiosity as they explore the neighborhood where Curious George™ lives with his friend, The Man with the Yellow Hat. Children can explore iconic points from George’s curious world and climb into a construction trailer to design and construct a building! Visitors to the exhibit have the opportunity to experiment with physics as they putt through the mini golf course, use wind power to move yard art and wind chimes, or climb into the space rocket Curious George took on his space adventure! “We are thrilled to offer this experience to the children of Mississippi. The Curious George exhibit offers visiting families an opportunity to meet a favorite classic childhood icon and incorporates play and fun with STEM aligned activities,” notes Susan Garrad, President and CEO of the Mississippi Children’s Museum.

Mississippi Children’s Museum members can enjoy a member’s only preview party Friday, May 19th from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Guests will enjoy Curious George themed snacks, a take-home photo with Curious George himself, and hands-on activities including Duplo Structural Building, Stained Glass Painting, and Paper Hat Making. Visitors will also receive a free Curious George book, sticker, and bookmark courtesy of Mississippi Public Broadcasting. Wear your red and yellow and be the first to meet George! Not a member of the MCM? You can join this week before the big event Friday. Members enjoy free admission to the MCM year around, discounts, and a variety of other benefits.

So mark your calendars and make Mississippi Children’s Museum a part of your summer plans and come explore the curious world of everyone’s favorite monkey! The Curious George™: Let’s Get Curious! exhibit will run from May 20, 2017 until September 20, 2017. The exhibit is sponsored locally by Trustmark and Atmos Energy. For more information about the Mississippi Children’s Museum, please visit http://mschildrensmuseum.org/

Music, food, fireworks, and fun for the entire family are all a part of the 36th Annual Pepsi Pops! Rescheduled for this Friday, May, 19th, Pepsi Pops! is an annual tradition for many families. Held at the Ross Barnett Reservoir’s Old Trace Park, families from all over bring their lawn chairs, blankets, and picnic to enjoy a night of great music by the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. “Pepsi Pops is a great event for family and friends to gather and enjoy the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra play in a non-traditional setting at the Reservoir with a grand finale of fireworks at the end of the show,” said Emily Helm, Marketing Manager at Brown Bottling Group. Park gates will open at 4:30 p.m. and the Kids Pepsi Playground will open shortly after at 5:00 p.m. The playground includes inflatables, games, and activities for children of all ages. The pre-concert entertainment includes the Mississippi Symphony Youth Orchestra, Southern Komfort Brass Band, and Mississippi Swing. At 7:30, the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra will take the stage followed by fireworks for the finale!

The annual “Best Picnic Design” contest will be judged by Barry Plunkett and Bo Bowen, and winners will be announced during the program with prizes donated by Mangia Bene. Forget your picnic basket? Take advantage of onsite food vendors The Manship and Backyard Burgers serving delicious food.

All tickets and parking passes with the May 12, 2017 date will be honored. If you haven’t purchased your ticket yet, there is still time. Tickets are $15 at the gate, $12 in advance, and $5 for ages 4-18. Kids 3 and under are free.

Inspiration Mississippi is excited to partner with Brown Bottling Group to give away an awesome prize package! The swag bag includes: 4 tickets to Pepsi Pops!, a Burlap tote, Pepsi beach towel, koozie, hat, and a case of Pepsi! To enter to win, visit our Facebook page @Inspiration Mississippi.

Grab your blankets, lawn chairs, and picnic basket and join us Friday night for a time of great music, fun, and fireworks!

She is only 12, but is already making a name for herself! Her song, Your Own Kind of Beautiful, was released as a single April 21, 2017. Quiet and humble, she is like any other 6th grader…she enjoys basketball, cheer and tumble, but her love is music. This all began at a young age. “From early on she loved to perform,” her mom, Marley Roberson, says. “She would dance around the house with a pretend microphone.” She always knew she wanted more and to do more. “So many doors and opportunities have just fallen in her lap, in our laps. Things that we knew we couldn’t pass up and as long as she wanted to pursue them, we knew we should. We didn’t want to think down the road, ‘what if we never saw where her voice and love for music takes her,’” Marley continues.

Once they noticed she loved music as much as she did, they found a voice teacher in Brandon, MS, for her to work with. If anything, it was an outlet and an activity she enjoyed. Her voice teacher, Winona Costello, helped to develop her voice and at the age of 8, she went with a group of other kids taught by Costello to the IMTA Camp and Competition in New York City. “At this camp, they would practice and perform and perfect their talent. There were kids from all over the United States that would come to this camp,” Marley says.  She enjoyed it so much that she went back the following summer at the age of 9. The kids there would audition for people in the music industry. “These industry people were on the lookout for the next rising star,” Marley smiles. “They are looking for voices that can be trained and many go on to sign record deals as their voice matures over the next several years. That’s the ultimate goal as you participate in these camps, to get noticed and to hopefully sign with a label.”

Over the next couple of years, Elam continued to take voice lessons. She loved singing and performing and wanted to continue it whether anything came from it or not. In the spring of 2016, they received a call from a talent scout. “I was actually in the carpool line at First Presbyterian Day School where Elam and her 2 brothers attend school.” He had heard her perform at IMTA when she was 9. He remembered her and her unique voice. “We were completely floored! We never thought we would get a call. You put in the hours and do the work and go to the camps, never knowing if you will hear back. You don’t want to ever get your hopes up and get ahead of yourself,” continues Marley. From there, everything began to fall into place and happen very quickly. An audition was set up with the Director of A&R for Disney Music. Next, she and her mom and her grandmother flew to Miami, FL, to audition with the President of One One 7 Entertainment. He loved her voice and began working with her. Last summer, she spent time in Nashville working with Matt Bronleewe, a music producer and writer. “I would take my notebook of ideas into the studio with me. From there, we would talk about my ideas and that’s where the songs would come from,” says Elam. “I went back in September to record the 4 songs that were written and then heard them for the first time in December,” she continues. “It was surreal to hear them and to hear my voice with the lyrics. The time, effort, and energy that I had been putting into singing was beginning to pay off.”

A release party was held Friday afternoon, April 21st. “The support from friends and the community has been amazing,” says Elam. “My friends came, brothers and sisters of my friends, and it was a lot of fun!” Marley continues, “She has had a great experience so far and has learned so many life lessons. She knows how to interview, how to handle rejection, and time management.” Elam has continued her school work and extracurricular activities while juggling her singing on the side. When asked what she wants to do when she gets older she immediately replies sing!

Your Own Kind of Beautiful is a song about being yourself. “Be true to who you are, stand up for others, and follow your dreams.” Elam is doing just that. She knows that this opportunity gives her a platform and she hopes that through her music, she can encourage other young people and give a voice to others that are struggling to find their way.

Over the next few months, Elam’s 3 other songs will be released. The songs stem from her notebook of ideas…things she struggles with as a young person, things she knows others struggle with also. She wants to inspire other girls to follow their dreams, but never lose sight of who they are.

You can download Your Own Kind of Beautiful on iTunes and follow her on Instagram: @elamroberson, Facebook: @elammusic, and Twitter: @elamroberson.