Murray State University Department of Art & Design and University Galleries set to host Annual Holiday Art Auction on Nov. 13

By Ann Gosser | Oct 7, 2026

MURRAY, Ky. — The Murray State Department of Art & Design and University Galleries are pleased to host the 2026 Annual Holiday Art Auction on Friday, Nov. 13, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Clara M. Eagle Gallery, located on the sixth floor of the Price Doyle Fine Arts Center on Murray State’s campus. 

Original works of art in a wide variety of formats will be available for purchase through both silent and live auction during the evening. The works are donated by faculty, staff, students and alumni, as well as local and regional artists. Proceeds from the event go to support Murray State’s Department of Art & Design student scholarships. Registration and the silent auction begin at 6 p.m. and the live auction begins at 7 p.m. Skip the long line and register at tinyurl.com/artauction2026 or email msu.art@murraystate.edu.

This year’s featured artist is April Webb. Webb is an interdisciplinary artist and mother whose work addresses women’s invisibility with a focus on labor hierarchies. Born and raised in Florida, Webb received her undergraduate degrees from Flagler College, a small liberal arts college in St. Augustine, and her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in studio art from Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee. During her time at FSU, Webb received the Jim Boone Endowment Scholarship which supports artists dedicated to social justice. After earning her MFA, Webb worked for Florida State University as the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) coordinator, the BFA facilities manager, the MFA facilities manager and an adjunct professor. In 2025, Webb accepted a role as the painting and drawing instructor at Murray State University. In her role, Webb works closely with students seeking bachelor degrees with a painting and drawing focus, helping them develop foundational skills and conceptual content. Webb prioritizes material exploration in the classroom and within her practice. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally.

About Webb’s featured donation: Manufacturing Consent

Manufacturing Consent is part of a series of works exploring the Midas myth and the story of Pinocchio. By combining key elements of both narratives, the works in this series ask questions about class, power, greed, privilege, morality and gender.

For more information about this or other upcoming events, please contact the Department of Art & Design at 270-809-3784 or msu.art@murraystate.edu.

For more information about the Department of Art & Design, visit murraystate.edu/art.