Historic District Walking Tours
Fridays - February 28 through April 25
10:30 am | Meet in the Museum Lobby
Join Museum Director George Bassi for an engaging and informational walking tour of Laurel’s historical district as he traces the history and evolution of the city and some of its finest homes and structures.
Music in the Museum | Cello and Piano
Sunday, April 6
2:30 pm
Join us for a Sunday afternoon concert featuring Jose Ottonello on cello and Apple Lin on piano performing Latin American and European works by Prokofiev, Brahms, Bloch, Piazzolla, Gardel, and Bragato.
Yin Lin is a collaborative pianist and educator with an extensive background in performance, accompaniment, and artistic leadership. Born in Shanghai, China, she began studying piano at the age of three, later earning both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Music Education and Piano Performance from Shanghai Normal University. Recognizing her true passion for collaborative piano, she pursued further studies in the United States, earning Artist Diplomas in Keyboard Collaborative Arts from Azusa Pacific and La Sierra Universities. Her career as a collaborative pianist has taken her across the United States, China, and Europe, where she has worked alongside internationally acclaimed musicians such as Victoria Livengood, Lisette Oropesa, Alan Smith, Glenn Dicterow, and Yi-Bing Chu. She has served as a staff accompanist for the Mayfield Senior School Women’s Ensemble and the University of Redlands, as well as playing a pivotal role in Roomful of Pianos at the NAMM Show in 2019 and 2021. In addition, she was invited to serve as a piano coach for the Worldful of Pianos event at the 2021 NAMM Show.
As an educator and arts administrator, Yin Lin currently serves as the Artistic Director of the MARKER AND PIONEER International Culture Exchange Center, where she leads the MAP International Music Competition. In Summer 2025, she will oversee the launch of the first MAP Young Artist Program in Los Angeles, focused on vocal and chamber music. That same summer, she will also join the OpusOne Music Festival faculty as an assistant professor. Throughout her career, Yin has been recognized for her contributions to the arts, receiving honors from the Mayors of Arcadia, West Covina, and Walnut, California. She continues to develop her artistry as she pursues a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Collaborative Piano under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Bunchman at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Dr. José Ottonello is a distinguished Uruguayan-Italian cellist, conductor, researcher, and educator whose career spans performance, academia, and artistic leadership. He currently serves as String Professor and Conductor at HPS in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and holds an assistant professorship at the National School of Artistic Studies by SODRE in Uruguay. His previous faculty positions include Cello Professor at Loyola University New Orleans and William Carey University. He has held principal cellist positions with the Jackson Symphony in Tennessee, Northwestern Florida State College Orchestra, and numerous regional orchestras across the United States. Internationally, he has performed as principal cellist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Uruguay, the MEC Chamber Orchestra, and the Latin American Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. His solo engagements include performances with the Loja Symphony Orchestra in Ecuador, the LSU Symphony, and the MEC Chamber Orchestra. He finished his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Cello Performance from Louisiana State University under the guidance of Prof. Dennis Parker, with minor studies in jazz. His studies were supported by competitive scholarships, including a full-tuition doctoral fellowship (valued at $150K) and the prestigious AMEXID Mexican scholarship ($30K) at Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Mexico. A dedicated researcher, Dr. Ottonello has published articles in international peer-reviewed journals and contributed to the Sphinx Catalog of Latin American Works. His research has also led to the release of the first edition of Castro’s Cello Concerto and in-depth studies on the legacy of Oscar Nicastro. His doctoral dissertation focused on the transcription and analysis of works by Uruguayan composer Héctor Tosar. Beyond academia, he has founded and directed several music festivals, including the MVD JAZZ Festival and the Chamber Music Festival of Uruguay. His commitment to cultural exchange and audience engagement has led to the organization of over 15 post-pandemic chamber music concerts annually, reaching thousands of listeners.
He performs on two exquisite instruments: a 1927 Aníbal Fulquet cello and a 2024 Italian cello by luthier Simone Meucci.
Book Talk & Signing: The Determined Spy
Friday, April 18
5:00 pm
Free and open to the public
Join us as Douglas Waller, New York Times bestselling author, discusses his new book "The Determined Spy: The Turbulent Life and Times of CIA Pioneer Frank Wisner". Waller’s sensitive and exhaustively researched biography is the riveting story of both Frank Wisner as a national figure who inspired a cadre of future CIA secret warriors, and also an intimate and empathetic portrait of a man whose harrowing struggle with bipolar disorder makes his impressive accomplishments on the world stage even more remarkable.
Books will be available for purchase at the Museum Gift Shop.
CHALKFEST
Saturday, April 19
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Free and open to the public
Chalkfest is back for its fourth year! We are once-again closing the street so artists of all ages and stages can drop by and make their mark. Draw a quick doodle or a detailed design to share with the community!
CHALK WALK @ Chalkfest
Calling all CREATIVES! The Lauren Rogers Museum invites artists to take part in the “Chalk Walk” at the 4th annual Chalkfest on Saturday, April 19th. Show off your drawing skills, solo or with a group, by creating a 5’ x 5’ chalk design. From amateurs to experts, artists of all skill levels are invited to take part!
Stained-Glass Lecture & Historic Church Tour
Thursday, May 1
1:30 | Public Lecture
Stained Glass and the Architecture of Light
Jennifer M. Feltman
LRMA Sanderson Gallery | 565 N. 5th Ave
We each have a concept of how a church building should look. For many, the Gothic form of architecture, with its pointed arches, vaults, and brightly colored glass, comes to mind. This talk will introduce the origins of using colored glass windows in churches, the materials used in making stained glass, the meanings they held for people, and how they continue to inspire us today.
Jennifer M. Feltman is associate professor of Medieval Art and Architecture at the University of Alabama. Her research focuses on French Gothic architecture and sculpture. She currently a member of PCR jubé, dir. Christophe Besnier (Inrap), the collective research project studying the recently excavated fragments of the Notre-Dame jubé and has been a member of the Chantier scientifique de Notre-Dame, a team of scientists and historians authorized by the French Ministry of Culture to study the cathedral during restoration. As part of her contribution to new research on Notre-Dame, she is directing, “Notre-Dame in Color,” a project to investigate, document, and virtually recreate the vibrantly painted sculptures of the Gothic Cathedral of Paris. This work is supported by the Villa Albertine Foundation – Transatlantic Research Partnership, a program of the French Embassy in the United States, a 3-year National Endowment for the Humanities Collaborative Research Grant, and the UA Collaborative Arts Initiative. She publishes widely on Gothic architecture and sculpture. Her books include the volume of essays, The North Transept of Reims Cathedral: Design, Construction, and Visual Programs (Routledge, 2016), The Long Lives of Medieval Art and Architecture (Routledge, 2019), co-edited with Sarah Thompson, and Moral Theology and the Cathedral: Sculptural Programs of the Last Judgment in France, c.1200-1240, which is forthcoming from Brepols.
2:30 | Guide Tour of Church and Windows
First Presbyterian Church | 500 N. 5th Ave | Laurel, MS
Join Lauren Rogers Museum of Art Director George Bassi for a tour of the historic church building and its iconic stained-glass windows.
Music in the Museum
Thursday, May 8
6:00 pm
Free and open to the public
In collaboration with violinist Adrianne Munden-Dixon, pianist Buck McDaniel brings an exciting musical program deconstructing traditional fiddle tunes from Mississippi. Utilizing research by fiddler Harry Bolick and historian Tony Russell, Munden-Dixon and McDaniel will showcase a contemporary reimagining of traditional folk tunes.
Opening Reception | COLLECTIONS INTERVENTIONS: 2025 Mississippi Collegiate Art Faculty Invitational
Thursday, May 15, 2025
5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
The participating artists of this exhibition will speak about their work during a celebratory reception.
artTALK | James Michalopoulos
Thursday, May 15
Noon - 1:00pm
Sanderson Gallery
Join us as renowned painter and sculptor James Michalopoulos delves into his latest series inspired by his visits to Laurel, Natchez, and Magnolia. Over the last five years, Michalopoulos has captured the essence of Southern homes and landscapes through his iconic perspective and masterful color work. This series celebrates vernacular architecture, verdant fauna, and vintage cars, offering an immersive experience that reflects the wonder and beauty of Mississippi and the modern South.
artTALK is free and open to the public. Desserts and beverages provided.
Sponsored by West Quality Food Service, Inc.
