Theora Hamblett's Children's Games at University of Mississippi Museum

The University of Mississippi Museum in Oxford is presenting 'Children's Games,' an exhibition of works by Theora Hamblett (1895–1977), drawn from the largest collection of her art, which she bequeathed to the university. Born in Paris, Mississippi, Hamblett spent her early life on a chicken farm, moved to Oxford in 1939 after her mother's death, and worked as a seamstress and boarding house operator. She began painting in the 1950s after taking classes at the newly formed University of Mississippi Department of Art, though she was largely self-taught. The exhibition focuses on her 'Children's Games' series, a folkloric record of childhood activities from her one-room schoolhouse days. Hamblett's distinctive style features colorful trees with layered, unmixed pigments creating a stippled effect, which folklorist William Ferris likened to embroidery stitches in 'The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture: Folk Art' (2013). Her paintings depict children playing games like jump rope, snap, and looby loo, often with identical outfits and hairstyles, emphasizing documentation of a time and place over individual character. Some works include text, such as 'Wire Briar, Limber Lock' (1968), which incorporates a children's rhyme. Hamblett also published a memoir, 'I Remember' (1971), providing written insights into her memories. The exhibition runs through 2026.