Jan Farrington says she’s not an artist. But a keen eye and a love and appreciation of the arts stamps her as one in our books. Farrington sees beauty where others see decoration. And she and husband Lawrence bring their considerable experience of appreciation to The Cedars tonight for the first ever Juried show.

When the couple was asked by (Fondren Renaissance Foundation board member) Bill Nation and Foundation associate director Mary Jo McAnally to be the hosts and sponsors of this first-ever show, they jumped at the chance. “We thought it was a fabulous idea,” Farrington said by phone this week. “We always have a desire to promote the arts in Mississippi.”

Tonight’s show, featuring over 100 hanging and 3D works, has been called “encouraging” by the Farringtons. She said the work shows the true talent of Mississippi’s people. “We particularity think Mississippi artists have a great way of portraying art and being expressive and showing beauty of the state,” she told us. “Their creativity is always very encouraging to us. We wish more people saw our artists and appreciated them.”

The couple has been the art acquisitions chair for Arts For Hearts for over 20 years. “We’re involved with the Mississippi Art Museum and supportive of the arts at the University of Mississippi,” Farrington said. And husband Lawrence serves on the Mississippi Arts Commission. “We love to visit around the state and see various venues where art is exhibited and portrayed,” That also gives them special incentive to see that the Governor’s Arts Awards not only give statewide artists an audience, but that they are rewarded for their work. “We want to encourage our artists all over to continue to create and allow our people to appreciate them.”