The Mississippi School of Arts was honored twice Wednesday withvisits from a noted artist and a public radio personality.

Carroll Case, an award-winning artist and author of “TheSlaughter” and other Mississippi historical fiction novels,appeared at the school in the morning to give the school its firstdonated painting.

William Fulton, perhaps best known as a director of Public RadioIn Mississippi (PRM) since 1984, spoke to theater students in theafternoon about his role in the Mississippi Opera’s recentpresentation of “H.M.S. Pinafore.”

Case’s “Last Car From Elysian Fields,” a 48″x60″ mixed mediapainting, will hang in the cafeteria foyer of the Student LifeCenter.

“The students will just love this when they come in for lunch,”said Jennifer Jackson, a spokesperson for the school.

Case, a former Brookhaven resident, said he felt it was theleast he could do to support the school.

“The purpose of the donation, of course, is to help support theschool because it’s phenomenal that Brookhaven has this school,” hesaid.

Case said he had to leave Brookhaven as a young adult to pursuehis chosen career in art because the high schools did not have artclasses at the time.

He has since received a Memphis Academy of Arts degree andserved as executive director of the Mississippi Arts Commission,president of the Pike County Arts Council, and, most recently, asdirector of Galerie Simonne Stern in New Orleans.

“This painting is trying to capture the night life and theexcitement, as well as terror, of New Orleans,” Case said. “It hasa lot of energy juxtaposed against a peaceful environment just asNew Orleans is a peaceful place with a capacity for terror andviolence. It’s a statement about New Orleans.”

Case is scheduled to return to the school in March to present agallery viewing of more of his work.

Fulton has served as the director of PRM since August 1999 andalso previously from 1992 to February 1999. He has also served asthe station’s music director from 1984 to 1992, and has performedin several performances of the Mississippi Opera, among many otherarts organizations and events.

Theater students traveled to Jackson last week to watch Fultonin the role of Sir Joseph Porter in “H.M.S. Pinafore,” and Fultonspoke to them Wednesday about the role.

In a round table-style classroom, Fulton discussed complicationsthey overcame to present the show, such as a change in directors;props, and his experiences.

“I was happy to do it,” he said. “I’m very impressed with theschool, the facilities, and the quality of the students. This is mythird visit here, but it’s my first to have the opportunity to talkwith the students.”

Jackson said it was a wonderful day for the school.

“This is what we’re about as an arts school,” she said. “Visitslike those from Mr. Case and Mr. Fulton are what set us apart froma regular school. They give opportunities to our students that theycouldn’t get elsewhere.”