Three Midwestern State University students were featured photographers for the Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture in an exhibition at the Wichita Falls County Courthouse.

The WFAAC wanted to feature public art in civic spaces and 10 photographers came together on this project, including MSU Texas students Bailey Biggs, Johnathan Davenport, and James Matlock. The other featured photographers were Randall Barker, Karel Davis, Torin Halsey, Ben Jacobi, Ashlee Madden-Jacobi, Jeremy Smith, and Timothy Nyberg.

“I enjoyed trying to capture hallmark icons of Wichita Falls around the city and attempting to showcase them in a flattering light,” said Matlock, who currently works at the Wichita Falls Museum of Art at MSU Texas after earning his bachelor’s degree in graphic design, minor in photography in May 2025.

Matlock said he did a lot of research to find out what locals and visitors know and recognize about Wichita Falls. His featured photo was of the Wichita Theater. His favorite photo to take is the “spontaneous” shot. “Sometimes you find a surprise gem that happens in the moment,” Matlock added.

Biggs’ photo in the projected was titled, “I Work Alone,” which was a depiction of a lonesome oil pump jack in a glistening wheat field.

“I enjoyed the themes of this project and how open-ended it was!” Biggs said. “I also loved being able to showcase my hometown in these same old environments with a new perspective!”

She loves taking landscape photos and documentary-style photos. “My favorite types of photos are usually tranquil feeling ones,” Biggs said. She is working toward her bachelor’s in Fine Arts with a major emphasis in printmaking and a minor in photography and plans to graduate from MSU Texas in May 2026.

Davenport also enjoyed being able to explore more of Wichita Falls. His project was titled “Engine.” He enjoys taking high-detail photos of nature. The graphic design minor plans to graduate from MSU Texas in May 2027. His minor is photography.

The exhibition will be located on the second floor of the Wichita County Courthouse. To celebrate the exhibitions, a special proclamation and recognition of participating photographers will take place during the Wichita County Commissioners Court meeting on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at 10 a.m. in Room 270 of the Wichita County Courthouse. The event coincides with National Photography Day and will honor the artists whose work now enhances the courthouse.

“This exhibition brings together a strong group of regional photographers whose work tells a story about the place we call home,” said Ann Arnold-Ogden, Executive Director of the Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture. “We’re excited to create a space where the county can be honored, documented, and remembered.”