Olivia Jones

I took inspiration for this poster from the term “jazz cats”. When someone calls a musician a “jazz cat,” it is meant as a compliment and sign of respect and appreciation for their talent. To incorporate this, I added expressive elements by indicating movement and excitement through standing on the chair, the hair standing on the cat, and keys flying from the piano.

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Cate Simmons

My poster is inspired by the design trends of the 1970s, the decade when Mary Shepard took over Club Ebony. I placed her name at the heart of the design to reflect her lasting impact, surrounding it with 34 lines to represent each year she devoted to the club. The pink and orange colors are inspired by the warm glow of the spotlight, while the dark green background is a subtle nod to the club’s iconic exterior.

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Sunny Waters

Inspired by the rich history of the iconic Club Ebony, my poster design is rooted in emotion and reverence. Mary Shepard stands not just as a figurehead but as the soul of the club—her presence is woven into its very foundation. In my concept, the jukebox becomes a symbol for Club Ebony itself, with Mary Shepard as the driving force behind the music, culture, and community it represents. The poster incorporates visual elements that reflect the interior of the club, honoring its atmosphere and heritage. The overall composition is meant to capture the spirit of Club Ebony and its deep ties to Mississippi’s cultural roots.

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Thomas Bongiolatti

In doing research on Mary Shepard I found the Queen of the Jook title strongly attached to her. From the start of the design process I knew that I wanted to mimic a blues/jazz poster that had maybe been hung up in a joint for a while, so using the Queen of the Jook title as a way of imitating a headliner announcement worked perfectly.

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Rivers Walker

I was inspired by the celebration decor throughout the years at Club Ebony. While some of my shapes come from the light fixtures my concept was surrounding the streamers that were occasionally hung from the ceiling. The atmosphere of club ebony is so exciting and inviting and I wanted to communicate that through this poster!

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Camille Bullock

For my design I was struggling on how to portray both Mary Shepards legacy as well as the success of Club Ebony. Being from the Mississippi Delta I am very familiar with the blues. I took inspiration from the posters I grew up seeing plastering the walls of places like Ground Zero advertising all types of blues shows from Clarksdale MS all the way to Indianola MS. I wanted to create a hypothetical show featuring Mary Shepard like the many that she hosted at Club Ebony. This poster features the many notable figures that performed at the club hidden within each letter as well as the people that made it possible.

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Ashlyn Triplett

For the concept of my poster I was really drawn to to the name “Club Ebony”. I wanted to focus on the feel and the emotions of the book joint while still representing the history and the years it was under Mary Shepard. Within my research I leaned that in Mississippi ebbing was derived from persimmon trees and often used to make pieces of guitars used during the time of the hook joints popularity. Overall the feeling and direction was inspired by blues music have a deep rooted presence in places like the one run by Mary Shepard and the south in general.

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Kelsey Coriell

In honor of Mary Shepard, Queen of the Jook, this piece explores the dynamic flow of music through its design. The composition is driven by movement, with fluid, organic shapes that guide the viewer's eye across the canvas, embodying the rhythm and energy of the music. Woven into the forms are the letters of Mary Shepard’s name, adding a personal and intimate layer to the tribute. The work invites the viewer to experience not just a visual representation, but the very essence of the music she so profoundly influenced.

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Josh Stephens

My goal in embarking on this work was to tie together the significance of Mary Shepard's time as the owner of Club Ebony, the music and artists that Club Ebony played host to throughout its many, many years, and the environment Mary and all of those artists fostered through their commitment to entertaining the people of Indianola. This is what led to the creative decisions I made throughout the process, such as choosing the glasses and tiara to be symbolic of Mrs. Shepard - the exact items she wore while giving an interview about the club. The very notes featured on this poster are from various blues songs, and the backdrop on which all of these elements are set is purposely made orange to match her accounts of how the club appeared inside more often than not.

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Glenn Draper

This poster showcases the most prominent figures that have ever performed at the club as well as featuring Mary Shepherd in the foreground.

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Jahari Bell

I wanted to showcase the sentimental value that club ebony had with blues in the Deep South. It was a beacon of light for many blues artist on their journey to the top.

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Kaylee Gould

For my poster I wanted to enhance the dates she ran the club and incorporate typography as a main concept.

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Ana McNeill

The concept I am trying to show with my poster is how Ms. Shepard owning and running Club Ebony was a part of many great musicians. The dashes and dots are meant to symbolize sounds made in music and how her name is showing through it subtly. Finding any research on her was hard to do, and I wanted to show how she influenced the blues world from behind the scenes. As if the music is spelling her name.

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Aly Hartman

My poster is inspired by Mary Shepard’s title, “Queen of the Jook”. I wanted it to be vibrant, full of color, and really sell that musical, upbeat feeling. The portrait in the middle is a reflection of Mary Shepard herself with her crown of piano keys adorning her head.

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Hallie Mendez

Through this poster I wanted to convey the feeling that Club Ebony and the work of Mary Shepard spread throughout people. I read that Club Ebony brought rehabilitation and community to not just Indianola, MS but for people who came to visit from all over. Although blues music is notably written from sorrow, the community and feeling it brought to people was vibrant and freeing.

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Cedric Jackson

The concept behind my poster design was a reflection and an inspiration to jazz art and artist. I Wanted to reflect what jazz music feels like and the culture it surrounds it self in the African American history. Its is a reflection to coming into those jazz clubs and seeing the vibrant, colorful posters on the side of the wall.

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Ethan Nowlen

I liked how small the physical building appeared in all of the images of it, yet so much flows through it; big names and great stories. I wanted to play with the building's size vs significance in some way. I also didn't want to distract from the event being for Mary Shepard, so I gave her name enough room to draw attention from viewers.

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Trest Wingfield

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Grant Hohler

The voice is a powerful thing, don’t you think? Through my research, I learned that Club Ebony gave African Americans the ability to speak their truths and wish for change through blues music. It became more than just a venue—it was a space for emotional release, unity, and cultural expression. "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

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