Marc Poole, fine art instructor and gallery director at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Jackson County Campus, was elected president for the American Society of Aviation Artists (ASAA) for the next two years.

ASAA is a non-profit organization founded in 1986 with the intent of fostering through art, the history of aerospace. Chief among their goals is to affirm standards of professionalism, authenticity, and artistic quality in aviation art.

Poole, who has been an avid historic aviation artist for more 30 years, aids the Society’s exhibits and events.

“Being elected president is another plate to spin, but one that I love and to which I am devoted to doing my very best,” Poole said.  “We are off and running and have some really big things on the horizon.  Most importantly, I want to make sure that whatever I do is something that will continue to serve as a positive for MGCCC.”

Recently, Poole and the ASAA displayed 51 pieces in the gallery at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force in Georgia.

‘The COVID pandemic put our annual forum and exhibit on hiatus for the last two years, so it was great to get things going again this summer in Savannah,” he said. “Plans are already underway for the 2023 exhibit.” The forum consisted of four days of professional workshops and presentations, and the exhibit will run through the end of September.

As president of the ASAA, Poole is coordinating the group’s collaboration with the U.S. Air Force Art Program for the Joint Base Andrews Air Expo, celebrating the 75th birthday of the Air Force. The three-day event is expected to attract more than 120,000 attendees, including 15,000 K-12 students participating in the event’s STEAM/M (science, technology, engineering, art, math/medical) program. The event will feature airshows each day, including the Air Force Thunderbirds.

“It is an opportunity to definitively add the ‘A’ for Art in the STEM acronym, at the request of the Air Force, in front of a global audience,” Poole said.

The ASAA will have artists drawing and painting on-site throughout the weekend event, as well as giving regular presentations on art and its relationship to the Air Force.

Poole has also participated as a civilian artist in the Marine Corps Combat Art Program since 2018, and has been invited to give a presentation in September at their annual Combat Art Symposium at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

Poole has been with MGCCC since 2008 and has served as gallery director since 2009. A native of Brandon, Mississippi, he lives in Gulfport.