The annual McInteer Art Competition was designed as an opportunity for students at Harding University to express their artistic talents in a way that reflected Harding’s faith-based roots and provided the school with visually stunning art. The competition was created by Harding’s College of Bible and Ministry in 2020 in hopes of revitalizing the department by filling the halls and classrooms with art that directly pointed to God. Associate professor of Bible and Ministry and Director of Theological Studies Mac Sandlin, was a judge in the competition and stressed the importance of a competition of this nature. “All of us are creative and all of us are called to create,” Sandin said. “I think art helps with interpretation . . . It arrests us–makes us stop and pay attention.” A panel of judges determined the annual competition’s theme; for the 2024–25 school year, they selected “Miracles of Jesus.” The competition received many exceptional submissions, but the firstplace award went to Cooper Fitch, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering. This was Fitch’s second consecutive win in the competition. The previous year, he also took home first place with a collection of charcoal paintings based on the theme “The Roles of David.” A mechanical engineering student was not considered the most likely to enter an art competition, especially one as busy as Fitch, yet he dedicated countless hours to both entries and received first place two years in a row. “I just enjoy creating . . . seeing the fruits of my labor,” Fitch said. “Once I got the idea in my head, I couldn’t get it out.” Fitch cultivated a love of art beginning in middle school, and his passion, faith and talent have only grown. This evolution led him to enter the McInteer Art Competition for a second time, for which he utilized LEGO pieces to depict the transformative power of the miracles of Jesus. Assistant professor of art, architecture and design Tessa Davidson was also a judge for the competition and had much to say about Cooper and his work. “Cooper’s work reflected not only the theological significance of the miracles but also the creativity and beauty of Christ, the miracle-maker,” Davidson said. “The committee was impressed by how the submissions were both beautiful and creative in form and concept.” Moving on from this chapter of his life, Fitch left behind a legacy of captivating artwork that not only brought the word of God to life in a visually stunning way but helped set a precedent for artistic excellence for the College of Bible and Ministry as a whole. Written by Joshua Kohlbacher 131 Cooper Fitch
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