October's Western Movie Day

Join us for a day of Western fun and entertainment!

The Booth Museum will be hosting its monthly Western Movie Day on October 14. Abilene Town will be featured at 1:00 p.m. and Blue Steel will begin at 3:00 p.m.

The movies will be shown in the Booth Museum Theater and are free to museum members and included in the price of admission for not-yet-members.

Abilene Town
In the years following the Civil War, the town of Abilene, Kansas is poised on the brink of an explosive confrontation. A line has been drawn down the center of the town where the homesteaders and the cattlemen have come to a very uneasy truce. The delicate peace is inadvertently shattered when a group of new homesteaders lay down their stakes on the cattlemen's side of town, upsetting the delicate balance that had existed thus far and sparking an all-out war between the farmers and the cowboys. (from Internet Movie Database)

Directed by Edwin L. Marin, the Abilene Town cast features Dan Mitchell, Ann Dvorak and Edgar Buchanan.

Blue Steel
John Carruthers, played by actor John Wayne, reveals that there is gold to mine in the hills in order to save a small town from distinction, much to the displeasure of an outlaw gang already aware of the secret. Carruthers goes undercover to unmask the crooked speculators who intend to buy up the supposedly worthless town that actually stands on top of a huge load of gold. (from Internet Movie Database)

Directed by Robert Bradbury, the Blue Steel cast features John Wayne, Eleanor Hunt and George 'Gabby' Hayes.

Modern Day Mavericks and Western Icons: Paintings by Carrie Fell

Come see the Booth Museum's current featured exhibit now through October 14. Modern Day Mavericks and Western Icons: Paintings by Carrie Fell features Denver, Colo. artist Carrie Fell's distinctive cowboys and other Western icons. Bold and edgy, yet simple and fluid, Fell's work gives traditional icons of the West a modern twist.

Fell's work uses dramatic color and line to give life to her faceless subjects. Her work tells the traditional stories of Western art and tells them through a wide-range of subjects. She began her career in art in 1985. She studied interior design in college and the drawing style of design as well as her use of color and negative space can be seen reflected in her work.

Her works can be seen in numerous galleries and exhibitions across the nation and Fell remains active in charitable causes through her donations and time. In 1996, she established Significance of Self, an educational program that helps young people express themselves using paint and other media.

Carrie led one of the Booth Museum’s featured Artist Workshops on Friday, September 21. She worked with approximately 15 participants, teaching and encouraging various painting and artistic techniques. She also signed autographs and demonstrated painting techniques for the class.

The next Artist Workshop will feature painter William Matthews on Friday, October 26. For more information on how you can sign up to participate in this day long Plein air painting workshop, contact Darlene Gunn at 770-607-3686 or visit http://www.boothmuseum.org/artworkshops.htm

To learn more about Carrie Fell and her work, visit http://www.carriefell.com/ or visit our Web site at http://www.boothmuseum.org/.

Getting Ready for the 5th Annual Cowboy Festival and Symposium

It is that time of year again!

Join us as we celebrate the 5th Annual Southeastern Cowboy Festival and Symposium, October 25-28 at the Booth Western Art Museum!

Bring the whole family out for a weekend of Western fun with special guests Riders In The Sky, Eli Barsi, KG and the Ranger, Doc Stovall and the Tumbleweed Cowboy Band, and artist William Matthews.

Indulge your inner cowboy or cowgirl with Western music and poetry, re-enactments of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, living history encampments, traditional Indian dances, a Western marketplace, and much much more!

For more information on the Southeastern Cowboy Festival and Symposium, call the Booth Museum at 770-387-1300 or visit boothmuseum.org.

Schedule of Events

Thursday, Oct. 25

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm: Doc Stovall and the Tumbleweed Cowboy Band will perform in the Museum Atrium.

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm: Meet the Artist Reception in the Borderlands and Theatre Lobby Galleries. View the exhibits William Matthews: Watercolors of the West and First Light: Native American Paintings by Jack Morris Jones and meet the artists. Refreshments served adjacent to the Borderlands Gallery.

7:00 pm: Featured Artist Presentation: William Matthews, from Denver, Colo., will present a lecture on his artistic style and career
highlights in the Booth Theatre. Matthews will be available to sign copies of the official Festival & Symposium poster and his new book in the Museum Store following the lecture.

Friday, Oct. 26

9:00 am - 4:00 pm: Artist’s Workshop with William Matthews, featured artist for the Festival and Symposium. Cost is $100 for members and $150 for non-members, limited class size, call 770-607-3686 for reservations.

10:00 am - 4:00 pm: Art History Lectures in the Booth Theatre. Join top scholars as they present their research on a variety of Western art topics.

Throughout the day: School Programs, Western entertainers will present cowboy music and poetry at several local schools. Call 770-387-1265 for availability.

7:00 pm: Western Concert in the Grand Theatre: featuring Western entertainers from around the country, including the award winning Doc Stovall and the Tumbleweed Cowboy Band, Eli Barsi and KG and the Ranger. A CD signing will follow in the Encore Room adjacent to the Theatre.

Saturday, Oct. 27

9:00 am - 5:00 pm: Cowboy Festival and Western Marketplace on the grounds of the Museum. Sample the wares of vendors ranging from Western art to collectibles. Western music, poetry, and old fashioned medicine shows throughout the day on two stages, plus fast draw competitions, three performances of the Re-enactment of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and three demonstrations of traditional Indian dances by the Big Mountain Family. Plus, living history encampments with demonstrations of pioneer skills from bygone days.

2:00 and 7:00 pm: Riders In The Sky in the Grand Theatre. Riders In The Sky have performed more than 5,000 concerts around the world, provided music for Toy Story 2 and Monsters Inc., and are members of the Grand Ole Opry. Join them for a family matinee performance at 2:00 pm or the evening show at 7:00 pm

Sunday, October 29

11:00 am: Cowboy Church. A non-denominational service featuring cowboy prayers and Western spiritual music.

Noon to 5:00 pm: Cowboy Festival and Western Marketplace on the grounds of the Museum.

Booth Art Academy Fused Glass Class

A touch of class…with glass!

The Booth Museum’s Booth Art Academy is underway! Artists of every skill level have flocked “back to school” to learn about various art techniques ranging from pottery to drawing taught by many well-known and talented instructors.

Licha Nicholson will be instructing a fused glass class that will be held from October 16 through the 18. In this class, each member will learn the secrets behind creating beautiful pieces of fused glass and will have two completed pieces to take home.

About the Instructor:
Licha Nicholson has created glass art, first stained and later, fused glass since 1983. She is a graduate of the famous Pilchuck Glass School founded by glass artist Dale Chihuly and patrons in 1971. She is currently the owner of Sundance Glass in Marietta, Georgia where she creates her beautiful one of a kind works of art. In the Spring of 2007, an exhibit of her work was on display at the Booth Western Art Museum.

The class meets October 16-18 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The class fee is $80 for Museum members and $100 for non-members. This fee includes supplies and firing in the kiln. The class will be held at the Resource Center building at 1 North Gilmer Street.

To register, call central scheduling at 770-607-3686. Click HERE for more information about the classes available through the Booth Art Academy.

The Booth Museum will host “Art for Lunch” on October 3 at 12:15 p.m.

It’s all about the leather!

“Art for Lunch” is your chance to learn how the stunning leather and beadwork objects in the exhibition Beautiful Utility: Decorated Objects from Cowboy and Indian Culture are made. Master leather and bead artisans will join Director of Special Projects Jim Dunham as he facilitates an interactive session that will include examples of work and short demonstrations.

Among those scheduled to participate are saddle-maker Rod Kibler, Karla VanHorn of Purdy Leather, and Alan Soellner of Chisholm’s Trail Old West Leather.

So visit us each month for a special lunch hour with the Booth Museum! “Art for Lunch” takes place on the first Wednesday of each month. Lectures by artists and historians coincide with current exhibits in the museum. Everyone is invited to learn more about the exhibits featured in our museum. Admission is free for members and included with Museum admission for not-yet members.

Photograph (upper right):

© Heiser of Denver, CO, Carved,
and Silver Mounted Saddle with Tapadaros, ca.1920,
Formally Owned by Boxing Promoter Tex Rickard (1871-1929)
Winchester Woodfire Grill and Gallery, Canton, GA collection R.L. Glosson, owner

Trails Plowed Under

Last night concluded our summer third Thursday evening entertainment. The entertainment featured our very own Jim Dunham and Doc Stovall in a show called Trails Plowed Under. Jim and Doc have performed this show for a number of groups but this was one of the rare times they actually performed it at the museum for the general public.
The show combines cowboy poetry and music with first person narrative from famed Western artist Charlie Russell. Jim Dunham takes on the persona of Charlie Russell and, before the audiences eyes recreates one of Russell's works. Last night, Jim recreated Indian With His Wincehester, which is currently in the museum's Faces Gallery. Jim paints for awhile and then he puts down his brush to talk to the audience. As Charlie Russell, he relates tales from Russell's life as told in the book "Trails Plowed Under." Some of the tales were humorous and some were serious, but they were all entertaining and provided a little insight into the life and times of Charlie Russell. While Jim worked on his painting, Doc entertained the audience with songs and poems - some about Charlie Russell and some relating more to the tale just told by "Charlie Russell."
The whole show last just over an hour and at the end the painting created by Jim was raffled off to a lucky member of the audience. Overall, Trails Plowed Under was a hit with the audience. If you weren't able to make it last night, keep your eyes open for the next time Trails Plowed Under shows at the museum.

New Art and Western Adventures at the August Art for Lunch

Today's Art for Lunch featured Booth Western Art Museum executive director Seth Hopkins who spoke on the new art in the galleries and the 2 recent member trips out West.

Regular visitors to the museum may have noticed a change in the galleries in the last couple of weeks. Fourteen new art peices are now on exhibit throughout the museum. Many of these pieces are not actually new to the museum. Some have been in the museum's possession for while waiting for just the right time to make their appearance while others have only recently arrived. Here is a quick summary of the newest additions to the galleries:

• "At the Base of Elephant Head" by Barbara Hill
• "No-O-Mun-Nee, Walks in the Rain, a Warrior" and "Smoking the Shield" by George Catlin
• "Barak, Young Buckaroon" by Carrie Ballentyne
• "Holding the Line" by Jim Fawcett
• "Passing Times" by Veryl Goodnight
• "Rodeo Dance" by Allan Mardon
• "A Whole New World" by Jim Colbert
• "From Dusk to Dawn" by Billy Schenck
• "Princess, Cheyenne Crow, & Buffalo Robe Bead Strip" by Ed Morgan
• "Times Remembered" by Clyde Burnette
• "Battle of Little Big Horn" by Kim Wiggins
• "Cowgirls, We Were Always There" by Burl Washington
• "Rattlesnake" by Lindsay Holt

Guests lucky enough to attend the Art for Lunch learned interesting facts and insights about the each of the artists and their work as well as the significance of the piece in the collection. If you haven't yet had a chance to view these works, be sure to make time to see them. Some will only be here for short time. Just a warning though - Lindsay Holt's rattlesnake painting is very lifelike and very large.

After running through the new additions to the galleries, the entire theatre took a little trip out west through photographs taken on the member trips this summer. The summer of 2007 gave members of the Booth Western Art Museum 2 opportunities to travel. One trip took a group of about 12 people to New Mexico where members had the opportunity to visit with a number of artists and visit artists' homes and studios. The other trip went to Oklahoma where approximately 20 members toured Woolarock, the Gilrease, and Philbrook. They also went to the Prix de West art sale at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. The pictures were great. Everyone on the trips looked like they were having a good time and the scenery was just beautiful. It was enough to make anyone who wasn't able to go jealous. :)