Great Gathering!

It has been longer than intended since the last post. To say things were rather exciting around the Booth Museum during the Gathering would be an understatement! Slowly but surely, things are returning to normal around the Museum as we prepare for some wonderful upcoming exhibitions as well as the second annual Gala which will be held in August and the Festival & Symposium the third weekend in October.

But before we get to all the upcoming events and exhibitions, lets recap the great 7th Annual Southeastern Cowboy Gathering we had a couple of weekends ago!

To start things off, Featured Artist Nelson Boren gave an entertaining, enlightening and humorous lecture on Thursday evening to a packed Booth Theatre. Boren is an incredibly humble man, and his presentation was absolutely top-notch. Boren and his wife were able to take a tour of the Museum with Executive Director Seth Hopkins while they were here, and Boren said in his lecture the Booth was the finest Western art Museum he had ever seen! Quite a compliment coming from such a successful and accomplished artist.

The following day, Friday, Boren presented an artist workshop to a sold out class. Though it was the first workshop he had ever given, those taking his class commented what a phenomenal instructor he was. We hope he will come back to visit the Booth Museum again very soon!

That evening, Sweethearts in Carhartts performed in the Booth Ballroom. Comprised of Western singers, songwriters and poets Liz Masterson, Yvonne Hollenbeck and Jean Prescott, Sweethearts in Carharrts showcases the talent of these three amazing musicians while also paying tribute to the women of the west. They collaborated together on a few songs, did a few solos, and also made the crowd laugh! They were all very entertaining and humble ladies.

They even did a special performance at the Boys & Girls Club in Cartersville that Friday afternoon.

The kids really seemed to enjoy the special entertainment, and we were grateful the ladies were able to pay a visit.

Things really got busy on Saturday both in the Museum and on the museum festival grounds. Open fiddle, mandolin, guitar and banjo contests were held in the Booth Ballroom throughout the day, while the Southeastern Chuck Wagon Cook Off was held on the festival grounds. There was also an adult cowboy poetry workshop and children's activities. That evening, Red Steagall performed at the Grand Theatre in downtown Cartersville.

Here are just a few photos from the activities on Saturday of the Cowboy Gathering:

Sunday was nearly as eventful as Saturday. Dutch oven cooking was taking place on the festival grounds while Cowboy Church and the Youth Cowboy Poetry Contest Finals were being held in the Booth Ballroom.

All-in-all, it was a jam packed weekend and was actually our best attended Cowboy Gathering to date! If you missed it this year, be sure to join us the second weekend in March next year!

The Gathering is Here!

Today officially marks the beginning of our four-day celebration of the West. The 7th Annual Southeastern Cowboy Gathering starts tonight. Our own Doc Stovall will lead The Tumbleweed Cowboy Band in the Museum Atrium beginning at 5 pm. Guests may listen to music and also meet featured artist Nelson Boren. At 7 pm, Boren will present a lecture in the Booth Theatre, and will be available afterwards to sign copies of the official Gathering poster in the Museum Store.


If you are still undecided as to whether or not you should attend the Cowboy Gathering this weekend, hopefully this will help convince you:



We gonna listen to fiddles, taste some great food;
All this and more, will set ya in the mood.

Make a water color and recite poetry,
At the Grand, at the Booth and the TRC.

Yeah that’s right, it’s the Cowboy Gathering –
The annual event that’ll sure make ya scream!

For joy that is, excitement no doubt,
Fun for all, you’re not gonna want to pout!

Thursday hear the Tumbleweed Cowboy Band;
Our own Doc leads the group, that’s the finest in the land.

We’ll also have a guest – Nelson Boren in the house!
He’ll be speakin’ in the Theatre, so be quiet as a mouse.

Friday things pick up with a workshop and some music;
Sweethearts in Carhartts gonna make ya want to lose it!

Reciting that poetry, strummin’ that guitar;
Will be awesome no doubt, so don’t wander too far.

Things get wild Saturday on the hill;
Some entertainment, chuck wagons, ya can’t stay still!

Gonna want to taste the food, and meet the chefs fo’ sho’;
But don’t over do it - don’t want to miss the Grand show.

Yeah that’s right, Red Steagall gonna perform;
A Western god in his own right, so good you’ll want to mourn.

For not being so good, you can’t sing like he;
But definitely see his show – only cost ya a small fee.

Wake up early for Church Sunday at eleven;
Cowboy Church that is, we even got a cowboy reverend.

That afternoon we’ll have some Dutch oven cookin;
Gonna want to sample it all after takin’ a good lookin’.

There’ll be poetry, fiddles, guitars and more;
A crazy weekend lies ahead, so fun it make ya sore!

Be sure to visit the Booth Museum Web site for additional information, or call 770-387-1300. See you this weekend!

7th Annual Cowboy Gathering is Almost Here!

Next Thursday, March 11, marks the beginning of our four-day festival of the West. The Booth Museum's 7th Annual Southeastern Cowboy Gathering will feature artist Nelson Boren; singer, songwriter and poet Red Steagall; musical guests Sweethearts in Carhartts; chuck wagon and Dutch oven cooking contests; cowboy poetry; activities for the kids and so much more!

Check out the video for sneak peek at what you can expect:


Be sure to check out the Booth Museum Web site for a complete schedule of events. And don't forget to purchase your tickets for the Friday and Saturday evening concerts, as well as the chuck wagon cook-off. See you there!

Docent Class Treated to a Special Tour at Tellus

Members of the Booth Museum's latest docent class were recently treated to a tour of Tellus: Northwest Georgia Science Museum here in Cartersville. A bit of a surprise, two Booth docents were the tour guides for the group that day.

"We have a couple of docents at the Booth Museum who also volunteer at Tellus, so it was an added bonus for us when we found out that our Tellus tour would be led by two Booth docents, Muriel Pittaluga and Pat Scully," said Marcia Dillard, volunteer coordinator at the Booth Museum. "It's great to have volunteers who are so passionate about the great museums we have here in Cartersville, and we were thrilled to see a couple of our own lead a great tour at Tellus."

Muriel treated the docent class to a tour of the Solar House that sits on the Tellus grounds while Pat toured them through the different galleries inside.

Visitors at the Booth often inquire about other places of interest in the county, and our docents always refer them to Tellus and the Bartow History Museum, two other gems in our community. By taking the most recent Booth docents to Tellus, they will be better equipped at explaining to visitors of the Booth exactly what Tellus has to offer.

Word of mouth is a great advertising avenue for all the museums in Cartersville, so please be sure to tell everyone YOU know about the Booth Museum and our other fabulous museums in Cartersville!

Staff Chili Cook-Off

The Booth Museum "spiced" things up a bit this week with a friendly chili competition for the staff. Overall, we had seven different chilies entered in the competition with over 30 votes submitted. It came down to a mere ONE vote, but in the end, the Booth Cafe came away victorious!

The Cafe Staff is pictured here: Manager Debra Abernathy, Manesa Short, Juana Clark and Amy Ong.


The winning chili: (well, what was left!)

Several people on staff commented how interesting it was that each chili could taste SO very different! Though they were all delicious, we had quite the variety: cinnamon spiced, ground beef and kielbasa, vegetarian, hot and spicy, and more. It was a wonderful variation of chilies and we even had some delicious side items and desserts to go along. Here are a few snap shots:

Tickets Now on Sale for Sweethearts in Carhartts and Red Steagall

HEAR YE, HEAR YE! Tickets are now on sale for the Friday and Saturday night concerts of the 7th Annual Southeastern Cowboy Gathering.

On the evening of Friday, March 12, guests are invited to a special concert in the Booth Ballroom with musical guests Sweethearts in Carhartts. Comprised of Western poets, singers and songwriters Jean Prescott, Yvonne Hollenbeck and Liz Masterson, Sweethearts in Carhartts showcases the talent of these three amazing musicians while also paying tribute to the women of the West. Tickets are $15 for Booth members and $18 for not-yet-members.

Saturday evening’s concert, held at the Grand Theatre, features famed Western singer, songwriter, poet, and guitarist Red Steagall. A native of Texas, Steagall has entertained audiences all around the world and has been called “a singing scholar of the old West” by James Earl Jones and “the best of the best” by Rex Allen. In 2006, Steagall was named Poet Laureate for the state of Texas making him the first “cowboy” poet laureate for the state. Tickets for Steagall’s performance are $25 for not-yet-members, $20 for Booth members and $10 for students.

Each performance will allow guests to experience a taste of the Western way of living. Sweethearts in Carharrts and Steagall intertwine their poetic lyrics with Western musical instruments – each reminiscent of gathering ‘round the Chuck wagon after a long day. Be sure to purchase your tickets before it's too late!

In addition to the concerts on Friday and Saturday night, the 7th Annual Southeastern Cowboy Gathering will include chuck wagon and Dutch oven cooking contests; mandolin, fiddle, guitar and banjo contests; children’s activities; and an evening lecture with featured artist Nelson Boren.

For more information on the 7th Annual Southeastern Cowboy Gathering, or to purchase tickets, call 770-387-1300.

Boys & Girls Club Tour the Modern West

Throughout the year, children from the local Boys & Girls Club and Hands of Christ After School Programs frequent the Booth Western Art Museum. Staff members from the Museum provide guided tours for the children and use the Museum’s collection to inspire them both about art and the American West.

This week, the outreach program brought students from the Boys & Girls Club to the Booth Museum. The students participated in the Cowboys, Indians and Art tour, which mostly took place in the new Modern West gallery. Designed for young art lovers, this hands-on program introduces children to basic art concepts such as line, shape and color while enhancing their observation skills through developmentally appropriate activities designed around the Museum’s collection.