Booth
Western Art Museum to Host
8th
Annual Southeastern Cowboy Gathering
Ed Mell:
New West Visionary exhibition opening to coincide with annual event
CARTERSVILLE, GA –
The Booth Western Art Museum will host the 8th Annual
Southeastern Cowboy Gathering, March 10-13, 2011, in Cartersville, GA.
Scheduled events include a concert by featured entertainer Asleep at the
Wheel; chuck wagon and Dutch oven cooking contests; mandolin, fiddle,
guitar and banjo contests; finals of the Georgia Youth Cowboy Poetry
Contest; children’s activities; and an evening lecture by featured
artist Ed Mell. The event will take place at the Booth Western Art
Museum and the Grand Theatre, both located in historic downtown
Cartersville.
The Gathering begins
Thursday, March 10, with an Opening Reception for Ed Mell: New
West Visionary from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. Guests are encouraged to
tour the exhibit in the Temporary Exhibition Gallery, as well as enjoy
refreshments in the Booth Café. At 7:00 p.m., Mell will present a
lecture in the Booth Theatre on his artistic style and career
highlights. He will be available to sign copies of the official
Gathering poster in the Museum Store following his lecture.
Born and raised in
the West, Ed Mell has a true passion for the West and the flora and
fauna which make up its beautiful landscapes. He credits artist Maynard
Dixon as a major influence in his career, which can be seen in the
abstracted forms that often dominate an Ed Mell painting. He
is best known for dramatically geometric views
of Western vistas, often combined with powerful weather events.
However, his work also includes landscape, floral, and figurative
subjects that incorporate elements of abstraction and cubism, all of
which will be featured in his exhibition at the Booth Museum.
On Friday, March 11,
guests are invited to participate in a gallery walk with Ed Mell at
11:00 am or 1:30 pm, as he discusses his exhibit on display at the
Museum, Ed Mell: New West Visionary. Also
on Friday, at 11:00 am, there will be a lecture and movie clips from the
movie Tombstone in the Booth Theatre. At 1:30 pm, My Darling
Clementine will be shown in the Booth Theatre.
Throughout the day
Saturday, there will be a variety of events for the entire family. As
part of the Southeastern Chuck Wagon Cook-Off, teams of cooks will
prepare beans, meat, potatoes, bread and desserts just as they did
during the cattle drives of the 1800s. Those interested may purchase
tickets in advance for $12 to sample the menu items. Other activities
include a fiddle, mandolin, guitar and banjo contest, adult Cowboy
Poetry workshop, and children’s activities throughout the Museum.
A Saturday night
concert at the Grand Theatre will feature
famed western-swing band, Asleep at the Wheel. The group, which
celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2010, has released more
than 25 albums over the years and received eight Grammy Awards. Their
critically acclaimed musical play A Ride with Bob has further
catapulted them into popularity, making them much in demand at concert
venues and festivals around the country. Tickets for the 7:00 pm
evening performance are $25 for not-yet members and $20 for Booth Museum
members. Members of Asleep at the Wheel will be available to sign CDs
and meet fans in the Encore Room adjacent to the Theatre following the
show.
The weekend wraps-up
Sunday, March 13, beginning with Cowboy Church in the Booth Ballroom at
11:00 a.m. This is a non-denominational church service that will feature
cowboy prayers and Western spiritual music. After the service, from Noon
to 4:00 p.m., a Dutch Oven Cooking Contest will take place on the
Museum’s festival grounds. Top cooks will
compete for prizes and bragging rights in three categories: bread, main
dish and dessert, and will serve samples to the public. Also during this
time the Georgia Youth Cowboy Poetry Contest Finals will be held in the
Booth Theatre. The top 10 Georgia Youth Cowboy Poetry Contest finalists
in four age divisions, representing grades five through twelve, will
compete for cash prizes.
Children’s activities will also be offered
throughout the Museum.
The Southeastern
Cowboy Gathering is designed to celebrate our rich Western heritage and
is a unique opportunity for residents of the Southeast to explore the
West without leaving the South. To purchase tickets for any of the
weekend’s events, simply call the Museum at 770-387-1300 or visit the
front desk.
For more information
on the 8th Annual Southeastern Cowboy Gathering, visit
www.boothmuseum.org and click on Events, or call 770-387-1300.
About the Booth
Western Art Museum
The Booth Western Art
Museum, an Affiliate to the Smithsonian Institution, is a 120,000 square
foot museum located in Cartersville, Georgia, where guests are invited
to explore the American West through contemporary Western artwork. The
Museum also houses a Presidential Gallery, Civil War art gallery, and
Sagebrush Ranch, an interactive children’s gallery. Open since August
2003, the Booth Museum is the only museum of its kind in the Southeast
and is the second largest art museum in the state of Georgia. To learn
more about the Booth Western Art Museum, visit
www.boothmuseum.org.
UPDATE
2/3: Two dinner shows were added to the Saddle Up! lineup
this year. One, featuring Wylie & the Wild West, already is a sell
out. A limited number of tickets remain for "An Evening with
The Quebe Sisters Band" on Thursday, Feb. 24. The 6 p.m.
dinner performance will be at Mama’s Farmhouse, and tickets are $40.