Western American Art South of the Sweet Tea Line V

For Immediate Release Press Contact: Tom Shinall, TMP Director of Marketing [email protected] 770-387-2833BOOTH MUSEUM SET TO HOST FIFTH “SWEET TEA” TRIENNIAL EXHIBITIONWestern American Art South of the Sweet Tea Line V, September 16 – December 31, 2017CARTERSVILLE, GA – The Booth Western Art Museum is set embark on its 15th year providingeducation, entertainment, and inspiration to guests through the exploration of Western art, popularculture, and American heritage. To celebrate this milestone, Booth Western Art Museum is excited topresent the fifth installment of our signature triennial exhibition series, Western American Art South ofthe Sweet Tea Line, opening September 16 in the Booth’s Special Exhibition Gallery and remaining onview through December 31, 2017.Western American Art South of the Sweet Tea Line V, or Sweet Tea V as it is known among BoothMuseum insiders, allows visitors to experience art that will transport them to the most beautiful locationsin the West, while witnessing both the joys and hardships of life in the West. Highlighted by more than 90paintings, sculpture, photographs and objects in a wide range of range of media and styles by 80 artists,Sweet Tea V spans over 150 years of art history from more than 40 public and private Southerncollections.The upcoming exhibition is co-curated by Booth Museum Executive Director Seth Hopkins and Director ofCuratorial Services Lisa Wheeler, working with a wide range of private collectors and museums aroundthe Southeast. The Sweet Tea Series began in 2005 and has become the Booth Museum’s signatureexhibition, occurring every three years. The title, developed by the museum’s founding curator, Dr. W.James Burns, whimsically and loosely defines the geographic area which is home to these amazingworks of art. The Sweet Tea Series truly compliments the Booth Museum main galleries which house thelargest permanent exhibition space for Western art in America. The resulting exhibition presents a fullcross-section of Western art, both historical and contemporary, and the full range of potential Westernsubjects.Sweet Tea V will include excellent examples from a wide range of artists including early painters likeGeorge Catlin, William Ranney, Charles Deas, Charles Bird King and John Mix Stanley who establishedthe foundations for Western art in the early to mid-1800s. Included works by Charlie Russell and ThomasMoran epitomize the next generation of artists to depict the West. The Taos and Santa Fe art colonies arealso well represented, with paintings by E.I. Couse, Joseph Henry Sharp, William “Buck” Dunton, and MORE

Sweet Tea V, page 2Walter Ufer. The mid 1900s is a down period for Western art according to many sources, citing the growthof abstract expressionism and pop art, but paintings by Gerald Curtis Delano, Frank Tenney Johnson andCarl Rungius testify to the enduring love artists have for the West. Living master artists Jim Norton, ClydeAspevig and many others will bring the Western story up to the present. Sweet Tea V also includes anemphasis on works by some of today’s top Native artists, including Kevin Red Star, T.C. Cannon, DanNamingha, Tony Abeyta, and R.C. Gorman. Likewise, female artists have always been a prominent partof this exhibition series, and this iteration is no different with artists like Marjorie Reed, Carrie Ballantyneand Amy Ringholz in the mix. In addition to dazzling paintings, several other mediums will be on view,including sculpture by Cyrus Dallin and Fritz White, photographs by Imogen Cunningham and PaulStrand, and folk art by Ben Ortega and Mamie Deschillie. The Sweet Tea Series is also known for asurprise or two in each installation – in Sweet Tea V be on the lookout for a massive work by one of thehottest New York contemporary artists, Bo Bartlett.A positive outcome from the Sweet Tea Series has been the camaraderie developed among Southerncollectors who met through programming related to the series. “In many cases Southerners who collectWestern art feel alone or isolated, with no one in their peer group with whom to share their passion,” saidBooth Museum Executive Director Seth Hopkins. “During the Sweet Tea exhibition, we regularly bring inartists in the exhibit for lectures and workshops. At these events collectors meet other like-minded peopleand in many cases have formed deep friendships.”The logistics of pulling together an exhibition of this scale from 40 or more lenders is time consuming andrequires resources. “Throughout the three years between Sweet Tea exhibits we are networking withother museums and private collectors to learn more about their Western art holdings and discussingborrowing their prized possessions,” said Hopkins. “Some works may be reminiscent of our permanentcollection, but the emphasis is on exposing our audience to artists not represented in our collection, atleast not yet anyway. It is a lot of work, but I think our members really look forward to our Sweet Teaexhibitions.”In conjunction with the official exhibition opening, Booth Museum will be saying “Thank You” to ourmembers with an Exhibition Opening + Member Party. Our members will be the first to view WesternAmerican Art South of the Sweet Tea Line V and enjoy an evening for adults (21+)! Beginning at 4:00pm, Hopkins and Wheeler will lead a Gallery Walk through the exhibition discussing the process in whichthe exhibition was created. At 5:00 pm, a Southern grits bar with all the fixings, craft beer and wine will beserved in the Booth Ballroom and musical entertainment will be provided by Western Swing Band BillyPuckett + Friends. At 7:00 pm in Bergman Theatre, an artist’s panel discussion will enlighten attendees MORE

Sweet Tea V, page 3on the works featured in the exhibition. To conclude the evening, at 8:00 pm in the Atrium attendees willenjoy a coffee bar and peach cobbler for dessert. The event is free for Booth Museum Members.Members are advised to RSVP by September 13. Tickets for guests of members are $25 plus tax.Reservations and tickets can be completed by calling 770-387-1300, visiting the Museum, or online atboothmuseum.org.For additional information on Western American Art South of the Sweet Tea Line V at Booth Museum,contact Director of Marketing Tom Shinall, (770) 387-2833 or [email protected] Booth Western Art MuseumBooth Western Art Museum, an Affiliate to the Smithsonian Institution, is a 120,000 square foot museumlocated in Cartersville, Georgia, where guests are invited to See America’s Story through contemporaryWestern artwork, a Presidential Gallery, Civil War art gallery, and Sagebrush Ranch, an interactivechildren’s gallery. Open since August 2003, Booth Museum is the only museum of its kind in theSoutheast and was named the 2016 Escape to the Southeast Travel Attraction of the Year from theSoutheast Tourism Society. To learn more about Booth Western Art Museum, visitwww.boothmuseum.org.Museum DirectionsBooth Western Art Museum is located at 501 N. Museum Drive, Cartersville, GA 30120. Take I-75 to exit#288 – Main Street, Cartersville. Head West. Follow Main Street (Highway #113 / #61) into the businessdistrict – approximately 2.2 miles. Turn right on Gilmer Street, travel two blocks under the bridge and theMuseum is on the left. Free parking is available in the Tabernacle Baptist Church parking lot on GilmerStreet, across from the Museum entrance.Museum HoursTuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Thursday: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm.Sunday: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm. Closed Mondays, New Year’s Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.AdmissionAdult: $12 plus tax; Senior (65+): $10 plus tax; Student (with ID): $9 plus tax; Child (12 and under): Free(accompanied by parent or guardian); Active Military Personnel (with ID): Free (½ price regular admissionfor all immediate family members of the active duty person); Booth Museum Members: Free; FirstThursday of each month: Free admission for all between 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm. ###