Grace Robinson
Gadsden Count News Service
Join Gadsden Arts for a free day of fun and discovery at our American Grit Opening Day on Saturday, June 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Experience Florida’s cattle ranching culture through our new exhibition, American Grit: Florida Crackers, Cowboys, and Cow Hunters, photographs by Adam Rountree, and a variety of activities, demonstrations, and presentations for all ages made possible by fantastic community partners.
American Grit Opening Day celebrates the long, proud history of cattle ranching in Florida and showcases the lives of Florida cattle ranchers today. Celebrated Gadsden County author and historian Dale Cox will give a presentation on the history of cattle in Florida. Members of the Havana History & Heritage Society will give a presentation on 100 years of Shade Tobacco History in Havana, which also had a relationship with the cattle industry here. Brad Phares of Cow Hunters Unlimited will share experiences from his life as a rancher and an artist, and Whitnie Yoder from the Florida Cattlemen’s Association will be giving an economic perspective on the History of the Florida Cattle Industry.
Parents, bring your children to explore free cowboy-inspired art-making activities in the ArtZone and take photos in our photobooth! Upstairs in our Woodell Studio, make butter with the local 4-H Cattle Club.
For art lovers, Lillie Clark will give a demonstration of her craft, drawing cowboys and horses. Gadsden Arts Artists Guild members will also share their art, inspiration, and creative processes in a talk moderated by Ashley Williams, Curator. We will also be joined by downtown Quincy restaurant Bantam Bay, which will share one of their favorite beef recipes!
The American Grit: Florida Crackers, Cowboys, & Cow Hunters, photographs by Adam Rountree exhibition is made possible by donors to the Impact Fund and the Watson Art Fund, presented by Signature Art Gallery, and sponsored in part by Black Fig and Proof Brewing Company.
Special thanks to Adam Rountree, Doug Croley, Parker Stewart, Jimmy Nicholson, Mike and Terry Hawkins, and Harvey Suber; and American Grit partners Tallahassee Museum, Bantam Bay and Company, Havana History and Heritage Society, Cow Hunters Unlimited, and the UF/IFAS Gadsden County Extension. Gadsden Arts is located at 13 N. Madison Street, Quincy, FL, just 20 miles from Tallahassee, and open to the public Tuesdays – Saturdays, 10am – 5pm. Admission is free for members, children ages 17 and under, families on Saturdays, and $3 – $5 for nonmember adults. Every Saturday is a free Family Day at Gadsden Arts! For more information, visit www.gadsdenarts.org.
