TRAIL ALONG: Red Hills Rover Rally drivers and riders will take the road less traveled during this guided off-road adventure through some of the most iconic and historic private properties in the region.

THOMASVILLE- You can almost hear the Bobwhite quail whistle in anticipation of Thomasville Center for the Arts’ 28th Annual Wildlife Arts Festival. Ten days of events designed to celebrate the sporting life through art begin on November 9, and culminate at the Fine Art Show on November 18 and 19, which showcases over 65 artists and artisans from across the globe.

From November 9-19 the Wildlife Arts Festival will present over a dozen art-inspired events spread throughout Thomasville and the greater Red Hills region showcasing some of the world’s most celebrated wildlife and sporting artists, top-shelf handcrafted goods, southern bites and libations, lively outdoor social events, and an array of family-friendly wildlife encounters and art experiences.

This year, the much-anticipated juried Fine Art Show will feature Brennan Seward, a pen and ink artist from post-independence Zimbabwe. Seward’s work is inspired by natural history and the great naturalist illustrators of the 15th-19th centuries. He borrows inspiration from Japanese woodcuts, Chinese inks, and master illustrators like Durer, Audubon, and Kuhnert. The impressive size of Seward’s drawings and watercolors creates a unique, intimate, and expansive visual experience.

“The caliber of artists at the show is exceptional,” says festival director Mariam Mirabzadeh. “We’re showcasing local favorites and world-renowned masters like Seward. It’s exciting to bring so many experiences for all ages to town during two beautiful weeks in November with fine art as the backdrop. If you’ve never attended the festival, this is your year to join us!”

Taking Root

Thomasville’s celebration of wildlife art is as old as the community, dating back to the 1800s when artists were invited to the region to capture the beauty of the Red Hills in ink, oil, bronze, and other media.

Early landowners knew this community was special and implemented wise management practices that are crucial to minimizing land degradation, rehabilitating degraded areas, and ensuring the optimal use of land resources for the benefit of present and future generations.

“It’s a special time of the year when we embrace the rich heritage and enchanting beauty of our region, coupled with eye-catching artistic creations that inspire future generations,” says festival chair Kate Scovil. “It’s also an important time to pay respect to the past – to those who helped get this community to where it is today.”

In that vein, the 2023 festival is dedicated to two cherished Center friends – Samuel Kellett and Leigh Perkins. The immense generosity of these two men has left an indelible mark on the Wildlife Arts Festival. Hailing from Atlanta, Samuel Kellett held a deep passion for South Georgia’s piney woods and cultivated Riverbend Plantation in Quitman alongside his wife, Janet McLeod Kellett. Leigh Perkins, husband of Anne Perkins, transformed The Orvis Company from a humble mail-order fishing store into a prominent American sporting brand.

Though not native to the Red Hills, both Kellett and Perkins held a profound love for Thomasville and have etched their legacy on the festival and community. To honor them, Thomasville Center for the Arts will open the festival in The Bottom Creative District with the unveiling and dedication of a two-piece soaring metal tree sculpture titled “Take Root.”

As a continuation of the Center’s bronze sculpture project along Broad Street in Downtown Historic Thomasville, this new initiative is funded in part by Georgia Council for the Arts and Georgia Municipal Cities in partnership with the City of Thomasville and the Center. The sculptures will serve as a visual metaphor for deep community roots and a physical reminder of the importance of protecting and sustaining the flora and fauna of the Red Hills region.

“Take Root” was collaboratively designed by Florida State University’s Erin Riley and Dr. Marlo Ransdell of Studio D, with creative direction by the Center’s public art director, Darlene Crosby Taylor. Fabricated by Hurst Boiler and their creative team of engineers, CAD technicians, welders, and assemblers, the process was a heartfelt effort.

“The community has been supportive of Thomasville Center for the Arts and the Wildlife Arts Festival for decades, and it’s wonderful to see this generosity continue to grow year after year through partnerships and collaborations like this one,” says Taylor.

The unveiling of “Take Root” at a free public opening reception on Thursday, November 9 at 6:00 p.m. will mark the ceremonial beginning of the 28th Annual Wildlife Arts Festival.

Festival Favorites

Other events at the 2023 festival include the black-tie Fine Art Show Preview Party; an iconic tour through pristine land at the Red Hills Rover Rally; a boot-stomping Bird Dog Bash party at Pebble Hill Plantation’s Sugar Hill Barn; an open-air concert, Whiskey In The Woods, at Birdsong Nature Center; the increasingly popular Land & Lore Series; and a host of hands-on workshops for children and adults alike at the Center for the Arts.

On November 18 and 19, while adults shop the fine art show upstairs and the Artisan Market outside under the oaks, kids can explore an entire floor of the Center’s historic building dedicated to youth art, complete with interactive wildlife-centric art activities designed to inspire young creators.

“We believe in the power of exposing children to art at a young age,” says Thomasville Center for the Arts executive director Michele Arwood. “Events like the Wildlife Arts Festival are stepping stones toward free thinking and creative expression, allowing youth to find their own unique artistic voice.”

While the festival is a wildly inspiring, not-to-be-missed event of the season, it is also the single largest fundraiser for Thomasville Center for the Arts. Over the last decade alone, the festival has raised more than $2.5 million to support creative learning programs, public art, exhibitions, and stage performances designed to connect our community and bring vitality to the Red Hills region.