The Main Characters in Attendance
Karri, Amy, and Bob Cox, Curator
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Carl Morrison, Photographer (left), and
Matt Melzer, Silver Rails Country
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J. Craig Thorpe, Featured Artist
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Chris West of Loco Vino: The Railroad Winery (left),
Tom Anderson, Photographer and Silver Rails Wine Consultant,
J. Craig Thorpe, Featured Artist.
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Jackie Hadnot, Wooden Ironhorses
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Nathan Chidester, Let's Talk Trains, Host
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PRESS RELEASE
February 26, 2010
Contact: Bob Cox, 660-956-4157
Matthew Melzer, 660-616-4840
Steaming Through the Past, Connecting to the Future:
Unique La Plata Art Gallery to Celebrate All Things Railroading
LA PLATA, MO – ... one of the most unique subjectmatter-specific art
galleries in America, focusing exclusively on
artistic interpretations
of railroading
past, present, and future through a variety of media. Silver Rails
Gallery will be a new, permanent space to display significant works of railroad
artistry.
Established in 2010, Silver Rails Gallery will feature
paintings,
photographs, three-dimensional works, poetry, literature, artifacts, multimedia
works, and performances that document, honor, and capture the experience
of railroading throughout American history.
All proceeds from sales of original art, prints, and other gifts at
Silver Rails Gallery will benefit the
American
Passenger Rail Heritage
Foundation, dedicated to establishing, expanding, and maintaining
an educational exhibition in La Plata featuring the history of passenger
rail in America.
“Whether seen through the eyes of a railroad worker, a passenger, a
train enthusiast, or a citizen, railroad art can serve to broaden our view
of the important roles railroads and trains continue to play in society,”
said
Bob Cox, La Plata resident and Curator of Silver Rails Gallery.
... one of the world's only standalone art galleries and museum
spaces dedicated entirely to works of railroad-related art. Housed in a
historic "Old West" building on the town square of La Plata, ... will also
contain the
Silver Rails Memorial Library, a repository of railroad
artifacts from the estates of late
railroaders and train enthusiasts.
“Taken together, we hope these efforts will cement Silver Rails Gallery's
status as
the premier center of railroad cultural heritage,” said
Cox.
The March 13 opening celebration will feature an interpretive chat about
railroading and art from famed artist
J. Craig Thorpe, the inaugural
Featured Artist at Silver Rails Gallery.
Visitors can join in the
live webcast of Internet radio talk show
Let's Talk Trains with host Nathan Chidester.
Guests 21 and over will also enjoy free pourings of local Missouri wine
courtesy of
West Winery and
its Loco Vino: The Railroad Winery line (http://www.westwinery.com/).
# # # #
Attending guest artists (Click name of the left
for Biographical Information). If the artist has a website, it is
at the end of their name below:
• Jackie Hadnot: Wooden Ironhorses
- Railroad wood carvings
• Nick Smith, LaPlata, MO: (railroad photography)
Website: Railfans Friend.com
• Will Anderson, (CAD train renderings)
Website: Will's
Train Art
• Ken Barrett, (railroad water colors)
• Sotere Torregian, (Amtrak travel poetry)
Website: Sotere Torregian.com
• Chris Guenzler, Santa Ana, CA: (railroad
photography) Website: Trainweb.org/chris
• Bob Cox, LaPlata, MO: (railroad
photography) Website: Railfans Friend.com
• Amy Cox, LaPlata, MO: (railroad
photography) Website: Railfans Friend.com
Silver Rails Gallery
www.SilverRailsGallery.com
660-956-4157 Bob Cox, Curator of Silver Rails Gallery
660-616-4840 Matthew Melzer
We saw the finishing touches being applied to the Gallery
by Curator, Bob Cox, with Amy's help as well as Kelly and Tom Marshall, local
cabinet makers. We helped mount Jackie Hadnot's large wood relief carvings
on Friday night. I had seen the interior of the century-old brick building
as it was first being renovated, and Boy was I surprised at the finished Gallery.
Gallery Entrance through the left door. Double
white Doors will be the entrance to a multi-media theatre with large screen
TV.
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Inside the front door is a desk to sign in, and
a gift shop with photo notecards, wall and desk calendars, posters, train
party goods, shirts and hats.
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Railroad DVDs are available, right, and a DVD player
will be playing, above.
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The day before the Gallery opened, I was able to walk through and study
the pieces on display. The Gallery is just through the Gift Shop. Behind
the Gallery is the Library with a table and chairs where you can study the
books, train periodicals, and model railroading periodicals.
Bob and Amy Cox' work, left.
J. Craig Thorpe's work, right.
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Ken Barrett's work right.
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One of three bookshelves in the library.
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Table in the Library for studying, with refreshments.
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Bob Cox mounting Jackie Hadnot's large relief carvings with four "helpers."
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Photos by Carl Morrison
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Bob and Amy Cox's work.
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Ken Barrett's work, (above, left). Nick Smith's work,
(above, right).
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We returned to our Western Suite at the Depot Inn and Suites, and
awaited the next day's Grand Opening. Bob, Amy, and Karri Cox stayed
until 3 a.m. putting up tags on each piece with the description and
price, and also posting the Bio.'s of each artist. It was good planning
by Bob to have his Snow-n-Off Photography and DJ business right next
door, through an interior door. Amy printed all the information to be
posted, on her computer in their office, and they held the Let's
Talk Trains Internet Radio Program in their offices as well. This
seemed like a perfect setup for the radio show; each time they needed
the next artist to interview, they just came through the door to the gallery
to get them, then returned to the quieter office to interview them.
The Silver Rails Gallery Opening
10 a.m to 2 p.m. March 13, 2010
Photos by Sue Morrison and Tom Anderson
(Click any image below for a double-sized copy;
Click BACK in your browser to return to this page.)
The Ribbon Cutting
Bob Cox, Currator, to the right of the scissors, Amy, in black,
to the left, and their daughter Karri in front.
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J. Craig Thorpe, Featured Artist
J. Craig Thorpe, signing posters.
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Sue Morrison enjoying Craig's work.
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Nate Chidester, J. Craig Thorpe, and
Tom Anderson (l. to r.)
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Jackie Hadnot, Wooden Ironhorses, relief wood carvings.
Union Pacific Big Boy 4002
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Daylight 4449
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An early carving of Jackie's (above)
4002 Locomotive (below)
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Detail of the front of the Big Boy.
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Jackie had some smaller, very detailed pieces as well.
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Larry thoroughly enjoyed the talking with all artists.
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Thank you, Jackie, for sharing your great art pieces.
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Carl "Mo" Morrison, Railroad Photography of the West
MoKnowsPhotos.com
Ken Barrett, Water colors, From the Train Seat.
Bob and Amy Cox, Railroad Photography
Three Photos by Bob Cox and three photos by Amy Cox.
Other Contributing Artists
Nick Smith (left) and
Will Anderson, (CAD train renderings) (right).
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Chris Guenzler
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Guests at the Silver Rails Grand
I counted the entries in the guestbook near the end of the Opening, and
there were 50. Since some entries were couples, and some did not sign
in, we thought there were about eighty people there through the Opening hours.
The greatest number at one time was during the Ribbon Cutting.
How many pieces of art will be displayed?
What is the size of the gallery - 50' x 20' (1,000 Sq. ft.)
Silver Rails Gallery
www.SilverRailsGallery.com
660-956-4157 Bob Cox, Curator of Silver Rails Gallery
660-616-4840 Matthew Melzer
Gift Shop Items available for purchase? (I'm bringing 5 x 7 notecards,
4 x 6 notecards, calendars (like I sent you), desk calendars.
Do you have Bios on all the artists in digital form that I can put in,
or summarize, in my report, that you can send me now?
Who would you like to thank as helpers from the inception of the gallery,
to getting it ready for the opening?
What can I say about the other parts of the gallery ... library, gift
shop, anything else?
