Pictured from left to right: Russell Daws, Arlene Berg, Sophia Baldwin, Sarah Coakley, and Jim Berg

Last fall, Jim and Arlene Berg, co-directors of the James T. Gary Foundation reached out to Russell Daws, the Museum’s President and CEO about the possibility of creating a new scholarship opportunity for a deserving art student. Mr. Daws immediately thought of Florida State’s Master Craftsman Studio — a mixed media studio creating custom artwork to serve the needs of commercial, residential, healthcare, and hospitality clients as well as Florida State University.

Daws connected the Foundation with the FSU Master Craftsman Studio almost immediately, and a short time later a full scholarship was successfully established. The opportunity was made available to any Florida student of the College of Fine Art currently enrolled in their junior or senior year.

Sophia Baldwin became the first FSU student to be awarded the James T. Gary scholarship and will have the opportunity to work with the Master Crafters on their current installations this fall. Sophia first came to the Master Craftsman Studio last fall looking for some assistance with a sculpture project. Her project was awarded Best in Show at the recent exhibit, “Synthesis” at the Working Method Contemporary Gallery at FSU.

As a thank you gift to the Foundation, Sophia designed and created a beautiful fused glass sculpture, a reference to Gary’s infamous “pink dinosaur” sculpture (pictured right).  The Tallahassee Museum is honored to have been a part of this partnership between the James T. Gary Foundation and the FSU Master Craftsman Studio. Congratulations Sophia!

More about Jim Gary’s Twentieth Century Dinosaurs

Brought to life in 1979, Jim Gary’s Twentieth Century Dinosaurs exhibition of large, colorful sculptures of dinosaurs, made from discarded automobile parts, began an amazing journey around the world. The exhibit traveled nationally and internationally to museums and universities; was used as sets for films, plays, and operas; was presented as exhibits for national auto shows and racing events; and was presented as landscape displays in the most elegant of botanical gardens, such as Longwood Gardens on the Pierre S. du Pont estate.

In 1993, the exhibition made its southeastern U.S. debut at the Tallahassee Museum and then continued on a world-wide tour. In 2006, internationally noted artist Jim Gary, died at the early age of 66. Later, the James T. Gary Foundation was established, and efforts were pursued to preserve his memory, art, and his Twentieth Century Dinosaurs exhibition. In 2011, the Foundation and Tallahassee Museum joined to make the Museum the home of Jim Gary’s Twentieth Century Dinosaurs and showcase the largest restored collection of his dinosaur sculptures.

Today, 21 exhibit pieces are featured at the Museum with some spanning as much as 43 feet in length and weighing up to 4,000 pounds. In Jim Gary’s Twentieth Century Dinosaurs, junkyard castaways get a second chance to function–transformed into graceful renditions of prehistoric creatures. They teach us lessons in art, science, technology and environmental education. Six years after the collection found its home, the Museum still works closely with the Foundation to ensure the exhibit loan is preserving the memory of the late Jim Gary.

The Tallahassee Museum is one of more than 2,000 museums across America to offer free admission to military personnel and their families this summer in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and the Department of Defense. 

As of 2017, the Tallahassee Museum is a participant in the annual Blue Star Museum
s program, a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums across America to offer free admission to the nation’s active duty military personnel including National Guard and Reserve and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2017.  The program provides families an opportunity to enjoy the nation’s cultural heritage and learn more about their new communities after a military move.

“Every hour of every day, our country’s freedom and way of life are protected by the brave men and woman of our military. The commitment and sacrifices they and their families so unselfishly make on our behalf is a major reason the Tallahassee Museum participates annually as a Blue Star Museum,” said Russell Daws, President and CEO of the Tallahassee Museum. “This is the Tallahassee Museum’s fifth year participating in Blue Star Museums, and we are humbled to be part of this military appreciation program once again. Together with Blue Star Families and more than 2,000 other museums, we are proud to thank our military and their families and offer them an opportunity to relax and spend quality time together and enjoy the cultural resources in their communities.”

The Blue Star Museums program runs from Armed Forces Day, May 1, 2019, through Labor Day, September 2, 2019. The free admission program is available to any bearer of a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), a DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card, which includes active duty U.S. military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, as well as members of the National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service
Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps – and up to five family members.

The complete list of participating museums is available at www.arts.gov/national/blue-star-museums. For more information about the Tallahassee Museum visit www.tallahasseemuseum.org  or call (850) 575-8684.