Saturday February 13, 2010
Author Rick Tonyan and Rope Trick Artist, Brinson ‘Boogerhead’ Harris

Rick talked about the history of cattle ranching in Florida. A graduate (Journalism) of the University of Florida in 1971, he worked as a reporter at the Orlando Sentinel before enlisting in the Navy.

His novel, a Florida Western Guns of the Palmetto Plains, was published by Pineapple Press 1994. Since its publication, Rick has focused his interest on the history of Florida, particularly its role in the Civil War and its cattle industry.

The recipient of a variety of awards (Florida Magazine Association and the Florida Press Association), Rick was history editor at Halifax Magazine and now works for The DeLand-Deltona Beacon. He grew up farming and ranching in the Panhandle and now lives on a ranch in DeLeon Springs.

Sixteen year old  Brinson ‘Boogerhead’ Harris joined his father, rodeo clown Clifton, on the rodeo circuit as "Boogerhead the Rodeo Clown" and is an accomplished rope trick artist.

When not clowning around, he and his parents can be found at their shop called Coffee n' Cream in Micanopy, Florida. Visit www.hollywoodandboogerhead.com

Reception, Branding Demonstration, and Rope Tricks were at 5:30, Lecture by Rick Tonyan 7pm.

Saturday January 30, 2010
Poe Ballantine – Author

In Poe Ballantine’s rambles around the country he chronicles the life of a drifter, taking on odd jobs and never staying in one place very long.  Born in Denver and raised in San Diego, he spent 30 years on the road before settling in Chadron, Nebraska.  Author of four books published by Hawthorne Books (God Clobbers Us All; 501 Minutes to Christ - Personal Essays; Things I Like About America - Personal Narratives; Decline of the Lawrence Welk Empire: A Novel) and winner of short story and essay prizes, Poe will read, talk about living in weird places, and comment on his life as a writer.

Poe’s Reception was at 6:30, follwed by his Lecture 7pm

Saturday December 12, 2009
Bird-watching / nature walk in Melrose historic district 5:00 pm, Reception at Bonfire 6:00, Lecture 7:00 pm

Katie Sieving - Lecture and Guided Nature Walk

Katie is Professor of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation at the University of Florida; her core research program focuses on conserving and restoring forest biodiversity, especially songbirds, in disturbed, fragmented, and otherwise human-dominated landscapes in historically forested biomes. She is currently working in fragmented forests, organic and conventional farm / pastoral systems in Florida, Chile, and Sumatra. Conceptually, her work is rooted in community, behavioral, and landscape ecology, and in conservation biology.

Lecture/slide show – “Heroic Deeds of Common Garden Birds - how tufted titmice help other bird species avoid being eaten by predators.”

 Learn more at www.wec.ufl.edu/faculty/sievingk
 

Saturday November 21, 2009
Reception 6:30, Lecture and slide show 7:00 pm

Steven Earl - Lecture, Book Signing, and Artworks

Steven lives and works as a Ranger at Gold Head Branch State Park in Keystone Heights, Florida. He heads the park’s volunteer, interpretive and educational outreach programs. He has developed a series of photographic shows that have been presented at school, library and civic events Steve will autograph copies and talk about his new book, Ichetucknee: Sacred Waters (University Press of Florida, 2009). Some of his watercolors and photographs will hang in the gallery for the entire series. His lecture is “Ichetucknee: Sacred Waters – Receiving the Blessings.”

Read more at http://www.upf.com/book.asp?id=EARLX001
 

Friday November 13, 2009
Mallory O’Connor - Lecture
Reception 6:30, Lecture 7:00 pm

Mallory M. O’Connor is professor emerita of art history at Santa Fe College, the past director of the Santa Fe College Art Gallery, and the former visual arts coordinator for the Thomas Center Gallery in Gainesville.

Mallory’s lecture is based on her research into art in Florida with material from her new book, Florida’s American Heritage River: Images from the St. Johns Region (with Gary Monroe, University Press of Florida, 2009). It focuses on the early naturalists who visited Florida and profiles naturalist-artists Mark Catesby, John James Audubon and others. The lecture is entitled "Bobcats and Egrets and Gators, Oh My!"

More on Mallory can be viewed at http://www.upf.com/book.asp?id=OCONNS08

March 14, 2009
John & Mellon Tytell (AT LEFT, Mellon with Robert Frank) have had a long association with central Beat figures, the late Allen Ginsberg , photographer Robert Frank, and others. A highly acclaimed photographer herself, Mellon exhibited her portraits of Beat writers and discussed her remarkable friendship with Frank, who is also a filmmaker (Pull My Daisy, 1959). John Tytell is Professor of English at Queens College New York and author of Naked Angels: The Lives and Literature of the Beat Generation and Paradise Outlaws: Remembering the Beats (illustrated by Mellon’s photographs), among others. His talk was on the legacy of Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs and Ginsberg from the perspective of a cultural historian.

March 7, 2009
William McKeen, Professor and Chair of the University of Florida Department of Journalism, took a close look with a keen eye at the life of Hunter S. Thompson, ‘Gonzo’ journalist and heir to the legacy of the Beat literary life. Author of many books, McKeen discussed in a PowerPoint  presentation  his latest, Outlaw Journalist: The Life and Times of Hunter S. Thompson (W.W. Norton & Co., 2008).

February 28, 2009
Thomas L. Morgan, Tom Morgan is a writer, DJ, and radio producer from New Orleans. His first book, From Cakewalks to Concert Halls: An Illustrated History of African American Popular Music: From 1895 to 1930, was published in 1992. He has lectured at numerous colleges and schools on jazz and blues.

Audio-Visual powerpoint presentation on the history of Jazz:
http://www.wwoz.org/programs/show+hosts/tom+morgan

January 31, 2009
Author of two books on the Highwaymen, Gary Monroe is professor of visual art at Daytona Beach Community College. With six paintings of the Highwaymen from his private collection and a 25-minute slide show, Gary sketched an overview of this group of African-American artists who flourished from the late 1950’s to the 70’s around Fort Pierce, Florida, sank into anonymity, and were re-discovered in the 1990’s.  http://www.garymonroe.net/

Sunday, December 7, 2008
Ron Haase  delivered a talk and slide show on Cracker Architecture at 3:30 p.m