The historic Cricket Theater brings back many fond childhood memories from my childhood in Collinsville, AL.
The
Cricket has recently undergone a major facelift and the neon lighting was restored to
its glory. On a warm evening on July 14, 2017 almost 500 people came to
see the renovated marquee light up the Dekalb County sky. Read more here:
All
of these memories and the excellent work achieved by the Collinsville Historic
Society have inspired me to “create a cricket” … gg’s style that is. Personally, I would much rather paint flowers, birds or animals, as painting buildings are certainly not my specialty. In fact, I struggled with the concept.
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| My first sketches in attempting to create the cricket |
However, I wanted to paint a unique style of movement and color that would continue to bring enthusiasm to the ongoing need to restore the beloved Cricket.
Since
returning to Alabama, it has given me great pleasure to participate and
contribute to events that help raise funds for the Collinsville Cricket
Theater, the Public Library and the Historic Museum. Below is a painting I painted for the Collinsville's Library's Annual Quilt Walk in 2016. Half of my sales of the original painting were donated to the Collinsville Historic Society.
This summer with my ideas swimming in my head, I sat down to sketch and to create my own version of the Cricket. I wasn't pleased with the first sketch, so that is why I continued to sketch. Eventually three very different versions emerged from my drawing table.
With Collinsville's annual annual Turkey Trot 5k Race and festival to be held on November 18th, my husband and I packed up my framed crickets ... and their prints and headed to my hometown.
The annual Turkey Trot is a big event for DeKalb County, featuring music, arts, crafts and food vendors!
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One of GG's original
paintings of the Cricket will be included in the Turkey Trot raffles |
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I
enjoyed hearing more interesting stories about Collinsville’s history from
Myles Smith, a founding member of the Collinsville Historical Association.
See more here: http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2014/07/little_collinsville_transports.html |
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I
was honored to take a photo of Mr Charles Moore's 'hand created' version of
the The Cricket
Theatrewhile we were in the Collinsville History museum today.
Little Collinsville” is a collaborative effort by Gail and Charles Moore to
re-create miniature models of Collinsville buildings from the 1940s and 50s. It
features buildings of importance to Collinsville in beautiful crafted detail.
For more info:http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2013/07/collinsville_history_museum_te.html
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Turkey Trot has a
long history dating back to 1912, but currently is used as a fundraising event
to help the Collinsville Historical Association restore and maintain The
Cricket Theatre. It gives her great pleasure to
participate and contribute to events that help raise funds for the Cricket
Theater, the Collinsville Public Library and the Collinsville Historic Museum. I donate one of the Crickets for the fundraiser raffle valued at $250.
On Nov., 18, 2017 during Collinsville’s annual Turkey Trot Festival, a fundraiser where all proceeds go to help fund the restoration of the Cricket Theatre … GG Burns, a Collinsville High School Alumni painted 2 several versions of the Cricket. GG donated one of her paintings to benefit the Turkey Trot Raffle.. GG is selling limited edition Giclée prints of both version a classic version highlighting the iconic neon in the day and a more stylized modern version that features the colorful neon at night.
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GG's Historic
Cricket Theatre, “limited edition” Giclee prints can now be purchased at: W V
Graves & Co Inc., 63 W Main St Phone: (256) 524-2155
11x14" matted and packaged in 16x20” double mats -
$35
8x10" matted and packaged in 11x14” mats - $25
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The
Cricket Theatre was once advertised as the most beautiful structure in north
Alabama. The front of the original Cricket was 40 feet with 6 different colors
of lighting and more than 300 feet of tubing; this sign and the neon lights can
be seen for more than two miles. In the 70’s Collinsville’s Cricket closed and
like other historical landmarks quickly deteriorated. However, in 2010, The
Collinsville Historic Association purchased the Historic Cricket. Since that
time, a major restoration process has taken place to preserve and restore this
beloved timepiece.
Read more here about the history of and why we need to restore the Cricket:
When you buy art from an artist, you're buying more than a gift or an object. You are buying hundreds of hours of inspiration, experiments, errors and determination. There are times when artist don’t feel like creating, they may even lose their ability for periods of times; but an innate force drives us to share with the world what others cannot see. When you buy my art, you are buying a little of me … a piece of my heart. By purchasing my art it allows me to give back to the community and to continue sharing my art with others. ~ GG Burns Birmingham AL
