Buford: The Soho of the South

Before Christmas I attended an open house at the Tannery Row Artist Colony with a friend. Wandering through the beautifully decorated hallways, visiting the inspiring studios of the various artists, I decided it was time to write about a more current phase of the city's unique history--Buford's birth as an artist colony.

In the early 1980s, as the city expanded outward,  Buford's Main Street saw a brief lull in its economic growth. Businesses that had been located downtown for generations either moved to newer locations, or closed entirely. It wasn't long, however, that artists and craftsmen from Atlanta and elsewhere discovered that the empty brick buildings, with their historic charm and low rent, made excellent (and inexpensive) studios. By the 1990s nearly the entire length of Main Street was filled with art galleries and studios, boutiques and gourmet cafes, leading the editor of Wet Canvas Magazine to declare Buford  "The Soho of the South," in 1999. A collective of over 30 artists and craftsmen formed the Buford Artists Colony, sponsoring events such as the monthly "Artrageous Artwalk!"  in which the artists opened their studios to the public to view works in progress.

In 2003, the Buford Artists Colony was reborn as the Tannery Row Artist Colony, and reestablished itself in the old Bona Allen Shoe Factory. These days, artists in painting, sculpture, pottery and jewelry making can all be found under one roof, and the TRAC continues the tradition of opening it's studios for interactive events and demonstrations, including the weekly Thursday Things.

Although he wasn't an official member of the established  collectives, one of Buford's own went on to find a certain amount of success in the art world:

Cecil Ramsey (1933--1996)

Like many artists, Cecil Ramsey's path to recognition wasn't easy.  In school, he was thought to be slow, even mentally challenged. Over time, however, teachers, and then others, discovered that Ramsey had an innate artistic ability, a unique and intuitive talent.  Determined to learn everything he could about his craft, Ramsey completed correspondence courses in drawing and painting, and worked for a time in the 1970s as a street artist in Buford. Eventually,  he moved on to the Underground district of Atlanta and for many years earned his living drawing quick sketch caricatures of tourists. He is probably best remembered in Buford, however, for what might be considered as his master work, his massive mural of Buford's historic landmarks.  Off and on, from 1977 until 1983, Ramsey covered the walls of the now defunct Tannery restaurant*  in floor to ceiling depictions of places such as Woodward Mill; Buford's first school building, and the Bona Allen mansion. A reporter who interviewed him at this time noted that Ramsey's concentration and attention to detail were "astonishing and visionary." Eventually Ramsey's talent gained some recognition by critics and collectors, and in the late 1980s it was reported he was working on painting his memoirs for publication. These days, drawings and paintings by Cecil Ramsey are displayed and sold at art auctions and New York galleries.

The Museum of Buford's Art Gallery

Besides a full display case dedicated to the history of Buford's art colony, the museum  has an entire wall filled with the works of local artists. Paintings, drawings, and fiber art representing decades of creative endeavor make the MOB more than just a museum--it is also considered an art gallery. For several years the museum has provided the Purchase Award in the annual Plein Air Challenge, an event in which artists are given a limited amount of time to  paint various scenes in designated parts of Gwinnett County. The Challenge culminates in an art show, painting demonstration and awards ceremony. Purchase Award winning paintings of scenes depicting Buford are on display at the museum.

Rebecca

*The Tannery Restaurant, once the offices of the Shadburn Bros.Tannery, has been out of operation since the mid 1980's and is closed to the public.