Art work to benefit the preservation effort of THE CEDARS

Fulton artist and art educator Teb Thornton recently completed two works which he has donated to Preserving Itawamba County's Heritage (PICH). The art work will be used as a means of raising funds for the relocation and renovation of the Cates-Gaither House, known locally as the landmark dwelling, "The Cedars" and documenting The Cedars as Fulton's second oldest surviving residence.

Artist Teb Thornton presents his watercolor of

The Cedars to Preserving Itawamba County's Heritage.

Accepting for PICH is Jim Fisher, Senior Pastor of Fulton United Methodist Church.

Thornton prepared a watercolor of The Cedars as it exists today --- and a limited edition of 100 prints signed by the artist are available to benefit the Create Gaither House Project Fund (an affiliate of the Create Foundation of Tupelo). All proceeds will be used in the preservation effort to relocate and to restore The Cedars. You may reserve your copy of this limited edition print by contacting the PICH at its blog-site Preserving Itawamba County's Heritage at www.itawambaheritage.blogspot.com. Additional donations to the Create Gaither House Project Fund may be made online at www.createfoundation.com. Please specify that the amount is for the Gaither House Project.

The second artwork that Thornton provided was an ink line drawing of how the original house built circa 1860 by Pleasant Cates may have appeared. Local lore states that the house was a four-room Hill Country open dog-trot with a porch. That line drawing will be used by PICH in its documentation and presentation of the history of the house which has undergone several major renovations over the past century and a half.

Thornton presents his ink drawing of the probable appearance of

The Cedars circa 1860s to PICH. Accepting the artwork for PICH is Rev. Fisher.

Plans are to have the print of the watercolor available at the Mississippi Hill Country Heritage Day, a fund-raising event scheduled for Sunday afternoon, October 18, 2009, from 2 til 5 PM at The Cedars on Main Street in Fulton.

Artist Thornton is the art instructor at Saltillo High School. He is represented by the Attic Gallery in Vicksburg.