Piedmont museum extends Rhett Turner photography exhibition

DEMOREST — The Mason-Scharfenstein Museum of Art at Piedmont University has extended the run of “Conserving America’s Wildlands: The Vision of Ted Turner,” a traveling photography exhibition by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and photographer Rhett Turner.

The exhibition features 48 photographs taken across 23 Turner properties spanning nearly 2 million acres. Organizers said the collection serves as both a tribute to Turner’s father, media entrepreneur and conservationist Ted Turner, and a visual exploration of land conservation efforts across the United States.

Ted Turner, who passed away May 6 of Lewy Body Dementia, concentrated on philanthropy in his later years and his more than 2 million acres of property, including the nation’s largest bison herd.

Perhaps Turner’s greatest love was for the land. He acquired millions of acres in ranches complete with roaming buffalo and was Nebraska’s largest private landholder. He spoke often of reviving the West’s bison herds. Researchers at Texas A&M University credited his donation of a few bulls in 2005 with helping increase the genetic diversity of the last herd of southern Plains bison.

The exhibit is divided into three geographic regions — the Southeast, Bisonland and the Rockies — and highlights projects including restoration of longleaf pine forests, reintroduction of the Mexican gray wolf and management of what organizers describe as the largest private bison herds in North America.

Turner, a graduate of The Citadel and the Rhode Island School of Design, is the founder of Red Sky Productions. His work includes award-winning environmental films and documentary photography.

The museum will be open from noon to 7 p.m. on the following dates: May 28-29; June 4-5; June 11-12; June 18; June 25-26; June 28-29; July 23-24; and July 30-31.

The Mason-Scharfenstein Museum of Art is located on the campus of Piedmont University at 567 Georgia St. in Demorest.

More information about fine arts events at Piedmont is available at Piedmont University Fine Arts Events.