April 30, 2026 6:00 PM –8:00 PM
Evening Lecture & Exhibit Opening: M.W.H “Alphabet” Collins: A Lifetime of Innovation
Overview
The Bartow History Museum invites the public to a special evening on Thursday, April 30 at 6:00 p.m. featuring a lecture by Mary Norton and Julia Trawick Knight in the Bergman Theater at the Booth Western Art Museum. The program will explore the life and work of M.W.H. “Alphabet” Collins, including his role in founding the Georgia Institute of Genetics. Following the lecture, attendees are invited to the Bartow History Museum for the unveiling of a new sculpture of Collins created by Julia Trawick Knight, which will later be installed on the Cartersville campus of Georgia Highlands College.
About the Speakers
Mary Norton has been an active and dedicated member of the Etowah Valley Historical Society since 1972. Alongside Dr. Bob Norton, she has provided decades of leadership, conducted in-depth historical research, and delivered engaging presentations and events at Valley View. Her commitment to preserving and sharing local history has earned her recognition, including the EVHS Lifetime Achievement Award.
Julia Trawick Knight is a figurative sculptor with extensive experience in both private and public commissions. She developed her artistic foundation through studies at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee; Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida; and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Her early influences include classical Greek and Roman sculpture, European works from the Renaissance through the modern era, and American art of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Knight further refined her style through mentorships with Leslie T. Posey, Eugene Daub, and, most significantly, Stanley Bleifeld in Pietrasanta, Italy. These experiences helped her develop a distinctive voice while honing her technical skill.
Her notable works include Swept Under the Rug at the McKissick Museum in Columbia, South Carolina; a sculpture of President Jimmy Carter at the Booth Museum of Western Art in Cartersville, Georgia; and numerous public works throughout Georgia, as well as a statue of Rosa Parks in Montgomery, Alabama.
