Meet Tom Shinall of Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tom Shinall.

Tom, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
As a child, I dreamed of becoming two things when I grew up – a cowboy (like all boys, right?!) and an entrepreneur (like my dad). In 2002 I co-founded The TC Show, an award winning mobile DJ Service and Entertainment Group, which was recognized as the 2012 Small Business of the Year by the Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce. I went on to graduate from Kennesaw State University with a B.S. in Communication. Coming from an entrepreneurial background with additional experience in non-profit and radio, I joined the Booth Western Art Museum in 2012 as Director of Marketing and have since established myself as one of the key faces of the organization. I entered the tourism industry without any knowledge of, nor experience in, the industry. Five years later, I am a certified Travel Marketing Professional and was recognized with the 2016 Rising Star Award by the Southeast Tourism Society. It is not my goal to just “work” at the Booth, I strive to portray the Booth by donning my boots, buckle, bolo and hat at networking events, serving on the boards of the Southeast Tourism Society and Georgia’s Historic High Country Travel Association, and representing the Booth at state and regional tourism conferences. If you’ve ever met me, you know my larger-than-life personality fits my stature. I have been told that I am never without a smile and that I exude a sense of enthusiasm that is contagious. I strive to be a team player, leading by example and setting the stage for others to succeed. To the favor of the Museum, I was born and raised in Cartersville which enables me to promote not only the Booth, but my home town too – a responsibility I humbly accept. I give the BEST hugs and you can always count on me to brighten your day. If you do not know me, I assure you, you will. I have become affectionately known as “The Cartersville Cowboy” …it is almost as if I were destined to work at the Booth!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There always are and always will be obstacles and challenges along our paths…it is how we persevere and overcome these situations that define our successes. Personally, I believe everything happens for a reason – good or bad. I lost my father as a teenager to cancer. I started a small business as a teenager with no experience. We saw the economy suffer from a financial crisis. Each of these challenges provided an opportunity of growth, both personally and professionally. At the Booth, we have a name for our most consistent obstacle, “Distance Resistance”. On a daily basis, we are met with preconceived ideas that the Booth is probably a small, gallery-type facility with some nice prints and a couple of sculptures…if we were a really impressive museum, we would be located in downtown Atlanta…Cartersville is OTP (outside the perimeter), therefore it is practically in Tennessee and you’ll need an overnight bag for your visit…location, location, location – a WESTERN art museum in Georgia (?!), specifically in Cartersville?! Over and over we hear these notions but when guests visit the Booth for the first time, it is easy to exceed their expectations. We have been told the Booth is the best kept secret in Georgia – I say it is time to tell the world!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Booth Western Art Museum – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
At Booth Western Art Museum, a world-class experience awaits. Open since 2003 and located just north of Atlanta along I-75 in Cartersville, Georgia, the Booth is a 120,000-square foot architectural wonder showcasing the largest permanent exhibition space for Western art in the world! As an Affiliate to the Smithsonian Institution, visitors can See America’s Story – the land, the people, the struggles, the dreams, and the legends in paintings, sculpture, photography and artifacts – through the Museum’s permanent collection of Western art, Presidential portraits and letters, an extensive display of Civil War art, and Sagebrush Ranch – a hands-on, interactive gallery for children. The Booth was started by a local family who have been Western art collectors for many years. They wanted to share their art with the community, particularly young people who might not otherwise be exposed to art, so they decided to build a Museum to showcase their collections. The founders prefer anonymity so they named the Museum after good friend and mentor, Sam Booth. In the world of Western art, the Booth is known for being a contemporary Western art museum – contemporary in the sense of living artists who are continuing to build the genre and industry. The Booth also displays a large selection of diverse artwork based on medium, race, sex, and ethnicity. On any given visit to the Booth, one will see more than 1,200 pieces of art including the visitor favorite, the Presidential Gallery. This unique gallery showcases a portrait and original hand-signed letter from every U.S. President, Washington through Obama (a formal request has been made for a letter and portrait from President Trump). In 2016 Booth Western Art Museum was recognized as the Escape to the Southeast Travel Attraction of the Year by the Southeast Tourism Society and named the Reader’s Choice “Best Western Museum” in America by True West Magazine. Other notable highlights include being named to “The South’s Best Museums” by Southern Living, one of “5 U.S. Art Museums to Add to Your Bucket List” by thedailyquirk.com, ranked Top 10 in “30 Must-See Art Museums in The U.S.” by thecareerartproject.com, and voted five times as “Best Attraction in Bartow County” by the Cartersville-Bartow County Convention and Visitors Bureau. At Booth Western Art Museum, things don’t just hang on the wall; things happen…. So plan your visit soon for a world-class experience by exploring the West without leaving the South!

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Personally, my wife Elizabeth and I are expecting our first child, a baby boy (Walter Douglas) in early August 2017. Professionally, I am most looking forward to our upcoming exhibition schedule. Over the next several years we will host a 15 Year Retrospective of Treasures from our Vault along with exhibitions by Frederic Remington, Andy Warhol, Z.Z. Wei, Laura Wilson, T. Allen Lawson, and Jay Dusard, just to name a few!

Pricing:

• $10 – General Admission
• $8 – Seniors (65 and over)
• $7 – Students
• FREE – Children 12 and under
• FREE – Active Military with I.D.
• FREE – Booth Museum Members

Contact Info:

• Address: 510 Museum Drive
  Cartersville, GA 30120
• Website: www.boothmuseum.org
• Phone: 770-387-1300
• Email: toms@boothmuseum.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boothmuseum/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boothmuseum/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BoothMuseum
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/booth-western-art-museum-cartersville
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJtjEAmJMiRAdMDSXyUdfOw?

Image Credit:
Booth Museum