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Arts and Entertainment: Paintings Capture Local History & Scenery
October 7th, 2005

Arts and Entertainment: Murder in Cedar Key
June 21st, 2005

Arts and Entertainment: Celebration of Cedar Key
May 10th, 2005

Arts and Entertainment: Former Cedar Keyan Holds Book Signing
March 7th, 2005

Arts and Entertainment: Friends of the Refuges Annual Meeting Draws Huge Crowd
March 7th, 2005

Arts and Entertainment: Second Annual National Juried Art Exhibit Opens to Rave Reviews
March 6th, 2005

Arts and Entertainment: New Exhibit by Local Artists Opens at Island Hotel
February 16th, 2005

Arts and Entertainment: Local Artist Wins Best in Show
February 13th, 2005

Arts and Entertainment: Arts Center News
January 29th, 2005

Arts and Entertainment: Local Photographer Wins Honorable Mention in Photo Contest
January 10th, 2005

Arts and Entertainment: "Voices of the Virginia Eight" Opens at Arts Center Gallery
January 9th, 2005

Arts and Entertainment: Arts Center Happenings
January 1st, 2005

Arts and Entertainment: Stunning Exhibit Opens at Arts Center
December 5th, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: Juried Exhibit Opens at Arts Center to Rave Reviews
November 11th, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: Seeing Through the Eyes of Photographer Rose Valle
August 27th, 2004

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Local Artist "Bill Roberts" to Display at the Cedar Key Arts Center

Local Artist "Bill Roberts" to Display at the Cedar Key Arts Center

Amy Gernhardt

Bill Roberts is a local artist who will have a retrospective of his work at the Cedar Key Arts Center during the month of November. The opening will be the first Saturday of the month from 5-7 p.m.

In a recent interview, Roberts suggested a series of short stories would cover his life adequately. Included in those reminisces, is a train wreck, a truck wreck, and a helicopter crash, and he is still walking, albeit without shoes most of the time.
The first memory Bill shared regarded the Okeechobee train wreck of 1944. The freight train came through Sanford at 11:45, and some local kids got it into their heads to build a barricade, and watch the train, en route to Pahokee and Belle Glade with a load of produce, just to see what would happen. Well, the engineer spotted the barricade, and stopped just shy of the pile of trash and rocks and logs. The kids took off like a bunch of quail. The barricade was removed, and when the engineer got to Pahokee, he called Bill`s dad. Bill caught it, but the rest of the kids claimed ignorance, and Bill was named the Ringleader.


One of Bill Roberts' Pieces

Bill`s Dad was a manager of a produce farm, which had about 1500 acres of string beans. The migrant workers were provided with housing, which included coal lanterns and outhouses. Mrs. Roosevelt would come to inspect the living quarters, to ensure people were being treated fairly. The produce was sent to the Northern markets by train.

The truck wreck was caused by Bill falling asleep at the wheel early one morning when he drove home after visiting a girl friend in West Palm Beach. Bill rolled his truck into some trees, and hit his back. The resulting injury to his vertebrae resulted in difficulties during Bill`s tour of duty during the Korean War.
Bill joined the Navy in 1952. During boot camp, he was diagnosed with the injury to his back, and he was granted a service chit. This chit authorized Bill to straggle. He had to keep his unit in sight at all times, but could not keep up on the forced marches. This resulted in him always being late to chow, and there wouldn`t be any food left. Although, if he was questioned by an officer, "Sailor, why aren`t you with your company"? He would merely salute the officer, and pull out his chit.


The helicopter unit Bill was assigned to at Key West was experimental. They were testing loaded helicopters for take off and landings, and several members of his unit were injured or killed during these exercises. Bill did not participate in any helicopter crashes, although his Dad had warned him to stay off the things.

Bill moved to Cedar Key and lived in a travel trailer at first. He had started painting at age 15 when he was given a set of watercolors. Then he began to paint with oils, and sold the paintings at a bar near the 20 Mile Bend in the Everglades. The tourists came and bought them, he did landscapes, with whooping cranes and turkeys, he painted Osceola, and Tiger Tail.

He has continued to paint local scenery, and has many pictures of the old houses and cars which used to dot the landscape around Cedar Key. The show promises to bring back a lot more memories. Please join us in celebrating this fine collection.

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