Rockford, IL USA – July 11, 2017 – Representatives from WATT Global Media have announced that the largest single collection of rare poultry breed portraits worldwide (1926 – 1950) are set to be on display in the historic “Old Sandstone” art gallery from August 11 – 26, 2017, in Mt. Morris, Ill., formerly the location of WATT office headquarters.
The complete collection, which has never before been publicly displayed in its entirety, is comprised of 58 framed oil paintings of the most important poultry breeds. The paintings were created by three American artists, A.O. Schilling, L. Stahmer and F.L. Sewell, and was commissioned in the mid-1920s by J.W. Watt and Adon Yoder, founders of Watt Publishing Company (now WATT Global Media).
“When the opportunity to display these paintings was offered to us by the Encore! Mt. Morris organization, we appreciated the chance to provide the local community with a way to view the entire collection and enjoy the beauty of the birds,” states Greg Watt, President/CEO. “They were originally reproduced in the pages of our first magazine Poultry Tribune, and were like pinups each month. Now they can be seen in full detail in the perfect setting.”
Exhibition Grand Opening activities
All WATT current and former staff in the area are invited to attend a private cocktail reception to kick off the art opening on the evening of Friday, August 11th from 5 – 6:30 p.m. The exhibition will then be opened to the general public from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. A free concert will begin at the band shell from 7 – 9 p.m. featuring the bluegrass band “Illinois Rail”. In addition, the U.S. National Straw Sculpting Competition will take place outside on the campus grounds surrounding Old Sandstone.
Old Sandstone art gallery: http://encoremtmorris.com/info/OSGallery/
Company History
Watt Publishing Co., was originally incorporated July 6, 1917, as the Poultry Tribune Company by founders J.W. Watt and Adon A. Yoder. In 1929 the company name was changed from Poultry Tribune Company to Poultry-Dairy Publishing Company, and in 1944 the corporate name was changed to Watt Publishing Company. To recognize the spectrum of media channels offered across online, live events and magazines to its global audience, the company was rebranded as WATT Global Media in 2014.
Centennial Information
A new centennial section has been added to the company’s corporate website on WATTGlobalMedia.com. Special activities and events planned throughout the year will be featured on this website including unique infographics, slide shows, photo galleries and a new content series. Notably, the “100-Year History of WATT Publications” infographic features original magazine cover images from the beginning of WATT’s publishing days, starting with the very first WATT-produced issue of Poultry Tribune in September 1917.
For more information on WATT Global Media’s history and planned centennial activities, visit www.WATTGlobalMedia.com/100years.
About WATT Global Media
WATT Global Media provides exceptional business content and solutions to the agribusiness industry. As an industry innovator, WATT Global Media has connected buyers and sellers in the poultry, pig, animal feed and pet food industries through its media channels for 100 years. www.WATTGlobalMedia.com
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Contact:
Nancy Batio, Director of Marketing
m. +1.847.791.1698 | e. nbatio@wattglobal.com