Bollinger County: Cat Ranch Art Guild provides space for local artists to show and sell artwork

The Cat Ranch Art Guild might sound like a feline rescue group run by artists, but in reality, it's an organization formed to help promote the work of local artists. The group was started in 2001 by Jeanie Eddleman in honor of her uncle, Tom Runnels.

Tom was an artist, sculptor and writer who lived on the Cat Ranch with his wife, Saundra, from 1970 until 2000, the year he passed away from brain cancer.

"He went to art school in Kansas City," Saundra Runnels says.

Saundra said the property, located at the end of County Road 300 just outside Marble Hill, Missouri, was already in her husband's family when they married in 1961, though at that time it encompassed more acreage.

No one knows exactly why the land came to be known as the Cat Ranch, though Eddleman says there was speculation about the name of the property that was in the Runnels' family for decades.

The entrance to the Cat Ranch is seen March 28, 2017 in Marble Hill, Missouri.Fred Lynch

"Dad told stories about cougars or mountain lions that moved through the land," Eddleman says. "That's true."

To help local artists by giving them a spot to showcase their wares, the Cat Ranch Art Guild began an annual event on the property.

For about 10 years, the event was held in the spring, but because of rainy weather during that time of year, the Art Guild rescheduled the event, and it became the Fall Art Show and Rendezvous, Eddleman says.

On the last full weekend in September each year, artists from around the area are offered the free use of booth space to sell their art.

During that weekend, the large sculptures, made by Eddleman's uncle, are joined by paintings, pottery and other artwork.

Paintings by Tom Runnels are on display March 28, 2017 at the Bollinger County Museum of Natural History in Marble Hill, Missouri.Fred Lynch

The Cat Ranch Art Guild has grown considerably from the four founding members.

Eddleman says last year about 26 artists participated in the fair, though not every one of them were members.

On Friday, when the event begins, a group of fifth-graders from Woodland Elementary School comes in for a special look at the happenings. Eddleman said she'd consider allowing other school groups to come in on that day, too, if other schools are interested.

Education also has been a part of the guild's work, Eddleman said.

"We give a $600 scholarship to a Bollinger County youth who is going into the arts," she said.

The steel sculpture, Horse and Rider, by Tom Runnels is seen March 28, 2017 at the Cat Ranch in Marble Hill, Missouri.Fred Lynch

Notifications are sent out to schools in the area encouraging students to apply for the Tom Runnels Memorial Scholarship, which is given out in May each year.

Booth space for people who don't belong to the guild is available as well, but only if they make a financial donation to the guild.

Based on the success of the event, people are all too happy to do that, which has resulted in expanding the scope of the event to local history and culture as well.

The 4-11 sells food items, there is live music, and groups set up a large display in a field behind the cabin on the property -- that's the Rendezvous element of the event.

Groups in the Rendezvous conduct different activities to demonstrate what life was like prior to the 1840s. Some of the demonstrations include rope, knife and gun making, bread baking, sand casting and soap making.

The steel sculpture, Horse and Rider, by Tom Runnels is seen March 28, 2017 at the Cat Ranch in Marble Hill, Missouri.Fred Lynch

Saundra Runnels said the Cat Ranch property is currently for sale, and there's a prospective buyer who is a member of the Rendezvous group.

So, even when the land is no longer in the Runnels family, by agreement, the Fall Art Show and Rendezvous will continue.