BUDD HARRIS BISHOP

1936 - 2016

BISHOP, BUDD HARRIS
November 01, 1936 - October 23, 2016
Budd Harris Bishop was born on November 1, 1936 in Canton, GA, and was predeceased by his parents, James Monroe Bishop and Mary Eula Ponder Bishop. In 1968, he married Julia Moss Crowder, and they lived on Lookout Mountain, TN.
He was recognized in grade school as exceptional in art and by high school, he received community scholarships to attend college-level classes. He received full academic scholarships for four years of college and two years of graduate school. He graduated from Shorter College, Rome, GA, on the dean's list for all four years, and received his MFA from the University of Georgia in 1960. He served for four years in the Georgia National Guard.
His first professional position was art instructor, Ensworth School, Nashville, TN teaching classes K-8. While in Nashville, he volunteered in many community art programs, including Cheekwood Museum, Art in Centennial Park, and was guest lecturer in art history for one year at Vanderbilt University.
He moved to New York, where he rose in the staff of Transit Advertising Association from Assistant to the President to an offer of President. He was a member of the committee for a course in advertising at the Advertising Club of New York.
In 1965, he was named Director of the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, TN, the first of three directorships over the next 33 years: Columbus (Ohio) Museum of Art, and the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, University of Florida, Gainesville, where he was Founding Director and Director Emeritus.
He was an artist, art advocate, museum director, author, educator, and community activist. During his career, he was recognized as a national museum figure with his service as Trustee and Secretary of the Association of Art Museum Directors, his participation as a reviewer in the American Association of Museum's Museums. At his retirement, he received three lifetime achievement awards from the Florida Museums Association, the Florida Museum Directors Association, and the Southeastern Museum Association.
In 1971, he received a commendation from the Tennessee Governor for his service to the Tennessee Arts Commission for his work on the Tennessee State Museum, and in 2007 he was named by Governor Phil Bredesen to a five-year term on the Tennessee Arts Commission.
During his museum career, he was responsible for major art acquisitions, and for overseeing design and construction of two major new museum buildings. He wrote numerous research and critical articles for museum catalogs and national publications.
He retired in 1997 to accompany his wife, Julia to Livingston, TN in her new role as President of the family-owned Livingston Chocolate Company, which she headed until it was sold in 2007.
In his retirement years, he devoted his energy to community beautification and economic progress. He served as President of the Livingston-Overton County Chamber of Commerce and was a permanent member of the Chamber Board of Directors., Chair of the Courthouse Square Committee, fund-raising committee for Volunteer State Community College's Livingston campus, and Livingston Planning Board. He also served on boards of the Cordell Hull Birthplace Museum, Historic Rugby, Inc., and the Upper Cumberland Arts Alliance.
He was a prolific and successful landscape painter, and exhibited his work in Ohio, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. His painting 'Sequatchie Sundown' was acquired by the Tennessee State Museum in 2001, and in 2006, Belmont University bought two of his works. He had solo exhibitions at numerous university galleries and at the Parthenon Museum in Nashville. His work is in private collections in eleven U.S. states and one foreign country.
Most recently, he served as guest curator for an exhibition at the Harn Museum for an exhibition of the personal collection of Carol and Stephen Shey, Gainesville residents, whose more than 100-piece modern art collection was formed with Bishop's advice and oversight.
In 1998, the Harn Museum's education facility was renamed the Julia and Budd Bishop Study Center, and in 2009, a major gallery in the museum was renamed the Julia C. And Budd H. Bishop Gallery.
One of Budd's great joys in life was his commitment for education. Budd was compassionate about providing opportunities for students in Overton County to attend a community college. With that, he and his wife, Julia developed the concept of 'Vol-E-Ball'. It was a gala event to support scholarships at Volunteer State Community College in Livingston. The first event was held in 2011 and ran for five consecutive years. Through Budd's efforts, there was a net total of $120,000 raised for scholarships and touched over 200 students in Overton County. Budd Also made considerable contributions to Volunteer State where the entrance to the Livingston campus is named after Budd and Julia Bishop.
One of Budd's favorite hobbies was community involvement. Budd has donated unlimited time and expertise to the community that he called home. Budd and the Downtown Revitalization Committee (DRC) oversaw the projects in the downtown, such as project touch up, landscaping, and the new Central Park that is under construction. Budd's dedication and commitment to detail will truly be missed. Budd has been a true friend to Livingston and always displayed a high quality of excellence in his work.
He is survived by his wife, Julia Crowder Bishop of Livingston; nephews, Lee Crowder & wife, Tamara of Livingston of Livingston; niece, Ellen Crowder Dyer & husband, Mark of Cookeville; great-nephews, Levi Crowder, Loren Crowder, and Ben Wardwell all of Livingston; great-niece, Isabella Crowder of Livingston; and cousins, Martha Greene, Linda Bentley, and Jenny Strickland all of Georgia.
A private service will be conducted at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Care and Maintenance Fund for Livingston Central Park by contacting Speck Funeral Home, 300 N. Church St., Livingston, TN 38570 or 931/823-1201.