St. Petersburg museum exhibit highlights gay rodeo life

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Blake Little has photographed actors Steve Carell, Charlie Hunnam and Chris Pine. His work has been featured in magazines and museums all over the world; and now, one of his exhibits is here in St. Petersburg.

Little is sought after in the entertainment and advertising world for his keen photographer's eye, but one project he shot in the late 80s truly captured his heart.

"In the 80s he attended a gay rodeo and he just got hooked on the culture," shared Emily Kapes.

Kapes is the curator of art at the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art in St. Petersburg.

The museum is hosting a special exhibit ‘Blake Little: Photographs from the Gay Rodeo’.

"These black and white photographs have been traveling around the country for the last few years highlighting the gay rodeo community," said Kapes, "As a photographer, he also became a competitor in the rodeo."

The photographs give a look inside the very active life of the rodeo, as well as the refuge that it provided for competitors that were cast out from the traditional western rodeo circuit.

"Traditional rodeo didn't always welcome gay rodeo participants, and so these competitors started their own," Kapes explained. "They have an amazing community that still is active today."

The James Museum will feature the exhibit through February 14, 2021.

Click here for more information about the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art.

Learn more about the Blake Little exhibit here.

To plan a visit to the museum go to https://jamesmuseum.org/visit/ and follow the instructions for purchasing tickets and reserving time for your visit.