This photograph by David McClister is included in "Rastlin - A Southern Survey," an exhibition at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches. The show, which documents small town wrestling in the South, will close on Saturday, Jan. 21. McClister's gallery talk at 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, will be followed by a 6 to 8 p.m. reception.

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS - David McClister, the artist behind the photograph series "Rastlin - A Southern Survey" currently on view at Stephen F. Austin State University's The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House, will deliver a 5 p.m. gallery talk on Thursday, Jan. 19.

"We invite everyone who has already viewed the exhibition and those who have not yet seen it to come hear David and to stay for the reception immediately afterwards," said Charlene Rathburn, SFA galleries director.

McClister is a Nashville-based photographer and music video director who specializes in documentary, photojournalism and celebrity portraiture. The "Rastlin" series documents small town wrestling in the South.

"There was something about this world-the sounds, the smells, the fans-the action inside and outside the ring-everything about it-fascinated me," wrote McClister in his artist statement for the exhibition.

The photos will be included in a book of the same title being released by the SFA University Press later this spring.

"Rastlin - A Southern Survey" is a joint presentation of the SFA College of Fine Arts and School of Art. It is sponsored in part by the SFA Friends of the Visual Arts and Nacogdoches Junior Forum. The exhibition will close on Saturday, Jan. 21.

The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. Regular gallery hours are 12:30 to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free. For more information, please call (936) 468-1131.