A Painting, a Panther, and a Passion

In this “artifact spotlight” Museum Director Amanda Townsend will explore the history behind Phil Fisher’s large-scale oil painting of Jim McMullen’s beloved panther, Tracker. A gift to the museum from William Payne in 1996, the painting is an entrance to the fascinating story of Jim and Phil and their efforts to save the Florida panther at a time when biologists estimated less than 30 of the big cats remained in the wild.