Artists of Utah News
A Look Forward and a Look Back
 | The Board
of Directors of Artists of Utah has appointed Nance Thunell as their new
chairperson. Thunell comes to this position with years of experience
in the visual arts, including eleven years as an art consultant with Phillips
Gallery and five years as the City of Hope's Chairperson for the Art for Hope Event. Shawn Rossiter, the previous chairperson,
has stepped down for personal reasons but will continue activity in the
organization as its executive director. |
 Artists of Utah is getting back to its roots. Two years ago, the seed for Artists of Utah was planted at
the Sugar House Street Festial. It was there that founder Shawn Rossiter made his first
attempts to create a visual arts community organization by distributing
fliers at the Street Festival on July 4th. The first edition
of 15 BYTES, which came out a couple of weeks later, featured an article
on the Street Festival. At this year's July 4th Sugar House Street Festival you'll find an
Artists of Utah booth, with printed editions of 15 BYTES and the new "Do You Get It?" 15 BYTES
T-shirts. Come get a T-shirt, check out some of our new features and help spread the word. T-shirts will be $15. To pre-order and secure your size, email us at artistsofutah@netzero.net.
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Mixed Media:
Recent Visual Arts Articles
5/8 Portrait of an Artist's Haven
5/9 Pride Art Show Flier Causes Controversy
5/12 Provo artist hunts for time to paint
5/21 Axing Art
5/25
Artistic influence: Six artists come together
for a show at BYU
5/29 'Tll Death Do Us Art: Ric & Marcee Blackerby
5/29 School of Hard Knocks: Edward Hopper . . .
6/1 An American art movement
6/15 Sandy aims to move ahead with an indoor arts facility.
6/12 Sale of Myself:
Artist Jonathan Weisblatt attempts a minimalist Self Portrait.
6/15 Arts Fest Looking Up.
6/15 Desert painter responds with color.
Jon Johnson Does His Thing
Salt Lake City artist Jon Johnson will be demonstrating his technique
during June's Gallery Stroll.
Johnson, who paints in oil and acrylic, will be demonstrating
his technique at A Gallery
, where a number of his works will be on display.
Johnson uses brushes, sticks and found objects for mark making,
and paints "nearby objects found while eating breakfast or performing
other mundane activities."
Free and open to the public from 6 - 8pm June 20th at 4878 So.
Highland Dr., SLC.
Artist Workshop -- Logan
Arnold Friberg
Arnold Friberg
is well known in Utah because of his Book of Mormon paintings, reproduced
in millions of the blue paperback editions of the LDS Church's
Book of Mormon. Friberg's large muscular figures depicting persons
from the book's account of a group of Israelites relocated in the pre-Colombian
Americas entered the Mormon consciousness in the seventies and eighties.
Friberg has also entered the national consciousness.
His most famous image is probably "The Prayer at Valley Forge,"
a painting that depicts George Washington in prayer next to
his horse. He is also well-known because his
original paintings were used to design the set for Cecil B. DeMille's
motion picture "The Ten Commandments."
Friberg will be bringing these latter works with him
when he presents a lecture at Logan's Paint Utah on Monday, July
14th at 2:00 pm. It will take place in the historic Ellen Eccles Theater
in down town Logan.
At 7:00 PM, Mr. Friberg will personally introduce a showing of "The
Ten Commandments" on the big screen at the theater. A repeat
showing of the movie will be Friday, July 18th at 1:00 PM.
The movie showings are sponsored by the "Utah Festival Opera."
Tickets are available by calling the EET BOX OFFICE at:
435 7520-0026 ex 14
The 2:00 PM lecture is reserve seating, prices are $8.50
$11.50 and $13.50
The movie tickets are general admission, price is $6.00
Call Michael Bingham for more information: 435 750-5066
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Artist Profile: Ogden
Kunz . . . continued from page 6
CORAY: Is it ever a negative to be working in the studio together?
KUNZ: Not for me.
COOK: There are so many benefits
to having a studio partner. Sharing paints, canvas, keeping
the ball rolling. I mean, this is her frame here. We're going to
take it off my piece and put it on hers. That's wonderful.
ROSSITER: Okay, so do you guys ever tell
each other "That's crap!"
KUNZ & COOK: (simultaneously)
Yeah.
KUNZ: He tries to do it
easy, but we know each other so well that all he has to do is give
me a look and I know he doesn't like it.
ROSSITER: He's not able
to pull punches?
KUNZ: Yeah. He knows
what works or doesn't work and I can see it in him. And I think
you (to Cook) know too -- without me saying something -- when
something isn't working.
COOK: What are you saying?
You don't like some of my stuff?
ROSSITER: How do you feel about
changing your stuff, Shanna? Have you marketed yourself as
a watercolor painter?
KUNZ: I think that I've
been marketed as an image and not specifically as a watercolorist.
ROSSITER: The stream
with the pines and . . .
KUNZ: Yeah, this year.
But last year it was the cottonwoods. No, I just think there's
a feeling about them. They're uneventful. They're quiet.
They're quiet pieces.
It's weird because my life
is total chaos. I have six teenagers at my house all the time.
I have nine step-grandchildren and any of them can be at
my house anytime; and then family, sisters, nieces, nephews.
My house is destroyed usually because I'm getting ready for a
show and there are paintings everywhere. Total chaos. And you don't
see that in the paintings. They must be therapy.
ROSSITER: As you're working,
do you keep an audience in mind?
KUNZ: No (immediately,
and then, almost as quickly). . . . Maybe my dad.
ROSSITER: Because that's
who you go camping with?
KUNZ: Yeah. That's who
matters the most to me. These are places my dad used to take
us fishing to all the time.
ROSSITER: So is
dad happy? Is he proud?
KUNZ: Oh yeah.
(beaming)
(Exeunt all four artists,
stomachs growling. Works by Kunz & Cook intermingle
on the gallery floor. Dismayed staff enter to find the
artists gone.)
Scene Two: nearby cafe, artists continue the conversation
. . .
Shanna Kunz's work will be strutting itself across the Eccles
Community Art Center's stage through June 28th.
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Mariah Mann's SLC Gallery Stroll Preview
You Be The Critic
Following is information about some of what will be
happening at this month's Gallery Stroll -- Friday, June 20th.
Now, keep in mind, I'm no art critic. I want that to be perfectly
clear. I write a PREVIEW of the shows you can see during the local
Gallery Stroll. So get out and take it all in. Then YOU can be the
critic.
All galleries open from 6pm to 9pm.
Walk of Shame Studio, located at 251 West Pierpont Avenue, welcomes
the never before seen POP ROCK series, a unique look at popular
culture and the art it has inspired. From Andy Warhol to Walt Disney,
local artist Derek Dyer
explores the American Art Icons. Some of the subjects
featured will include Superman, Tinkerbell, David Bowie, Andy Warhol,
George Bush, Homer Simpson and Scooby Doo.
Art Access II, located at 339 West Pierpont Avenue,
has a special showing for Iraqi artist Kathem Alhamdani. Born in
the city of Basrah, in Southern Iraq, Kathem began drawing at the
early age of five. He was only ten when the war between Iraq and
Iran broke out. Kathem has since fled Iraq and Saddam's regime.
Seeking a life where the arts were respected, Kathem believed that
America was the best destination. He arrived in the United States in
June of 2002. Kathem's paintings and drawing will be on display at
Art Access II from June 9th until July 13th .
The Rio Gallery, located at 310 S. Rio Grande
(which is 455 West), is pleased to announce the first
annual tribute to Design in Utah. This exhibition highlights
the work of nine Utah designers working in various design fields.
This show will run from June 9th through July 3rd.
Phillips Gallery
, located at 444 East and 200 South, presents Lee Deffebach.
Lee paints with brushes, rollers, and even squeegees. She paints
in oil, acrylic, watercolor, spray, enamel, and painter's ink.
Lee uses canvas, paper, plastic, wood, tin and aluminum, shaped
surfaces and found objects. According to Lee, "I always wanted to
be an artist, and so I have never had a choice in the matter." If
you have ever wanted to be an artist, Lee's work can show you so
many mediums that maybe one will fit you. With so many different
styles, how could you not be interested in this show? On display from
Wednesday June 18th from 5-7pm for an artist reception and again for
Gallery Stroll June 20th from 6-9pm. The show will remain at Phillip's
Gallery until July 11th.Read an interview w/Dave Gagon.
The Artspace Forum Gallery, located at 511 West 200 South,
will be hosting local artist Trent Thursby Alvey. See the
15 BYTES article page1
.
As always this is just a quick guide to the Gallery
Stroll intended to whet your appetite. We don't have room to
mention everything but we are always looking to promote local art.
If you would like to inform us about an up coming show please email
me at
mariahm@worldstrides.com
SUPPORT LOCAL ART!!!!!
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