Artist Profile: SLC
John Moore:
Animal Action Artist
by Lisa Scopes Oliver
photos by Steve Coray
Standing beneath the life-sized drawing of an Allosaur and her
young displayed along one wall of the Utah Museum of Natural History’s
Dinosaur Tales Exhibit, the viewer is not only awed by the complete realism
and preciseness of this image, but also by the absolute strength and
grace it exudes. Though it is rendered in black and white only, the drawing
seems to come alive with power and movement. And that is exactly what
its creator, wildlife action artist John W. Moore wishes it to convey.
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Strength, power and the grace of animal movement are Moore’s forte
and a passion he has been committed to for most of his life. A
man with a camera's eye for realism in form, Moore's Allosaurs, Stegosaurs
and Ceratosaurs reflect his consummate attention to detail in every aspect
of his illustrations.
Hundreds of hours went into the creation of these pieces, as Moore
collaborated with museum curators to establish the authenticity of the
reptiles’ representations. However, the postural activity the creatures
are engaged in is largely the result of Moore's own imaginative talent
and seemingly innate knowledge of animal form, along with his extensive
research on what is known regarding the species.
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Public Issues: American Fork
Have You Seen This Painting?
Utah County artist Stewart Anstead has learned the hard way that nothing
in life is free.
Like wall space.
Like many artists, Anstead took advantage of empty wall space in
the building where his studio is located to hang some of his artwork.
His fellow tenants were happy with the arrangement and Anstead had an
opportunity to display some of his artwork, free of charge.
But when one of his paintings was stolen this past week, Anstead
began
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to reconsider just how "free" that wall space was. It may have cost
him a painting.
Anstead is now searching
Ebay to see if his painting appears for sale, and asking friends and fellow
artists to keep an eye out for it.
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Exhibition Review:
Ephraim
Brian Christensen in Ephraim
Provo sculptor explores perception
by Jennifer
Davis
To take
a walk in someone else's moccasins is a strategy that encourages seeing
things from a different point of view or perception.
Brian Christensen, an associate professor at Brigham Young University,
focuses on perception in his latest series of sculptures, which are now
on display at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah.
"We perceive ourselves
to need certain things, or to want certain things, which are not necessarily
based on reality, but rather social conditioning," Christensen says.
"We think we need SUVs and a certain kind of home and neighborhood."
Christensen's latest work is based Cicero's fable
The Sword of Damocles. Cicero tells the story of a Sicilian
king turned tyrant, and a servant, Damocles, who envies the tyrant's lifestyle.
To teach Damocles the true nature of his life, the tyrant allows Damocles
to live his luxurious lifestyle. He is brought to the palace and treated
like a king. Resting on soft cushions, Damocles is offered fine wine and
exotic foods. He enjoys himself until he happens to glance up, where he
sees a sharp sword, pointed directly at his head, dangling from a single
horsehair. Damocles quickly realizes that the tyrant's life is constantly
under the threat of death, and is not as splendid as it appears to be. The
moral of the story is to not judge someone until perception is clear.
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