15 Bytes

With a gaping hole in its heart now, Sugar House is less of a draw these days than it was in the recent past when galleries, furniture & curio shops and plenty of caffeine distribution centers pulled in a variety of demographics. The demolition of the 21st South and 11th East corner was halted earlier this year when the tear down began to affect the adjacent building -- Rockwood Studios. The residents of the neighborhood are slipping into a collective malaise at the prospect of the demolition area going the way of the Redman Movies building (21st & 13th), which sat half-done for a couple of years before new owners came in and decided to finish the project. 

In the past few years, The Salt Lake Art Design Board has added a number of art projects to the area, including the sugar beets one can find at the library and in the Sugar House Commons and the fish along 21st south. Their newest public art project, funded by the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City, was announced in.

The project consists of six artist-designed benches located throughout the Business District.  Designed and fabricated by Albuquerque artist Eric Thelander, the benches have the appearance of plush patio furniture but are actually cast concrete. They are meant to evoke  Sugar House’s long history of furniture stores, both new and second-hand, but considering the material one can't help wonder if the benches won't make residents and visitors think more of the "hard" times the neighborhood is going through right now.

 

Has anyone out there actually sat on these benches? And are they as cold and uncomfortable as they appear?

Posted by Extra! Extra! at 04:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At the Utah Cultural Alliance's April Culture Bytes, a panel of fundraising experts from the community discussed Successful Silent Auctions and Planning Ettiquette. Local artist Steve Sheffield, who has served on the boards of Art Access and Community Nursing Services (Art & Soup) and helped with their fundraising events, participated in the discussion as both an organizer and an artist. We have included below an audio clip of Steve and panel members discussing the relationship between these events and local artists.

Artists&Auctions.mp3

You can hear the full audio of the discussion by going to the Cultural Alliance website and clicking "Culture Bytes." The Utah Cultural Alliance (UCA) is a coalition of individuals and organizations. Their mission is to serve and strengthen the cultural community through advocacy, member services and networking.  Artists of Utah is a member of the Utah Cultural Alliance and encourages individual artists and arts organization to consider joining. Individual membership for artists is $25.  If individual artists join the Cultural Alliance in 2008, Artists of Utah provide them with a free listing in our Artist Directories ($15 value). For UCA membership info: http://www.utahculturalalliance.org/get_involved.html

 

For info on listings in our Artist Directories go to: http://main.artistsofutah.org/modules.php?name=FAQ&myfaq=yes&id_cat=3&categories=FAQs

Posted by Extra! Extra! at 03:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Tuesday we mentioned Julie Checkoway, new features writer for the Salt Lake Tribune, who was kind enough to write an article on Artists of Utah and 15 Bytes. Checkoway has worn a number of hats in her career. She was director for the Creative Writing program at the University of Houston, has written two books, and been a radio reporter for NPR's Morning Edition and This American Life. Her most recent project is the documentary Waiting for Hockney, her first film. The story profiles artist Billy Pappas, who spent 10 years of his life creating an minutely rendered portrait of Marilyn Monroe and his search to show the work to David Hockney.

Yesterday, Doug Fabrizio interviewed Julie on Radio West. Listen to an mp3 broadcast of the interview here.

Waiting for Hockney premieres next Thursday, April 24th at 7:30 p.m. at the Tribeca Film Festival

 

Trailer for Waiting for Hockney

Posted by Extra! Extra! at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Videos of the destruction of the 337 Project building have popped up on the web on the past couple of weeks. Here's a timelapse video of the destruction posted on YouTube by The Dada Factory.
And here's a link to a slower, close-up shot of the destruction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHoA4AdInbA

Posted by Extra! Extra! at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Salt Lake Tribune has a new reporter for the visual arts in Utah. Since Christy Karras left the paper more than a year ago, Culture Vulture Brandon Griggs added visual arts coverage to his already full plate. Recently, however, the Tribune hired Julie Checkoway, a novelist, radio reporter and director of the documentary Waiting for Hockney.

Julie is an energetic and curious writer who knows just the right story to write. And were not saying that just because she has written about 15 Bytes. Really we're not. But now that we've mentioned it . . .

 
Shawn Rossiter works on laptop in his living room that he converted into a temporary art gallery. (Al Hartmann/The Salt Lake Tribune )

Julie's article A Force For Art, on Artists of Utah, 15 Bytes and editor and founder Shawn Rossiter, appeared in the Living section of the Tribune today, complete with links to the websites. In the article, Rossiter is described as being "like a rock star" but he's not so sure. "My collection of sunglasses is very limited and, besides, no one has actually posted comments, for good or ill, on the article. How much of a rock start can I be if I don't stir people to comment?"

Posting a comment to the article (go here) certainly wouldn't hurt 15 Bytes and AoU as far as publicity is concerned. What it will do for Rossiter's ego is an unfortunate side effect.

To donate sunglasses, contact Shawn at shawn@shawnrossiter.com

Artwork included in the Trib images include paintings by Jimmy Lucero and a woodblock print by Stefanie Dykes.

Posted by Extra! Extra! at 09:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Scene from Provo:  Mike John Kelly's “Re-Mix” At Mode Boutique Through the End of April
by Ehren Clark
 
One might call Mike John Kelly a Post-neo-conceptualist-abstract-expressionist. Kelly’s multidimensional abstract canvases are explorations of his personal philosophy, learning and experience and are a road to self-discovery.  At 33, the Salt Lake-based artist has had a long and profound journey, unraveling the inner-workings of himself and the inner-workings of his art -- not vice-versa.  “My art,” says Kelly, “references something outside of myself and that thing is my heart . . . Abstraction itself is inadequate of what I do, but they are pictures of what I understand.” 

Kelly’s compositions generally begin as brightly- colored abstract canvas that are gradually covered over by sheets of clear industrial plastic, layer by layer, composition upon composition, going from the vivid to the more subdued.  “The first tends to be really busy.  I usually have to paint out to get what I have to express.”  This is a psychological process not dissimilar to Surrealist automatism; a free flow exercise of painting and drawing to access the psyche.
Abstract Expressionism, the ground-breaking conceptualism of the 60’s and  80’s Neo-expressionism are all part of Kelly’s inspired drive to good abstract work. “What they did is part of my pedigree, but the reality is that we live in a re-mix mash-up culture.  Artists are reorganizing our culture into new works with heavy amounts of nostalgia.”  

Kelly rejects overtly Pop references.  As an artist from the west coast, his paintings, as the Pop were not, are abstractions where he is free to explore “a reflection of my personality.  I paint about what I know and what is happening in my life.”  This connection to his work is a process, something that emerges from piece to piece, and is a documentary reference to Kelly’s experience
 
Such psychological explorations of the self, resonate in form visually with the works of Motherwell, Lewis, Frankenthaller, Krasner, Buren, and Basquiat.  However the differences between these artists and Kelly could not be more relevant to abstraction of today.  Kelly rejects Greenburgian arguments for purity and formalism found in the artists mentioned, painting the object for its own sake and rejecting the subjectivity of both painting and viewer. As Kelly states;  “Abstraction means it is self contained -- our brain does not work that way-we are not robots.”  
 
Working in the Post-modern environment, Kelly is free to express his psychology and the life that he imbues into his paint, something that would make Greenberg turn in his grave.  Kelly’s work allows, as should all good abstract painting today, an open dialogue between painter and viewer. The artist is not afraid to open up -- put himself “out there” and let his art speak.  The viewer will likely not know Kelly’s psychological journey, but like with a painting by Rothko, they will have an engrossing experience, seeing layer upon obscured layer of color and pattern stimulating thought and feeling, a synthesis with the painting and self -- abstraction’s greatest gift.

Mike John Kelly's works will be on display at Mode Boutique (45 N. University Ave Provo, UT)
through the month of April.

Posted by Extra! Extra! at 09:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Our February edition of 15 Bytes featured an article on the Salt Lake Art Center's search for a new director; a search that is moving forward with possible candidates for the position being identified by the Art Center.

One such candidate is Heather Ferrell, current Executive Director and Curator at the Salina Art Center in Salina, Kansas. The Salt Lake Art Center is inviting the arts community to meet Ms. Ferrell at a pre-Gallery Stroll reception, Friday, April 18 from 5 to 6:30 pm.

Ms. Ferrell received a BFA in Art and a BA in Liberal Arts from Utah State University and an MA in Art History and Museum Studies from the Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. She has served as the Associate Curator of Art at the Boise Art Museum in Iaho, an in 1995 served as an Assistant on the Community State Partnership Program and Visual Arts Program at the Utah Arts Council.

Light refreshments will be served at the reception. Please RSVP to Kate Ithurrale at 328-4201 or katei@slartcenter.org by Wednesday, April 16. The Salt Lake Art Center is located at 20 South West Temple.

Posted by Extra! Extra! at 01:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Meyer Gallery announced last week that Tom Cushman has taken the position as the gallery's new Director.  Tom has a background in fine art sales in Park City, as well as an Olympic speed skating career as a coach and past Olympian.

Posted by Extra! Extra! at 07:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In our April 2008 edition of 15 Bytes we featured a remembrance of the late Bill Seifrit. Because a number of you have written us to thank us for the post and to share your own memories of Bill, we have decided to open this post as a way for the community to share their own thoughts. We'll begin the memories with some thoughts from Vern Swanson that arrived to us too late for publication.

"The one thing that Bill was serious about was having fun with Utah art.  He worked hard at researching, studying, collecting, talking, and sharing anything he had on the art of our state.  He wouldn’t accept money for the work of a hundred hours, but if it was for the good of Utah art, it was given away free.  His original source work was the foundational basis upon which Bob Olpin and I were able to do so much of our work.  We relied on his information to give credence to our own research.  We leaned upon him, a lot.  While Bill liked me, he loved Bob, and their friendship was a pleasure to watch. I think that Bob’s death really took the wind out of him.  His death was in some ways easier than most, I think it was because of the Karma he received from taking care of his partner Jan the last years of her life.

Bill always felt that I was too ‘hyper’ and would often say that I 'Hadn’t taken my meds today.'

Posted by Extra! Extra! at 07:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ten years ago this month, Salt Lake City artist Shawn Rossiter caused a minor stir (and probably one or two fender benders) in his Sugar House neighborhood when he hung a 4' x 8' abstract painting in primary colors in front of his house on 13th East. He also hung a long sign that read "shawnrossiter.com" [which the city eventually suggested he take down]. With the thousands of people that passed by the painting everyday, Rossiter says he achieved a sort of notoriety.

"For years after it was taken down, when I would introduce myself to people they would often say, 'Aren't you that guy . . .' referring to the painting and the sign. Others would say, 'Hmm, Shawn Rossiter, I've heard that name.' It was probably because of that one notorious painting rather than my reputation as a professional artist, but I decided not to enlighten them."

The painting eventually succombed to the elements and was taken down in 2003. Now, to mark the ten-year anniversay, Rossiter says a new painting will be going up. "I put that first painting up when I was just starting out. I had my "Coming Out of the Studio" show -- the first time I showed my work -- the next month. I was doing a lot of guerilla marketing. It was a lot of fun to throw out a sign that read "Art Sale" on a Saturday and watch people wander in off the street. I remember Francis Zimbeaux came in one day and talked to me because he saw the sign."

"But then, I started becoming a 'professional' and the guerilla shows waned. But so did some of the fun."

Rossiter is having an old fashioned Guerilla Art Show this weekend (Friday and Saturday). He started inviting a few artists and says quickly the thing mushroomed to the point that now there will be work from seven living artists as well as some of the "old dead guys."

And there may be some fender benders as well. Yesterday, Trent Alvey and Jim Frazer came to his place and they worked on a new painting, which will go up on the outside of the house today.

So, on your homeward commute this afternoon, if, out of the corner of your eye you catch sight of the new oddity on 13th East, be sure to keep an eye on the cars in front of you. But if you find yourself stuck in traffic, Rossiter suggests you stop in and check out the art until the traffic dies down.

THE SHOW HAS BEEN EXTENDED. Information on the Guerilla Art Show can be found at: http://www.guerillaartshow.com

Posted by Extra! Extra! at 08:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

KUER has published an audio clip of a news story by Jennifer Napier-Pierce on the 337 Project, including interviews with artist Tessa Lindsay, Adam and Dessi Price and councilman Simon Sorensen.
You can find the clip here.

Our own story on the 337 Project can be found on page 6 of this month's edition.

Posted by Extra! Extra! at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)