In the May issue of 15 BYTES we reported on Painted Rock, the slab of granite turned billboard-populist art which was causing so many problems in the small community of Granite, Utah after it was buried by a local developer.  After a second city council meeting and a second survey, UDOT has reversed its decision to have the rock exhumed.  Proposals to have the rock moved to a different location have also gone unanswered.  Painted Rock has yet to rest peacefully, however.  The second survey has raised a number of questions in a community which refuses to let the isue fade away.  During the local July 4th parade T-shirts and posters in favor of the rock were sold and two parade entries dealt with the rock in a favorable light.  To learn more about the controversies surrounding the rock, read local resident Allen Bishop's letter to the Deseret News.
For more insight read Judith Burton's commentary on Painted Rock here.
 

How Does This Whole Thing Work?
A letter from the editor
How does this whole thing we are calling 15 BYTES come together?  We're not entirely sure.  It continues to baffle us every time we are able to put out an issue.  
The magazine comes about because people care about art, they care about artists, and they care about their communities. They care enough to write.  The content of the magazine is largely dependant on the contributions of volunteer (i.e. unpaid) members of the community -- our issues are a reflection of what is going on around us, what people care about.  Sometimes a theme develops within an issue, but it is rarely due to a conscious effort by the editorial board.
We hope that at the very least our pages have informed, and in their better moments possibly inspired.  We hope that they have been able to help build a sense of community and to open up at least a small window to the vast and profound possibilities for the visual arts in Utah.
We have much more that we want to do, however, and to accomplish it we need the support of the community. Most importantly we need people who are excited about something and want to write about it. The excitement comes from you, but we can help you with the writing if you are not confident of your skills. Our editorial staff is always willing to help writers and we have also teamed up with the Community Writing Center to offer more assistance. The Community Writing Center offers free assistance for writers of any level and for any type of writing.
15 BYTES is also eager to involve those interested in other areas of production, such as photography, layout, advertising, and business management. Any one interested in participating in the magazine should contact us at artistsofutah@netzero.net

And to continue producing our issues, and most importantly to improve their quality and scope, 15 BYTES needs financial support. To donate to the magazine, visit the Artists of Utah fundraising page and when you donate simply indicate "15 Bytes" as the destination of your donation.

We'd like to thank everyone for the assistance, support and encouragement over the past year and look forward to many years to come.
Shawn Rossiter  

Ogden's Art Scene
There's lots of art to see in the Ogden area this summer. Here's a small sampling:

The Eccles Art Center's annual Statewide Art Competition opens July 13. The competition, now in its 28th year, features recent works from Utah visual artists in all media (except photography, which gets its own competition). 

Gallery at the Station is showing the work of Steve Case and Ann E. Kennedy. Case, an artist, educator and sailor, works in oil, watercolor, printmaking and sculpture. Kennedy has shown her work at the Springville Art Museum, Eccles Art Center and Art Access Gallery. The exhibit will be up the entire month of July, with the opening reception on Friday, July 12th from 6pm to 8pm. Gallery at the Station is located on 2501 Wall Avenue in Ogden, and is open Monday through Saturday 10am to 5pm.

The Stuck in the Attic Group is continuing a show featuring the work of Cara Koolmees. Also, the Wilkerson Gallery, in Huntsville, is showing paintings of Doug Braithwaite, an excellent plein-air painter trained at the University of Utah.

Be sure to take in Ogden's upcoming Gallery Stroll on August Second. It is held on the first Friday of each month from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. and extends from the Eccles Art Center to Union Station.

SLC Gallery Stroll Preview
by Mariah Mellus
The Emerging Women in Art Series opens up at the Trasa Urban Arts Collective July 12th. The opening reception will run from 7pm to 10pm. This juried, all women, all media show features work by over 40 emerging female local artists. Artists in this show range from 18 to 70 years old and include many talented local women for whom  this will be their first show. The exhibit will also serve as a backdrop for two months of events which will showcase female performers in genres ranging from indie rock and drum and bass to theater and modern dance. The event will be accompanied by workshops and presentations to encourage dialogue between women artists of different communities, influences and age groups. For a schedule of the performance art and music or the workshops please call a representative of Trasa at 801-355-8977 Trasa is located at 741 S. and 400 W. Go out, support local art, Gallery Stroll is July 19th.

Utah County
CERAMIC SCULPTURE EXHIBITION AT UVSC WOODBURY GALLERY until August 24, 2002.
The UVSC Woodbury Gallery is pleased to announce a new exhibition of ceramic sculpture works from artists around the nation. The 17th Annual Ceramic Sculpture exhibition comes to Orem from the California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art (CCACA) annual meeting in Davis, CA.   Over thirty artists are represented in the exhibition, including several nationally-known sculptors. 

The exhibition is free of charge. The Gallery is located in University Mall and is accessible from an outside entrance on the south side of the building next to Nordstrom. Gallery Hours  Tuesday?Saturday 10?5:30, Wednesday 10?8.  Call (801) 426-6199 for more information about this or other upcoming exhibitions.

Southeastern Utah

HELPER ARTS FESTIVAL by Anita Robbins
The atmosphere of this festival is centered around art.  There is no carnival although there was a tattoo booth and a fortune telling booth but mostly there were potters, painters, photographers, musicains, jewelry, metal works and food.  It is a charming setting in this old silver mining boom town.  They close off the main street and set up the booths there.  The thing that adds to the festival is the Plein Air competition and this year an Acoustic Music Competition.  The prize money for the Plein Air  is: $2000 1st, $1000 2nd, $500 3rd, and $100 for 5 honorable mentions

Calender of events:
August 8   Entry form for Plein Air Competition must be turned in along with $25 fee
August 15   Plein Air Competition begins
August 16   Entertainment Opening Night
August 17 & 18 Helpers Arts Festival
Contacts:  John Jones   472-0255   Art Food and Commercial Venders CliffBergra and Brent Haddock 613-5241 472-8421 Plein Air Competition Carbon Coun. Travel Bureau  1-800-842 -0789  General Questions.