by Ani Heinig

It is not often one gets the chance to sing the praises of a friend in a public forum. Fortunately for me, 15 Bytes editor Shawn Rossiter thought I should write an article on up-and-coming artist Erin Westenskow Berrett for this month’s edition of the ezine. If you haven’t heard her name or seen her work before now, I have a feeling you soon will. A graduate of Fine Art from the University of Utah in 1998, Erin took several years away from the art world before coming back full force in 2004. Her new work began with an intricate painting of a stack of pancakes. Subtle tones and unblended strokes defined what would become the springboard of the work to come.

Inspired by the breakfast still life, Erin began a series involving food and drink — bagels, sugar cookies, fruit, martinis — even lobster and sushi. Ask Erin why the “food theme” and she will respond by telling you how artistic and creative food is in of itself. She is creating a merger of two separate arts, and deriving great joy in the process. Linked together with the food theme is the pleasure derived from a controlled environment — manipulating light and space to produce an effect of her own choosing.

Erin has been busy this year. First appearing in a Visage Studio show (March 2006), Erin went on to exhibit in the 2006 Utah Arts Festival. Unsure as to how her work would be received, Erin was happily overwhelmed by the positive response to her paintings — selling a total of 49 originals and walking away with the honor of “Best of Show.” Not bad for a girl who just recently began exhibiting! Next came the Kimball Arts Festival in Park City. Armed with new work, including various menu items, Erin again went on to sell a record number of paintings, leaving her festival booth that Sunday night all but bare.

This month you can find twenty pieces showcasing Erin’s multifaceted style on display at the Finch Lane Gallery (through Dec. 29). There you will see her work moving slightly away from the edible theme and on into new territory. Fondue pots, wine bottles, ceramic bowls and cookbooks have crept onto the canvases — themes still very much in the kitchen yet hinting at what may come next. The works are vibrant and alive in the thick brush strokes across a textured canvas. Viewing Erin’s earlier work, one can’t help but think that she is coming into her own and finding a style that serves her, as well as her subjects.

As for the next phase in her work, Erin sees the still life never completely leaving the picture. Portraits fortified with still life images, as well as industrial landscapes infused with still life caricature, are places Erin may soon visit. The narrative still life looms on her horizon. For now, I recommend the good eats you’ll find on Finch Lane. The menu is superb and you’ll recommend it to all your friends!

15 Bytes

UTAH’S ART MAGAZINE SINCE 2001, 15 Bytes is published by Artists of Utah, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.