Connie Borup, “Stick Layers,” 30 x 30 in.

How long does Connie Borup tinker with her drawing, shifting and rearranging it, erasing and starting over? Or is it possible that she is lucky enough to find these graceful, elegant lines already composed by nature’s calligraphy?

Borup’s recent work, currently on display at Phillips Gallery, continues her elaboration of nature’s quiet, overlooked details. In these pieces, she demonstrates her remarkable ability to capture moments of stillness, where water, light, and natural elements interact in subtle ways. There are no grand focal points or sweeping landscapes; instead, her attention is focused on the intricacies of line, form and the delicate interplay between organic shapes. Together, these elements create a harmonious balance that evokes a sense of calm contemplation as Borup elevates simplicity, turning the everyday into something quietly profound and extraordinary.

Guided by a desire to express her inner voice through nature’s vocabulary, Borup’s work has evolved from wide, sweeping vistas early in her career to intimate, close-up studies of natural forms. In this mature body of work, reeds, leaves, and water—particularly its translucent and reflective qualities—take center stage. Borup’s compositions, largely devoid of texture, are smooth and unembellished, ensuring there are no distractions from the simplicity and elegance of her subjects. In pieces like “Watery View” and “Stick Layers,” the crisscrossing reeds form complex, abstract networks of lines, drawing the viewer into the rhythm and structure of the natural world. Her careful layering and glazing techniques reinforce the overall stillness, permeating each work with a meditative mood. The linear elements may appear to be haphazardly arranged, as if nature itself had carelessly scattered them; yet, their meticulous balance and harmony suggest they are the result of careful study and thoughtful construction. Borup’s compositions exude intentional quietude, inviting the viewer to look closer, as if each scene holds a secret just beyond reach.

Connie Borup, “Peeking Through,” 24 x 36 in.

Connie Borup, “Violet Dream,” 30 x 40 in.

Borup’s mastery of subtle light and color variations is as compelling as her drawing. She often works in muted, soft tones, allowing delicate shifts in light and shadow to create depth and complexity. Her color fields, which often serve as the background, are not meant to reflect reality but function as spaces of contemplation, allowing the natural forms to float in serene isolation. Her works restore the subtle variation in tone the human eye is capable of sensing but which our overexposure to photography’s high contrast has taught us to unsee. The subtle kaleidoscope of blue, periwinkle and violet in pieces like “Violet Dream” and “Drifting Leaves,” creates an ethereal, dreamlike atmosphere. In “Evening Light,” we recognize the cool tones of the water’s surface that bathe the scene in quiet, understated beauty as that fleeting shade of steely indigo that arrives just before nightfall.

It is more than sufficient to enjoy Borup’s works for their impressive formal achievements, but it is also easy to find in them metaphorical associations, to view her scenes as reflections on the subtle forces that shape life. Her works are often about the unseen as much as the seen. In pieces like “Drifting Leaves,” layers beneath the water’s surface reveal themselves gradually, while in others, reeds fade into the shadows, becoming little more than silhouettes of their crooked forms. In “Peeking Through,” the subtle play of light filtering through dense foliage hints at an entire forest ecosystem beyond the immediate scene. The fragile reeds and floating leaves in her work may represent the delicate balance between strength and vulnerability, while her recurring use of water suggests fluidity and impermanence, reminding us of the constant cycles of change and renewal that define both nature and life.

Connie Borup, “Evening Light,” 40 x 52 in.

Connie Borup, Phillips Gallery, Salt Lake City, through Oct. 12

Shawn Rossiter

The founder of Artists of Utah and editor of its online magazine, 15 Bytes, Shawn Rossiter has undergraduate degrees in English, French and Italian Literature and studied Comparative Literature in graduate school before pursuing a career in art.