Nuha Moretz at Edison House, where she leads the Culture Club and works to build community through art and cultural programming. Image by Steve Coray.

When Nuha Moretz moved to Salt Lake City, she found herself drawn to two paths: in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, she launched an art career that had been simmering for years; and, to build a social circle in a new city, she and her husband joined Edison House, the downtown private social club. Now she’s aiming to merge those two paths.

Moretz’s father was a Yemeni diplomat and the family traveled widely for his work. Her connection to art began in high school in Tokyo, where she “spent countless hours in the art lab, and took every class possible.” But her parents encouraged a more “practical” path, and she pursued international development instead, earning a Fulbright to Ohio University. For the next two decades she worked and traveled across North and East Africa, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. “Throughout my travels, I connected with local artists, took classes and collected original pieces that touched me,” she says.

Her creative interests also found expression in interior design. After years of helping friends arrange the artwork and objects they had collected abroad, she founded Affordable Decor in Oakland, eventually bringing the business with her when the family relocated to Utah.

Painting reentered her life with intensity during the pandemic. “When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, I wasn’t able to work so I found myself painting to keep busy,” she says. “Before long, I began waking up to paint, which gave me a sense of purpose and joy.”

“Nature is at the heart of my work,” she says. Her paintings distill landscapes into essential forms—quiet horizons, muted skies, mountains, and fields—built from layered textures and restrained, earthy palettes. Her use of negative space creates balance and calm, allowing each element to settle into place while giving the viewer a sense of openness and stillness, while subtle shifts in tone and surface suggest movement in nature without ever disturbing the overall sense of quiet.

“I love abstract art because it allows me to paint freely,” she explains. “I like to use line, shape, form, colors and textures to create depth with unique layering of materials.” Alongside her paintings, she creates abstract collages from scrap paper, fabric, and other found materials, using shape, color, and texture to build small, wordless stories that invite curiosity and reflection.

Her career has continued to build over the past several years, to the point that she says this year, “I may have stretched myself a bit thin, but it’s been worth it… The growth and positive response this year have been incredibly encouraging, and I’m looking forward to an even busier and more creative year ahead.”

When Moretz and her husband moved to Salt Lake City in 2018 and they struggled at first to build a social network. But then they discovered Edison House, the private social club founded by Charlie Cardon and George Cardon-Bystry. It opened in 2022 after a four-year development process. As reported in The Salt Lake Tribune, HKS Architects designed the three-story, 30,000-square-foot building, while the interiors—velvet-lined lounges, intimate breakaway rooms, a fine-dining restaurant, a karaoke lounge, an elevated sports bar, and a rooftop pool and terrace—were created by Los Angeles–based Avenue Design.

“Being new to the area, we were hoping to find a place where we could meet people, build real connections, and feel part of a community. Edison House offered exactly that—an inspiring space full of like-minded people and so many engaging events that there’s truly never a dull moment.”

The exterior of Edison House in downtown Salt Lake City, home to the rapidly growing arts and culture programming Moretz has helped shape. Image by Steve Coray.

Programming is core to Edison House’s identity: the club’s head of member experiences is tasked with booking “one or two unique events every single day of the year.” Members of the club form committees to expand and deepen the Club’s offerings. “When I joined Edison House, I knew I wanted to create a space that celebrates the vibrant arts and culture of Utah,” she says. “Founding the Culture Club felt like a natural extension of that passion—a way to bring members together to discover, support, and experience art in meaningful and memorable ways.”

The Culture Club’s mission, she explains, is to bring people together who “appreciate the arts, value creativity, and believe in the power of culture to build bridges and strengthen community.” The club supports a wide range of programming — performing arts, visual arts, discussion-based events, and DIY/craft workshops .

In its first year, the Culture Club has become one of the most active groups at the club. “We’ve built a dynamic community of members who share a love for creativity, connection, and purpose,” Moretz says.

One of this year’s highlights was its collaboration with Friends of the Great Salt Lake. Katie Newburn, Education & Outreach Director, led members on a guided hike at Antelope Island, where they learned about the lake’s ecosystem and collected natural materials. Moretz later incorporated those materials into a painting that was auctioned to benefit the advocacy organization. “The finished piece was auctioned, with all proceeds donated to Friends of the Great Salt Lake—turning creativity into tangible support for environmental preservation,” she says.

Another notable program brought together photographer and author Steve Trimble, Outdoor Partners, and Utah Representative Doug Owens for a conversation about public lands and the ways art can influence environmental awareness. “It was powerful to see how art can open up dialogue on issues that matter,” Moretz says.

The Culture Club also regularly ventures into the city’s galleries and studios. “We visited A Gallery with Lizzie Wenger,” she says, “and toured Denis Phillips’s studio at Phillips Gallery.” These visits, she notes, give members firsthand exposure to the artists shaping Utah’s cultural landscape.

A recent collaboration with UMOCA brought artist-in-residence Nakita Shelley to the club to lead a participatory soft-sculpture workshop inspired by the Japanese art of Kinusaiga. “It was wonderful watching people explore a new medium together,” Moretz says.

Members of Edison House’s Culture Club enjoy a workshop with UMOCA artist-in-residence Nakita Shelley. Image courtesy of Nuha Moretz.

As the year closes, the Culture Club is preparing for its Holiday Market, an event that welcomes both members and guests. “It’s the perfect opportunity for members to find unique, one-of-a-kind holiday gifts while supporting the creative individuals who make our community so special,” she says. “We’ll have a beautifully diverse mix this year: original art, handmade jewelry, ceramics, woodwork, candles, and small sculptures — all created by local artisans. I think this variety will give visitors a special experience, especially knowing their purchases support our creative community.”

Moretz emphasizes that the Culture Club is a collaborative effort, shaped with her vice-chairs, Mo Reeder and Johnny Peppinger, and by the members who participate in shaping its vision. While it serves the members of the club, she feels the relationships it is building with the broader community are helping to strengthen Salt Lake City as a whole. “Together, we’ve built more than just a club—we’ve built a community inspired by art, guided by curiosity, and united by a shared love of creativity and culture.”

Holiday Market at Edison House, 335 South 200 West, Salt Lake City, Dec. 13, 12-6 pm.
Tickets must be purchased in advance. Edison House is a bar and all ticket holders must be 21+.

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.