Recently deceased Utah artists remembered by their friends and colleagues, published in 15 Bytes, Utah’s art magazine.
John O’Connell came to painting late, but spent the rest of his life making up for lost time. He died June 14, after more than two decades as associate professor of Painting and Drawing at the University of Utah. He was 64. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, O’Connell grew […]
Some might know Gretchen Reynolds as Paul Reynolds’ wife. She and Paul were definitely a dynamic duo and she was every bit a shooting star, just in more unconventional ways. I had the chance to meet Gretchen around 2012 when Kristina Lenzi introduced us. They had the idea […]
Nationally and internationally renowned researcher, potter, and beloved educator John Childs Neely IV passed away at his home in Logan, Utah on Sunday, June 1. He was 71. His colleague, Massachusetts-based studio ceramicist Christopher Gustin, described Neely as “an ambassador who traveled the world passing on his knowledge […]
Deral Barton’s artistic journey spanned everything from Pop Art-inspired paintings to custom leather designs and hand-lettered signage. A fixture in Salt Lake City’s creative scene, Barton’s influence extended from the early days of Phillips Gallery to his counterculture leather shop that became a hub for artists and musicians. His versatile career blended fine art, fashion, and commercial design, leaving a lasting mark on Utah’s cultural landscape. As we remember Barton’s life and work, we reflect on his passion for creativity, craftsmanship, and community. Read more about Barton’s remarkable career and enduring influence.
Earl Jones, an influential artist known for his deep love of mountains and the human form, passed away Aug. 25, 2024 at age 87 after a remarkable life and career. His works, often described as poetic and unabashed, conveyed his vision of nature’s power and human vulnerability, themes […]
Claudia Sisemore, a distinguished teacher, artist, and filmmaker, passed away on Aug. 9 at the age of 86, leaving behind a profound legacy that shaped the lives of many within Utah’s art community. Known for her charismatic presence, creative spirit, and deep dedication to the arts, Sisemore’s influence […]
Darl Thomas, a celebrated metal sculptor, passed away on June 5, 2024, at the age of 74, in his Salt Lake City home. Known for his unique and impeccably crafted metal sculptures, Thomas leaves behind a legacy marked by creativity, precision, and a deep connection to both his […]
Bené Arnold, a seminal figure in Utah’s dance community and Ballet West’s first Ballet Mistress, passed away on January 25, 2024, at the age of 88. Arnold’s legacy is marked by her significant influence in shaping the careers of countless dancers at Ballet West and the University of […]
A prominent figure in the Utah art world and a dedicated faculty member at the University of Utah College of Fine Arts, Sam Wilson leaves behind a rich legacy characterized by his unique blend of passion, innovation, and commitment to authenticity in art. He passed away Monday, Nov. […]
One memory of my friend Tony Smith, who died this past Thanksgiving Day, was his penchant for wearing T-shirts. Ever confident in himself, he wasn’t one to hide the paunch such apparel revealed, even emphasizing the tummy bump in drawings of himself — attire as satire. I […]
Clayton Williams was a firm believer in himself and in the American Dream. “He did everything he wanted to do,” says his son, actor and director Stephen Williams. “He never thought that he could not do anything.” The realm of possibilities included becoming, at age 60, a successful […]
A gallerist who helped build Salt Lake City’s thriving art scene, Dolores Chase died on April 18, 2023. As her obituary states, Chase was “passionate about poetry, the visual arts, roses, the ocean, and politics.” Chase, who grew up in Berkeley, spent three years in Europe before completing […]
Can anyone be an artist? Harold D. (“Pete”) Petersen seemed to believe so. In 1993 he and son Mark founded the Petersen Art Center in Sugar House to nurture and shape artistic dexterity. The new Dictionary of Utah Fine Artists describes him as, “a talented watercolorist and art […]
Vicki Acoba was a well-known fixture in the Utah arts community, especially noted for her small porcelain teapots. She regularly sold out her stock at the Avenues Street Fair, Utah Art Market, Holladay Blue Moon Festival and various galleries along the Wasatch Front – a fact which always […]
Nestled away from the sounds of the city, an art studio sits in Ogden’s foothills. To the average eye, it masks itself as a beautiful house, with architecture unlike others in the area. The studio was designed and built by the artist who works in it, Paul Butler. […]
Thomas Brewster Kass, 85, “an artist, a friend, a mentor,” according to architect Kenneth R. Pollard, passed away early Tuesday morning, the 26th of July 2022. “He was a brilliant teacher who touched many and made people see the color of the day,” Pollard says Born in Rochester, […]
John Hess, 83, was reportedly a patient sort, a mandatory virtue in a successful weaver or, as he put it, “a mixed media textile artist, concentrating on folded, double woven cotton reliefs.” He died Friday night, July 15, at a cousin’s home, of causes related to age, after having […]
There will be no funeral for Gary Max Collins, a prolific Utah painter who made his career from art for five decades. A celebration of life, a chance to share stories? Maybe, at a later date, as he directed in the obituary he prepared for himself, where he […]
A quiet man with a sincere smile and a great handshake, Sam Stewart was a wizard financier, admittedly “hooked” on stocks but unattached to money itself. Instead, he gloried in what he could make money do for nonprofit organizations, to aid museums and change the lives of artists, to further […]
