Utah Visual Arts articles published in 15 Bytes, arranged by category.
In the past, many artists and art critics dismissed pastel as messy, unstable, and useful only for sketching. But a revival of passionate painters with improved techniques has fostered a different perspective, establishing pastel’s reputation as a medium equally worthy of assessment, appreciation, and exhibition space. Curator Kathy […]
Emma Lou Thayne, beloved Mormon poet, English teacher and essayist, died earlier this month of congestive heart failure at age 90. Casualene Meyer, who recently interviewed Thayne, files this memorial for 15 Bytes. * “Out of my life of being loved and encouraged, lavished with kindness and understanding, […]
For intermedia artists, installing a show is never a simple task. Where for artists working in more traditional media might simply ship the work off to a curator to install, for artists working with sound, light and moving parts, installation is not an afterthought, but part of the […]
In Giorgione’s enigmatic “The Tempest,” probably the most famous image of lightning in art, an electric blue bolt slices open a stormy cloudscape, dividing the landscape in two. It’s title alerts us to look for visual contrasts and symbolic conflicts, appropriate and easily found in a work done […]
In the contemporary mode, portraiture should and does explore the extremities of the subject, to the extent that the content of the portrait is no longer the subject alone, but expands to speak on an expository, universal level, addressing relevant truths and unique ontological states of being. Such […]
It was not my intention to buy myself a gift. I already own a Meredith Franck original, purchased many years ago. I simply wanted to interview her and write about her newest designs, influenced by her interest in abstract art. But there’s something magical about walking down the […]
Throughout history, when the vast majority of the populace was illiterate, the visual arts have been used to tell the stories and express the aspirations of religious and spiritual communities around the world. The arts could be a tool of enlightenment but also a tool of control, used […]
Another Language Performing Arts Company’s latest project Ghost Town is currently in development but is already generating excitement in artists across a number of disciplines. Ghost Town is a crowd-sourced, online event involving artistic work inspired by Utah ghost towns and will be unveiled in 2015 as the company’s signature project marking […]
Sculptor Joe Norman returns to Utah this month with an exhibit of works at Park City’s Gallery MAR that marks a shift from practical to theoretical concerns. Norman first came to our attention in 2009, when he was selected for that year’s iteration of the 35×35exhibition, Artists of […]
Grant Fuhst had an idea. He and his wife love attending Plan-B Theatre in Salt Lake City, so last year he asked the company’s director, Jerry Rapier, if he would be willing to provide season tickets if Fuhst agreed to design the playbills for the company’s 2014-15 season. […]
The Kimball Art Center in Park City, Utah is the recipient of a traveling exhibition composed of over 130 drawings, sculptures, collages, photographs and original artworks by the world famous husband and wife artistic team Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Initially organized by the Sonoma County Museum in Santa Rosa, […]
Ever since Magritte declared “Ceci n’est pas une pipe,” artists have had their tongues planted firmly in cheek. This is Paul Davis’ playground. In an exhibition of new work at Modern West Fine Art in Salt Lake City, Davis shows perhaps a little bit of rebellion in this […]
On the radio recently, another self-proclaimed expert predicted confidently that from this day forward, the printing of maps would cease. Instead, from now on we will all find our way using the GPS-linked apps on our cell phones. An alternative future he unconsciously conjured, though, was of society […]
Do you find the three hours of gallery stroll isn’t enough for your monthly fix of art? Well, head to the UMFA for a pre-stroll, check out the great UMFA faculty show and get your art on early. The Salt Lake Gallery Stroll and the Utah Museum of […]
When November rolls around we’re always eager to find shows that aren’t the small works, group show, perfect for holiday gift-giving type of thing. So our thanks to Mountain West Fine Art which, instead of following the normal formula, is featuring a solo exhibition by Teasdale artist […]
Water is one of art’s great subjects, and why not? One of four indispensable elements known to the Greeks, it’s the one that comes closest to being unique to our planet. Water makes life possible, but also shapes and even transports it. We know far more about water […]
What is a “medicine man?” He is not a shaman, often associated with personal gain; he is not a witch doctor, associated with witchcraft. He is a traditional healer and spiritual leader among Native Americans who secures the help of the spirit world, including the Great Spirit, for […]
Salt Lake City artist and architect Anna Campbell Bliss just got a fine surprise: a major honor is coming her way in December when the Inter-Society Color Council (ISCC) presents her with its 2015 Godlove Award. It is the most prestigious award bestowed by the Council and celebrates […]
Blanche Wilson may be the oldest working artist in Utah. As she prepares to celebrate her 92nd birthday this month, she’s busy taking down a show at Weber State and moving into a new home in Orem where she’s setting up a printmaking studio. And since she suffers […]
