{"id":21693,"date":"2005-11-03T14:47:02","date_gmt":"2005-11-03T20:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/?p=21693"},"modified":"2020-04-15T19:21:33","modified_gmt":"2020-04-16T01:21:33","slug":"ruth-lubbers-the-art-of-vision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/ruth-lubbers-the-art-of-vision\/","title":{"rendered":"Ruth Lubbers: The Art of Vision"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nRuth Lubbers and her family joke about the westward progression of their moves, (including New Jersey, Ohio, and Michigan) but for nearly 25 years now they have lived in Salt Lake City. To hear Ruth talk about the Salt Lake arts community and her role in building that community, you know that she has arrived in the right place.<\/p>\n

As Executive Director of VSA arts of Utah and its Art Access Gallery, tucked into warehouse space on Pierpont Avenue, Ruth\u2019s vision touches and enriches the Utah art scene in many ways. That vision is manifest in the many VSA programs that bring together professional artists, artists with disabilities, and an admiring public, making art accessible for the whole community.<\/p>\n

A Risk Taker<\/b>
\nRuth, her husband Bruce, and children Mark and Sarah, were living in Michigan in 1980. Ruth was immersed in what she thought was a life-long career as the fine arts coordinator for 12 school districts in her county. But when Bruce, a school principal, suddenly came home and announced he had an opportunity to change careers and work in Utah, they surprised all their friends by jumping at the chance. Within three weeks their house was on the market and they were headed west.<\/p>\n

Ruth agreed not to work for their first year in Utah in order to help her children settle into their new community. Her year off turned into ten, but it was time well spent, for it was during that period that she became acquainted with many people working in the arts community. New friendships turned into working relationships when Ruth, Lila Abersold, Marcia Price, and Ernest Muth founded the non-profit Retrospective Inc., which mounted shows for some of Utah\u2019s major artists \u2013 Lee Deffebach, Avard Fairbanks, and Francis Zimbeaux.<\/p>\n

When Ruth had the opportunity to join VSA arts of Utah and Art Access in 1993, it was a perfect match. The mission of the organization \u2013 to serve a diverse community –, including those with disabilities — in an inclusive way, resonated with Ruth. Her son, Mark, had been born with brain damage, and Ruth was well acquainted with arts programs for disabled children. She had noticed, however, that there were few arts programs for young adults or older adults with disabilities. This was an important niche for Art Access to fill.<\/p>\n

Accessible Art<\/b>
\nArt Access programs offer something for everyone in the community \u2013 professional artists, people with disabilities, those with HIV\/AIDS, teens and children, and art enthusiasts and collectors. (See the sidebar for a brief description of their many programs).<\/p>\n

Not only does Art Access make the arts accessible for those with disabilities, but it also makes art collecting accessible for those with tight budgets. This is not to say that you won\u2019t find extraordinary art work for thousands of dollars, but you can often find extraordinary pieces for $100.<\/p>\n

Take the recent exhibit of work by Jacqui Biggs Larsen and Suzanne Simpson. Larson spent a year making 365 collages \u00ad one a day \u00ad as she traveled the world collecting bits of decorative paper, stamps, letters and other material. The result is a collection of 365 13-inch square originals which Art Access sold for just $100 each. Simpson’s work – photographic elements on filmy silk hangings and other surfaces – ranged from $45 to $1,500.<\/p>\n

Many collectors are already aware of the annual Art Access \u201c300 Plates\u201d exhibition and fundraiser, which was held in May 2005. Participating artists create a piece of art in any medium on recycled metal printers\u2019 plates donated by the print making departments at BYU and the University of Utah. Priced from $50 and up, the plates have become so popular that guests must RSVP to attend the opening night.<\/p>\n

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Personal Visions<\/b>
\nIf Ruth Lubbers could wave a magic wand and improve the Utah arts scene in some way, she would make sure Utah artists are appreciated and paid what they\u2019re worth. \u201cIt\u2019s a shame some artists have to go to Scottsdale [to sell their art],\u201d says Ruth.<\/p>\n

Her magic wand would also produce an arts audience that appreciates contemporary art. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to be pretty to be meaningful,\u201d says Ruth.<\/p>\n

And she would wave her wand over the Utah Legislature to create more understanding of the impact the arts have in the state, particularly the opportunity to make art part of Utah\u2019s \u201cbranding\u201d for state tourism.<\/p>\n

Ruth has been a long-time collector of art herself. She recalls that the first piece of Utah art she purchased was a Sharon Shephard pastel on handmade paper. She had to purchase it in installments, but before the last installment she \u201cpresented\u201d it to her husband on a romantic anniversary trip to Maui. She told him about the beautiful piece of art she had selected for him, then told him he\u2019d have to pay the final installment!<\/p>\n

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Ruth also collects Hispanic folk art, especially Peruvian \u201cretablos.\u201d\u00a0Six of the 40 retablos in her collection are by Art Access exhibitor Jeronimo Lozamo. The Lubbers\u2019 expansive collection of art plays \u201cmusical chairs\u201d on the walls and shelves of their home as new pieces join the collection. As you can tell from her life, her work, and her art, Ruth Lubbers is not afraid of change!<\/p>\n

The current exhibit at Art Access features the work of Vojko Rizvanovic and Sam Wilson. <\/b>Wilson, a professor of Art at the University of Utah mentored Rizvnovic in the Art Access Partners Mentoring Program. <\/i><\/p>\n

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