{"id":35368,"date":"2018-09-06T22:48:54","date_gmt":"2018-09-07T04:48:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/?p=35368"},"modified":"2024-01-19T09:55:01","modified_gmt":"2024-01-19T16:55:01","slug":"colby-sanford-memories-of-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/colby-sanford-memories-of-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Colby Sanford: Memories of Home"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"<\/a>

Colby Sandford uses a stairwell to work on tall pieces, consisting of multiple canvases. Photo by Tacie Hoffman.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

From fishing in streams and running with cousins, flying high on a swing or laying under the trees, childhood memories play an important role in the paintings of Colby Sanford. His most recent explorations focus extensively on memory and its metamorphosis in our minds to become something particularly delicate and idyllic, while remaining potent and powerful. The setting for these works is his grandparents\u2019 farm in Maine, where he recently spent several months sketching and exploring concepts for his first solo exhibition at Meyer Gallery. His current project is as much about exploring how time has affected his memories, he says, as it is capturing moments of his childhood to share with his 2 1\/2-year-old daughter, Faye, when she is older.<\/h4>\n
\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Sanford prepares a canvas. Photo by Tacie Hoffman.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Sanford is in his late 20s with light brown hair, glasses, and an introspective air. He is articulate, but occasionally becomes distracted when particularly excited. Near the easel in his studio sits a container of dark chocolate peanut butter cups, several small mockup paintings, and wooden blocks previously used as palettes, now dried with thick layers of oil paint. Lined up against the walls are numerous paintings, all waiting for their finishing touches before being sent to the Park City gallery. The paintings consider the past as it was, but also the reinterpretation of childhood experience into idealic, homey, complex scenes of interaction between figures and their wildly green environment.<\/h4>\n

\u201cMy grandparents always had the dream to live off the land and make a sustainable life for themselves,\u201d he explains. \u201cSo, in the summer of 1973 they left their life in Connecticut and bought 100 acres of land in Maine.\u201d After living their dream life for more than 40 years, however, Sanford\u2019s grandparents are looking to sell the property and move near family. \u201cI think they\u2019re looking for something a little more manageable,\u201d Sanford says. \u201cMy grandpa is 85 and my grandma is 76. I wanted to get out there to paint before that opportunity was gone and be with them there in that setting.\u201d<\/h4>\n
\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cSharing Hearts,\u201d acrylic, 29\u2033 x 26\u2033<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Sanford wanted to revisit and explore the farm before it was sold. He also wanted to resolve the conflict he noticed about his recollections of Maine. He had spent summers there while growing up, and felt that there was a discrepancy between his memories and the actual farm. \u201cIn my head, it\u2019s almost like there are two Maines, one in my head and another one currently happening. I went out there knowing that I wanted to actually experience Maine,\u201d he says. Rather than staying on the farm, Sanford and his family lived about 20 minutes away, enough of a remove that he felt he could experience Maine without getting too wrapped up in family memories.<\/h4>\n

Sanford grew up in Provo, in an unconventional household where his parents encouraged his creativity. They allowed him to paint on the wall of his bedroom and stay up as late as he wanted. In high school, Sanford took all the art classes he could, including ceramics. After graduating, he served an LDS mission in Taiwan, which sparked his interest in Chinese language and culture. When he returned, he married Alicia Sheffield, and two weeks later left for a job he had found in China overseeing a division of Rimports, a ceramics factory which manufactures Scentsationals, a type of wickless candle. \u201cThey needed someone who understood ceramics and spoke Chinese. It was one of those moments where I was qualified and it was available, so it worked out,\u201d Sanford explains.<\/h4>\n
\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cNap by the Window\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Sanfords enjoyed their two years in China, but he says it could be profoundly lonely. \u201cIt was a really rural area, maybe around 5,000 people, no other foreigners.\u201d But this was also helpful for his artwork. \u201cThere really wasn\u2019t much for me to do but go home and paint after work.\u201d By the time they returned to Utah, Sanford was selling paintings online and had to decide what to do next. \u201cI had a conversation with a few people, including Brad Kramer [of Writ & Vision gallery], trying to decide what route to take. I could either continue as I was and focus solely on painting, or I could go back to school and study fine art.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Enrolled at BYU, Colby never lost sight of his ultimate goal. \u201cMy painting was always more important than school for me,\u201d he says. \u201cIf there was a paper and a painting due at the same time, I would do the minimal effort I could on the paper to get a good grade, but focus the majority of my time on painting.\u201d Upon completing his BFA, Sanford didn\u2019t even invite his family to his BFA show, saying, \u201cthe academic wasn\u2019t ever first to me. My sister was like, \u201cYour BFA show? That\u2019s huge! Why didn\u2019t you invite me?\u2019\u201d Sanford laughs: \u201cHonestly, the Meyer Gallery show feels like a much bigger deal to me. It feels like a more decisive beginning to my career, like I\u2019m more of an adult.\u201d<\/h4>\n
\n