{"id":93118,"date":"2025-05-18T14:05:21","date_gmt":"2025-05-18T21:05:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/?p=93118"},"modified":"2025-05-20T14:46:35","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T21:46:35","slug":"make-a-stop-at-the-granary-bold-abstraction-and-raw-introspection-on-view-through-saturday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/make-a-stop-at-the-granary-bold-abstraction-and-raw-introspection-on-view-through-saturday\/","title":{"rendered":"Make a Stop at The Granary: Bold Abstraction and Raw Introspection on View Through Saturday"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Shalee Cooper \/ In Variation\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/1081399711?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"1250\" height=\"703\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h4 class=\"p1\">There\u2019s more than one reason to head to Sanpete County this Memorial Day weekend. You can visit pioneer-era homes and the studios of present-day artists, at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.friendsofhistoricspringcity.org\/events\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Spring City\u2019s Heritage Days<\/a>; embrace your inner Viking at Ephraim\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/scandinavianfestival.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Scandinavian Heritage Festival<\/a>; or get your blood pumping at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.taketheoathmemorial.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">world-champion bull riding <\/a>in Manti. Wherever you&#8217;re going, plan a stop at Granary Arts\u00a0to catch the the exhibits of Shalee Cooper and Kristina Lenzi before they close on the 24th.<\/h4>\n<h4 class=\"p1\">Cooper\u2019s work, shown on the gallery\u2019s main floor, uses stark contrasts and sharp geometry to explore the space between minimalism and abstraction. <span class=\"s1\">Each painting features a figure set against a contrasting ground\u2014gesso and unprimed canvas\u2014that balance and shift identities without one dominating the other. As Geoff Wichert pointed out in <a href=\"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/index.php\/shalee-cooper-and-sheldon-harveys-convergence-of-vision-at-modern-west\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a review of her work at Modern West<\/a>, Cooper challenges conventional formats by leaving the arrangement of her panels open to interpretation, inviting viewers, or curators to create their own configurations. If you like puzzles, especially of the Tetris sort, you might rotate or rearrange the canvases in your mind, comparing them to Granary&#8217;s installation or their presentation on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.modernwestfineart.com\/cooper-shalee\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Modern West&#8217;s website<\/a>. Would you hang them differently?<\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<div id=\"attachment_93120\" style=\"width: 760px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93120\" class=\"wpa-warning wpa-image-missing-alt wp-image-93120 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mail-14.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"538\" data-warning=\"Missing alt text\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mail-14.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mail-14-350x251.jpeg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-93120\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Installation images courtesy Granary Arts, photographer Kamilla Earlywine.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-93118 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-medium'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/make-a-stop-at-the-granary-bold-abstraction-and-raw-introspection-on-view-through-saturday\/screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3-41-09-pm\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"350\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.41.09-PM-350x432.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-93122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.41.09-PM-350x432.png 350w, https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.41.09-PM-829x1024.png 829w, https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.41.09-PM-768x948.png 768w, https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.41.09-PM.png 1166w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-93122'>\n\t\t\t\tWombs by Kristina Lenzi\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/make-a-stop-at-the-granary-bold-abstraction-and-raw-introspection-on-view-through-saturday\/screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3-40-40-pm\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"350\" height=\"437\" src=\"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.40.40-PM-350x437.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-93123\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.40.40-PM-350x437.png 350w, https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.40.40-PM-819x1024.png 819w, https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.40.40-PM-768x960.png 768w, https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.40.40-PM.png 1154w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-93123'>\n\t\t\t\t25.5 x 40 in. each\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<h4 class=\"p1\">In the upstairs gallery, Kristina Lenzi turns inward. Her series of raw, fluid watercolors titled <i>Truth Womb<\/i> dives deep into the origins of life. Using organic shapes and visceral color washes, Lenzi explores the womb as both a literal and symbolic space\u2014where rapid growth, tension, and transformation begin. The looping red and purple forms suggest floating, breathing, and becoming\u2014while also asking whether the womb is a place of peace or complexity. These vivid paintings are accompanied by a series of objects, leftovers from Lenzi\u2019s moving performance piece at the exhibit\u2019s opening in February. (The founder and director of the well-known Salt Lake City Performance Art Festival, Lenzi says the event will return for its 12th iteration this fall).<\/h4>\n<h4 class=\"p1\">Together, Cooper and Lenzi offer contrasting but complementary experiences: one outwardly architectural and grounded in material; the other inward, emotional, and bodily. Don&#8217;t miss this powerful pairing before it wraps up.<\/h4>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<div id=\"attachment_93121\" style=\"width: 760px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93121\" class=\"wpa-warning wpa-image-missing-alt wp-image-93121\" src=\"http:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.37.04-PM-1025x1024.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"749\" data-warning=\"Missing alt text\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.37.04-PM-1025x1024.png 1025w, https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.37.04-PM-350x350.png 350w, https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.37.04-PM-290x290.png 290w, https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.37.04-PM-768x767.png 768w, https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.37.04-PM-120x120.png 120w, https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.37.04-PM-1200x1198.png 1200w, https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.37.04-PM-360x360.png 360w, https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-3.37.04-PM.png 1438w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-93121\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kristina Lenzi&#8217;s Womb Ritual performance at Granary Arts in Ephraim, Utah, February 21, 2025. Image by Sam Forlenza.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Shalee Cooper: In Variation<\/em> and <em>Kristina Lenzi: Wombs<\/em>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.granaryarts.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Granary Arts<\/a>, Ephraim, through May 24.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some other events happening this weekend:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/index.php\/feathered-tides-a-roving-performance-at-miller-bird-refuge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Feathered Tides: A Roving Performance at Miller Bird Refuge<\/a><br \/>\nMay 24, 25, 30 &amp; 31, 2025<br \/>\nExperience the rhythms of nature in Feathered Tides, a roving, site-specific performance by Mitsu Salmon. Inspired by Great Salt Lake and the movements of local songbirds, this guided experience weaves together dance and sound along the trails of Miller Bird Refuge.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/moabartsfestival.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Moab Arts Festival<\/a><br \/>\nSaturday, May 24 (10 AM\u20137 PM) &amp; Sunday, May 25 (10 AM\u20136 PM)<br \/>\nA free, family-friendly festival featuring artisan booths, live music, a kids&#8217; art tent, food vendors, and a beer &amp; wine garden.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitbrighamcity.org\/artonmain\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Art on Main \u2013 Brigham City<\/a><br \/>\nFriday, May 23 &amp; Saturday, May 24<br \/>\nHistoric Downtown Brigham City<br \/>\nA street festival featuring local artists, craftspeople, live music, and food vendors in downtown Brigham City.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.saltlakecountyarts.org\/events\/may-day-flamenco-songs-of-protest\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u00a1May Day! \u2013 Flamenco Songs of Protest<\/a><br \/>\nDate: Saturday, May 24<br \/>\nRegent Street Black Box at Eccles Theater, Salt Lake City<br \/>\nA flamenco performance celebrating labor movements and the spirit of May Day through song and dance.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There\u2019s more than one reason to head to Sanpete County this Memorial Day weekend. You can visit pioneer-era homes and the studios of present-day artists, at Spring City\u2019s Heritage Days; embrace your inner Viking at Ephraim\u2019s Scandinavian Heritage Festival; or get your blood pumping at world-champion bull riding [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":93120,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_piecal_is_event":false,"_piecal_start_date":"","_piecal_end_date":"","_piecal_is_allday":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4603,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-93118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pasteups","category-visual_arts"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mail-14.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-22 07:18:51","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93118"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93118\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":93128,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93118\/revisions\/93128"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/93120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}