State of the Art: Utah

Utah’s landscape is undeniably stunning. From national parks like Zion, Canyonlands, Arches and Bryce Canyon, to the majesty of the Wasatch Mountains, the Great Salt Lake and Rainbow Bridge, the state has captivated artists for centuries. And with beautiful downtown Salt Lake City and outlandish, artsy Park City (home of the iconic Sundance Film Festival), among other locales, there’s plenty to write home about in the Beehive State.A glimpse down Main Street in Park City, Utah. Photo by Marc Piscotty.

On the last Friday of every month, check out the Last Friday Gallery Stroll, where collectors can explore local artists, special exhibitions and art galleries throughout town. Hosted by the Park City Gallery Association, the free monthly event sees 19 of the organization’s art galleries “open their doors for visitors and locals alike to enjoy light refreshments and to admire their latest art installations” from 6 to 9 p.m. The Kimball Arts Center is a great spot to dive into a variety of arts-related events as well.

The largest multi-disciplinary arts festival in the state, the annual summer Utah Arts Festival in Salt Lake City features visual arts, music, performing arts, film and much more. A view of stunning Canyonlands National Park. Courtesy Utah Office of Tourism.

Collectors can also visit the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, housing an astounding permanent collection of more than 20,000 objects. On view through December 4 is Confluence, a collaborative exhibition with six local organizations that explores the source of water in the Salt Lake Valley and where it goes, [“illuminating] the idea of water—environmentally, culturally, and historically.” In addition, galleries like Modern West—featuring powerhouse artists like Billy Schenck and Shonto Begay—and Illume Gallery of Fine Art are strewn about town, offering an array of fine Western art and treasures.

Hosted by Moab Arts and Recreation Center, the Red Rock Arts Festival in Moab, Utah, is a “a colorful, week-long gathering of artists and art lovers featuring workshops, a chalk art competition, art for sale, and culminating with a street festival celebration.” This year’s event runs from October 2 to 9.

Collectors can also find the works of artist Roland Lee of Roland Lee Studio and Gallery based in Saint George. And last but far from least, the stunning landscapes, seascapes and florals of Sandy-based artist Kathryn Stats are well worth a view.

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Kathryn Stats
(801) 694-0651
kathrynstts@gmail.com
www.kathrynstats.com

Kathryn Stats grew up in the West, wandering the Utah countryside on her horse until her early 20s. She studied with artists in the Salt Lake City area on a continuous basis for approximately 20 years. Her oil paintings depict landscapes from the western United States with subjects from rural areas, mountains, oceans and desert. Red rock country, in particular, has always been a favorite subject for the artist. While she has traveled to and painted the coastal areas of California and Oregon as well as locations in Alaska, Russia, Spain, Italy, France and Portugal, Stats always returns to the landscapes of the West where her heart resides.Kathryn Stats, October in Glacier, oil on linen panel, 20 x 30"

“My style is always in a shifting and improving situation. I am constantly striving for the perfect balance between loose and vague with specific areas of bang or ’where the party’s at,’” says Stats. A member of Plein Air Painters of America and Oil Painters of America, she plans on entering upcoming shows representing both organizations.

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Roland Lee Studio and Gallery
165 North 100 East #2, Saint George, UT 84770
(435) 673-1988
www.rolandlee.com

A visit to artist Roland Lee’s studio and art gallery in the historic arts district of Saint George, Utah, gives visitors a clear picture of his prime painting interests—the national parks and relics of the pioneer West. Lee has been painting both subjects in watercolor for more than 45 years, and has more than 2,000 paintings in museum, university, public and private collections nationwide. Roland Lee, East Zion Arch, watercolor, 10 x 14"

“I’m captivated by the spectacular landscape of southern Utah and intrigued by the disappearing remnants of the pioneer West. Although I’ve traveled with paintbrush and sketchbook all over the world, I find plenty to occupy my interests right here in southern Utah,” he says. Lee’s painting The Pulpit in Zion National Park will be featured by the Zion Forever Project in the Legacy of Art sale currently on view. Collectors can learn more at www.zionpark.org.

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Moab Arts and Recreation Center
111 E. 100 North, Moab, UT 84532
(435) 259-6272
marcadmin@moabcity.org
www.moabarts.org

Lewis Williams painting at the Red Rock Arts Festival in 2019.

Centrally located in downtown Moab, the Moab Arts and Recreation Center (MARC) offers ongoing arts education, special events, public art support and facility rentals for the local community and visitors. Every October, MARC hosts the Red Rock Arts Festival, an opportunity for artists and art enthusiasts to gather and experience the breathtaking Moab area as temperatures cool down and autumn arrives. This year, the festival will feature the work of Lewis Williams, a plein air artist who has been traveling historic trails by bicycle, capturing the landscape with paints and pastels along the way. In addition to the opportunity to view and purchase Williams’ work, attendees are invited to participate in various workshops throughout the week including a plein air watercolor workshop with renowned painter Carl Purcell and a free natural dye workshop with local farmer and artist Abby Meyer. A poetry reading, film screening and the third annual Chalk Drawing Competition will round out the event, which culminates in a Street Fest featuring a lineup of live music and vendors of all kinds. —Moab Arts and Recreation Center, Out Riding Fences, pastel,13 x 10”, by Lewis Williams.