PAINTERS OF UTAH'S CANYONS AND DESERTS
Famous movie director John Ford once emphatically exclaimed, " . . .Monument Valleywasmy greatest star."But long before Ford lionized these great icons, paintings of the sweeping desert and colorful canyon country of Utah's plateau province had captured the popular imagination of American and European audiences.
contrasts between painters who called Utah home and those who explored and visited. Starting with the rich visual images of Native American petroglyphs, the book then looks at the lively anecdotes of the "artists as explorers," including John Wesley Powell's harrowing trip down the Colorado River, artist Solomon Nunes Carvalho's recovery from the brink of starvation, and artist Richard Kern's death at the hands of the Paiutes. ThomasMoran is prominent in this history with dramatic lithographs and his own exploration of the Zion region.
Love of the western landscape has to do with the capacity of the viewer to experience vast space. To appreciate the desert terrain, one has to be comfortable with an inscrutable universe. Whether existential or spiritual, these themes are evoked in the modern paintings of Maynard Dixon, Conrad Buff, Georgia O'Keeffe, andMax Ernst,who are amongmany visiting artists successfully challenged by this landscape.
Utah artist Alfred Lambourne was the first artist to paint in Zion, and Henry L. A. Culmer was the first to paint the natural bridges. Utah artists recorded the natural beauty of the parks in the 1920s and the stark influence of the Great Depression in the 1930s. Today's modern and traditional artists mix it up, employing classical methods and conventions, often with flagrant juxtapositions, to convey political, existential, or psychological themes. V. Douglas Snow, Gary E. Smith, and Ed Mell are among a growing group of nationally known artists whose work is inspired by the Utah Red Rock.
In all, this is an informative and visually stunning compilation of Art in Utah, detailing its profound influence on western and American culture.
Donna L. Poulton is an Associate Curator of Utah and Western Art at the University of Utah's Museum of Fine Arts. She studied at the Boston University extension in Germany and received her PhD from BrighamYoung University. She has juried and curated many exhibitions, including the Olympic Exhibition of Utah Art. Dr. Poulton has written articles on Utah and Western Art, is the co-author of Utah Art, Utah Artists, and has recently completed a manuscript on Reuben Kirkham, an early Utah pioneer artist. She has taught Utah art history at the University of Utah and has served on the boards of several arts organizations. Dr. Poulton has also filmed extensive interviews with numerous Utah artists, produced commercial videos on Utah art, and consulted with private art collectors and galleries.
Vern G. Swanson is a native of Central Point, Oregon. He graduated from Brigham Young University (BA), University of Utah (MA), and University of London (PhD) in art history. He started his career at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. (1969-70), taught art and art history at Auburn University as an Assistant Professor (1972-75), and was employed atWasatch Bronzeworks in Lehi (1975-78). Since 1980, Dr. Swanson has been the director of the Springville Museum of Art, has helped the museum's art collection of Utah and Russian art grow, and has contributed toward the construction of a new wing, dedicated in 2004.
Dr. Swanson has published fourteen art history books as sole or joint author. Five of these have been on Utah art, with several in collaborationwith Drs. Robert Olpin,WilliamSeifrit, and Donna Poulton. In 2006, he published a major tome Dynasty of the Holy Grail and in 2007, his third and largest book, Soviet Impressionist Painting. He is now researching for his next two books, "John Hafen: Faithful Artist" and"The Chiasmatic Atonement."
Approaching the subject of pastoral landscapes with his typical verve, beloved instructor Terry Harrison guides beginning watercolor artists through five country scenes in this step-by-step guide. From a country estate beyond an open gate to a small church nestled among a bluebell wood, each scene is carefully selected to give new artists confidence and offer intermediate artists a handful of satisfying challenges. All projects are accompanied by pull-out tracing paper that easily transfers each scene onto watercolor paper—artists need only a soft graphite pencil and a rubbing tool to achieve the transfer—eliminating the need for prerequisite drawing abilities. Additional scenes include a snowy winter pasture and a small footbridge crossing a ford among autumn leaves.
Matching quality instruction with convenience, the Art Handbooks series presents the respected lessons by talented art professionals in a small and transportable format. These tutorials teach techniques for a wide spectrum of artistic endeavors, from pencil drawing to oil painting, through step-by-step instructions and ample imagery of what to expect from each stage and completed process. They also provide invaluable information about the materials as well as additional tips for becoming confident with each medium.
Joe Dowden shows how to capture water in all its moods, from quiet ponds and shallow puddles to babbling brooks and slow-moving rivers. Using over 80 step-by-step photographs and a plethora of inspiring paintings, he instructs on essential techniques, from laying an initial wash to adding the final details. Taking on a variety of water landscapes, such as deep water, lively water, and shallow water, the guide builds confidence in beginning artists and inspires advanced artists to improve their work. All watercolor landscape artists need to know how to paint water, and creating the effect of all kinds of water is possible with this guide and the simple techniques it teaches.
In The Pastelist's Year: Painting the Four Seasons In Pastel, Master Pastelist Elizabeth Mowry demonstrates, step by step, how to paint pastels that distinctly capture the mood, color, and majesty of the four seasons. Whether you're a novice artist or seasoned professional, The Pastelist's Year has something to offer anyone who loves to create beautiful art.
No two elements of the landscape bring the artist greater inspiration--or greater challenge--than sky and water. Get them right and you have magic. Get them wrong and your whole painting is off. In this book, popular pastel artist and teacher Liz Haywood-Sullivan shares her secrets for getting them both right, every time. With her practiced and proven approach, you can experience the joy of painting glowing skies and sparkling water.
Inside you'll find:
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