Gallery Stroll: Showing Dad a Thing or Two
Art
Typically in June, I write about the Utah Arts Festival or tie my column into to SLUG’s Beer Issue with art and beer pairings. It only recently occurred to me that in my many, many years of writing the Gallery Stroll column that I don’t recall ever mentioning the correlation of June and of Father’s Day. Gallery Stroll and Father’s Day coincide every year on the third weekend of June. Now that I think of it, it seems preposterous that I’ve never made the connection. What better way to see awesome and inspiring art than to share it with the man who informed your appreciation of Neil Diamond and red rock landscapes? This Father’s Day, I suggest that you give good old Dad a call and take him on a nice stroll.
As Dad might say, “Back in my day, people just went out and painted in the good old plain air.” It’s true that Dad might not have walked uphill both ways, but the art of plein-air painting (painting in the great outdoors), is a method passed down from the French Impressionists. In his day and ours, people do paint using the plein air technique. This method allows the artist to connect with the landscape and capture a singular moment in time. In plein air painting, Mother Nature is the artist, and the painter a messenger of her grace and beauty.
This month, the Slusser Gallery, located at 447 E. 100 S., will feature the best interpretation of Mother Nature’s masterpieces in their Annual Plein-Air Group Exhibition featuring Eileen Brown, Anastasia Dukhanina, Susan Gallacher, Rick Graham, Randall Lake, Carolyn Hesse-Low, Jeff Mauger, Patty McGeeney, Rita Pacheco, Antonin Passemard, Mark Slusser, Stock Schlueter, Toni Williams and Bryan Mark Taylor. The show opened May 15 in conjunction with the May Gallery Roll and will run through Aug. 7. There will be an Open House on June 19 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in conjunction with June’s Gallery Stroll.
Thank you, Dad, for introducing me to The Beatles, from Revolver to Abbey Road and all their amazing albums. Think of how thrilled Dad and you would be to meet the original artist of the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band cover? You’re both in luck—Modern West Fine Art Gallery, located at 177 E. 200 S., will play host to the immensely talented, multifaceted, Grammy-winning cover artist, Jann Haworth. A pioneer in the British POP movement, a prolific artist, educator and mother, Haworth is and continues to be an inspiration for female empowerment in the arts. This show is titled Round Trip, and will showcase work from her remarkable 40-plus year career. The show opens with a public artist reception on June 19 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
When Dad grew up, they had something called communes—today, we call that Spring City. Pioneers settled this town in 1852, but nowadays, it’s known for its peaceful landscapes, simple living and highly collaborative arts and creative types. Forbes voted Spring City “Prettiest Town” for two years in a row. This month, the Rio Gallery, located at 300 S. Rio Grande Street, welcomes the artists of Spring City. The show will feature dozens of Spring City artists, but will also pay homage to the city itself. The show opens June 19 with an artist reception.
Strolling down the street, experiencing new things, reminiscing about the old—what more could you want from a date with dear old Dad? Enjoy the Stroll, and Happy Father’s Day.