The Arrowhead Gallery ETC presents its first Featured Artist Show since opening in December 2015. The art of oil painter Paul B. Jensen and gourd artist Mary Curtis will be exhibited. A reception will be held in their honor on Friday, March 25, from 6 to 9 p.m. in the gallery.
A landscape and wildlife oil painter, Jensen acquired his fondness for the beauty of the outdoors from being raised on a farm. He became interested in painting his surroundings and began taking classes.
He was president of the Southwest Art Association and helped develop the first St. George Annual Arts Festival, which eventually grew to be so large that the City took it over. He served on the local board of directors for the Visual Arts Association and the Southern Utah Art Guild and currently works on the committee that developed and established the Arrowhead Art Gallery ETC.
Having been juried and receiving several awards throughout his career, he is now retired and paints in his home studio.
Curtis has always been creative, from sewing clothing to quilting and more. She started a business selling wedding gowns and prom apparel, putting these skills to practical use.
Curtis says that it wasn’t until she closed her shop when she entered the art world “almost by accident.”
“I began photographing with the macro setting on my digital cameras and took photos of wildflower and weed blossoms,” she said. “After a few art lessons and learning a few basic rules of art, I discovered that I had a knack for drawing which grew into pastel work and then into oil painting.”
Her sister-in-law, Evie Atkin, introduced her to gourd art, and Curtis began browsing through gourd art books and learned how to use a Dremel tool. She especially enjoys carving and blending gourds’ natural colors with those of dyes as well as the inherently imperfect nature of gourds as an organic medium.
“That is such a great challenge to create a beautiful piece of artwork from something that someone else might not even consider because of what they might consider blemishes,” she said.
Arrowhead Gallery ETC is located in the new Electric Theater Center at 68 E. Tabernacle St. in St. George. The gallery is open Tuesdays–Saturdays from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.
