The Sears Art Museum at Utah Tech University continues its tradition of showcasing regional creativity with Butterfly Effect: The Watercolors of Andrew McBain Sinclair, a summer exhibition celebrating the transformative power of color and place. The exhibition opens with a free public reception on Friday, June 13, 2025, from 7 PM to 8:30 PM in the Eccles Fine Arts Center, featuring light refreshments and remarks by museum director James Peck.
Exhibition Highlights
Butterfly Effect spans three thematic galleries—Origins, Exploration, and Mastery—within the Eccles Fine Arts Center. Visitors will encounter approximately 100 watercolors alongside Sinclair’s sketchbooks, process drawings, and archival photographs. Interpretive labels guide viewers through his meticulous methods, from custom pigment blending to signature layering techniques, revealing how a single brushstroke can express both structural form and emotional resonance in the American West.
Artist Background
Born in Virginia in 1943 and trained as an architect at UC Berkeley, Andrew McBain Sinclair enjoyed a 30–year career designing parks, housing developments, and civic projects nationwide. In 2004, a near-fatal illness prompted him to embrace watercolor full time, translating architectural precision into luminous landscapes. His dedication led to more than 400 works capturing the rugged beauty of Zion, Lake Tahoe, the Grand Canyon, and beyond.
Complementary Photography
In the Eccles Grand Foyer, the photographic series Look Closer by Ali Lockwood complements Sinclair’s vision. Through intimate images of natural textures and urban details, Lockwood encourages visitors to pause and appreciate overlooked elements, from rippling sandstone to weathered woodgrain, creating a dialogue between painting and photography that underscores the exhibition’s theme of noticing small changes with butterfly-like consequences.
Reception & Visit
“Sinclair’s watercolors are both rigorous and expressive,” Peck says, “inviting us to see familiar landscapes with fresh eyes.” Butterfly Effect is made possible by a generous 2024 gift from the Andrew McBain Sinclair estate. Media outlets and patrons may request high-resolution images and interview opportunities with museum staff by contacting the Utah Tech University Marketing & Communications Office.
The Sears Art Museum is located in the Eccles Fine Arts Center on the Utah Tech University campus and is open Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Admission is free and complementary parking is available adjacent to the center. For more information, visit the Sears Art Museum website or call (435) 652-7909.
