 |
| “Accumulation of Divine Service” by Blaine Atwood on display at Sears Art Museum Gallery |
The Independent
The unique styles, skills and inspiration of many well-known Utah artists are on display this summer as Dixie State University’s Sears Art Museum Gallery hosts its new exhibit, “One X One,” running through Aug. 28.
The exhibit, juried by professors in DSU’s Art Department, offers an abundance of subject matter brought to life through a variety of media applications, including mixed media, oil, acrylic, watercolor, ceramics, sculpture, and photography. Works range from traditional to contemporary, and all pieces on display are 12 inches by 12 inches, making a fascinating visual statement. The exhibit features works by well-known local artists and many who participate in the DSU Sears Invitational Art Show.
Additionally, the show features a special exhibit by three invited artists: William Kody Keller, Blaine Atwood, and J. Amber Egbert.
Keller, a St. George native who now lives in Spanish Fork, works with bronze and has completed a number of large projects for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He earned a Master’s of Fine Arts from Brigham Young University and now teaches there.
Atwood, a Price resident, recently completed his Master’s of Fine Arts from BYU. His exciting installation piece that is on display at the Sears Art Museum Gallery uses 600 mugs and many finials.
“The finial is an architectural element that is implemented at the apex of most religious meetinghouses,” Atwood said. “It is used for this purpose because it points toward the heavens and lifts the mind upward toward God. The mug, on the other hand, is one of the most humble and universal ceramic service vessels. It is used around the world as a drinking container whose sole purpose is service, or to give life-sustaining nourishment to mankind. The combination of these two visual elements seeks to encompass my personal art practice, my research, and the element of the sublime that we all possess.”
Egbert is a ceramicist working on her Master’s of Fine Arts at BYU. Upon graduation, she plans to share her art through participation in solo and group exhibitions and continue on as an art educator.
 |
| “Squaw Canyon” by Rebecca Gaver |
In addition, art by Rebecca Gaver, who is from Kanab, is displayed in the Eccles Grand Foyer.
“My passion for the desert Southwest continues to this day and is often reflected in my landscapes, which range from plein-air pieces to fantasies,” Gaver said. “I draw and paint in many media: pen and ink, colored pencil, graphite, watercolor, and oils. Some of my work is quite representational, and some is more abstract. As time goes by, I find my style becoming much more loose and free, and the pieces seem to have a life of their own.”
The Sears Art Museum Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed on state and national holidays.
