-Three of the galleries owned and operated by Denis and Bonnie Phillips - Courtyard, Phillips and Pierpont - are featuring collaborations by a number of the galleries' regulars.
Suzannah Kirby and Bri Matheson combined their talents to create three-dimensional fish; Susan Beck's sculptured dog lies on his back and balances one of Connie Erickson's pots with his feet. Allen Bishop's and Richard Johnston's colorful sculpture "Totem One" reflects the styles of each artist.In "Gold-leaf Tapestries," Annette Ahlander and Kaye Terry exchanged unfinished works to select the ones that lent themselves best to collaborative efforts - and to the timely theme, Earth Day. The three-dimensional wall-hanging focuses on nine endangered plants and animals.
Not all artists worked on the same work, however. Weaver John Hess tried to capture Harry Taylor's printmaking style in his own work - and vice versa. The same kind of interaction took place between photographer Richard Burton and Susan Fleming. In fact, her series of paintings, "Beyond the Moon Window," was inspired by one of Burton's photographs.
These collaborative works will remain at the above galleries through June 8.
-The Montessori Education Foundation will hold an arts benefit on Friday, June 1, at the Finch Lane Gallery, 54 Finch Lane. More than 15 artists are submitting works for this silent auction. Some of them include James C. Christensen, Chris Young, Lorene Lovell, Denis Phillips, Gael Shults and Carol Harding.
The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. The public is invited. Suggested donation is $5. Refreshments will be served throughout the evening.
This fund-raising event will facilitate expansion of the Montessori Arts program to accommodate in-school and community demands. For more information, call 756-6424.
-The Kimball Art Center has completed the jurying for the 21st annual Park City Art Festival. Surviving the keen competition are 200 visual artists from 25 states. On Aug. 4 and 5, they will set up their booths on Park City's historic Main Street to display and sell their wares. Featured this year will be ceramics, jewelry, drawings, fiber, glass, leather, metal, painting, photography, printmaking, paper, sculpture and wood.
Seventeen of those accepted are members of the Park City Artists Association. The Park City Art Festival, produced by the Kimball Art Center, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the visual arts.
-Two Utah artists, painter Michael Coleman and sculptor Grant Speed, have entered a national art competition that is expected to become a highlight in the nation's art calendar. They and 38 other artists are competing for the $250,000 Hubbard Art Award for Excellence. The award will be presented June 2 at the Ruidoso Downs racetrack. The winning piece will be added to the Hubbard Museum's permanent collection.
-Lectures, workshops, classes, etc.
Sunday, May 20, 2 p.m., Salt Lake Art Center - "The Worship of Nature," episode 11 of the "Civilisation" video series. Free.
Wednesday, May 23, noon, Salt Lake Art Center - Lecture by Pat Hayes on current multimedia installation "Blue Buddhas - Red Radar."
Thursday, May 24, 7:00 p.m., Salt Lake Art Center (328-4201) - Panel discussion on funding for visual arts. Panelists will be Nancy Boskoff, David Sucec, Cary Stevens Jones and Joy Beech.
Thursday, May 24, New Images Art Gallery/Studio, Brigham City (723-2528) - Watercolor workshop with Karen Christensen.
Sunday, May 27, 2 p.m., Salt Lake Art Center - "The Fallacies of Hope," episode 12 of the "Civilisation" video series. Free.
Wednesday, May 30, Noon, Salt Lake Art Center - Lecture by David Pursley on current exhibit "A View of Four."
Monday, June 4, through Friday, June 8, New Images Art
Gallery/Studio, Brigham City (723-2528) - Chinese classic painting with Han Song Zhu.
Wednesday, June 6, 7 p.m., Nunemaker Place, 1830 S. 1300 East - Fourth and last presentation in Utah Women Artists Series, featuring visual artists Sharon Alderman and Erica Wansgaard and writer Terry Tempest Williams.
Thursday, June 7 through Saturday, June 9 - Painting workshop with Ken Baxter. For information, call 968-1724.
-By Richard P. Christenson