Congratulations to six Utah painters who were honored recently in this year's "Arts For The Parks" national competition in Jackson Hole, Wyo.
And it's interesting to note that some of them are little known in Utah. Few are represented in local galleries. This might seem strange, but the fact is that a number of these wildlife and landscape painters find the grass greener outside the state - for sales, that is.Back to the competition. Over 2,000 entries focusing on scenes from national park sites were submitted by artists from 49 states, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Canada. Only 200 entries were accepted for exhibition. Utah artists whose works made it into the top 100 were Glen Edwards, Smithfield; Kay Homan, Providence; Richard Miles, Fruit Heights; Jim Morgan, Mendon; and Larry Winborg, Farmington. Two painting by Utahns made it into the second 100 - one by Miles and another by Carel Brest Van Kempen, Salt Lake City.
Winner of the $50,000 grand prize was Bob Quick of Sedona, Ariz. His winning entry, entitled "Bidaa-Ha-Azti" is an amazing pastel drawing of the Grand Canyon.
Twelve other artists received top awards. Homan was one of them, winning the award of excellence and $1,000 for her watercolor "Alaska's Gift Wrapped in Ribbons." The award of excellence is a special award this year in honor of the 75th anniversary of the National Park Service. She also sold the painting for $4,000.
- As soon as Homan could handle a crayon as a child, she began drawing. Ironically, she never had formal art training. Yet she has made a livelihood from her art for 17 years.
During the first six years of her professional career, Homan used an electric hot pen for her drawing instrument. She drew cowboys, Indians, mountain men, animals and other subject matter on soft leather.
After becoming more confident in her artistic ability, she began experimenting with colored inks, but soon found that dye on the paper allowed for no mistakes.
It wasn't long before she made the transition to watercolor. She immediately fell in love with the medium because it gave her the quality of transparency that was so prevalent in nature.
"Being self-taught and unfamiliar with the so-called rules, I developed my own style of handling watercolors by layering, softening and lifting the paint," she said.
There's a compelling quality about her work. Why? Well, she partially answers it in the following statement: "My work is the result of intuition feeling and subjective insight rather than objective, analytical thinking."
Many representational artists simply copy nature. But Homan has learned that she can paint detail and be creative at the same time. Relying heavily on sketches and photographs, she often combines ideas for one painting from up to a dozen drawings and photos.
In 1985, Homan was invited to become the first female member of the American Indian and Cowboy Artists Association (AICA). She has a box of awards from many art shows, including medals from AICA, Western Artists of America Association, Buffalo Bill Western Invitational and a purchase award from the National Western Art Association.
Homan has a love affair with the West. "It's through my paintings that I can express the strengths and the beauty of the West," she said. "I want to give the art viewer a real `tugging-of-the-heartstrings' experience."
- Miles hit the jackpot this year. Two of his paintings, "Canyon Tapestry" and "Stevens' Arch," made it into the top 100 and one, "Fairyland Magic," into the second 100.
Last year, another of his paintings was also in the top 100.
Miles has been painting on and off for years, but full time for only five - ever since he retired as an army colonel.
He looks forward to entering the Arts in the Parks competition. First of all, he enjoys painting subject matter found in the national parks. Second, he's a representational artist, and that's the type of art that's popular in this show.
He said, "The styles can't be too abstract; they have to represent something."
He also feels that the traveling show following the competition is highly educational for adults and schoolchildren. Many are surprised to learn that there are 354 park sites in the National Parks System.
Miles is represented by Marble House Gallery. In fact, a one-man show of his recent works will be featured there from Nov. 15 to Dec. 16.
- Winborg is another Utah artist who made it into the top 100 for his painting "Pronghorn and Sage." Actually, he's number 100 - not because the jurors thought 99 artworks were better than his, but because the artists' names are listed in alphabetical order.
"I've entered three times over the years ('88, '89 and '91)" Winborg said, "and I've been in the top 100 all three times."
He said that although the competition is keen, the show is lots of fun. "It's great to paint the parks," he exclaimed, adding that his favorite places are Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Zion.
Winborg is painting in an impressionistic style now, and strictly in oils. He is not represented in any Utah galleries at this time, but has agents in Philadelphia, New York and Los Angeles. And he is doing "just fine" selling commissioned pieces through them.
- Edwards won his award for his acrylic "Winter's Done," Morgan for an oil "Along the Firehole" and Brest Van Kempen for an oil "The Sunning Stone."
The Arts For The Parks program was designed for the benefit of art, of the parks and of the public. It has become America's showcase of representational art depicting our natural heritage.
It was created by the National Park Academy of the Arts in cooperation with the National Park Foundation. The annual nationwide contest searches for those artists whose paintings best capture the "essence" of the landscapes, wildlife and history of the national parks.
The top 100 paintings are featured in a color catalog and are part of a nationwide traveling show. For information about entering future competitions, write Eugenia C.T. Copp, Arts For The Parks, P.O. Box 1158, Jackson, WY 83001.