From immigrant artist Danquart Anthon Weggeland (1827-1918) to "Fields" painter Gary Earnest Smith (1942-), Utah's artists have had a long and distinguished history of depicting - with varied degrees of artistic capability - the rugged land and its inhabitants with singular honesty.
In carrying on this illustrative tradition, the 8th Annual Days of '47 Invitational Art Show will display the work of 47 accomplished artists through July 24.Art show chairman Joe Venus says his goal for the exhibit is to give the "public an experience in excellence through promoting realistic and representational paintings and sculptures."
Each year one of the 47 invited artists (see list of artists on E2) is "featured" even though all the participants are considered masters in their respective mediums. The seven previous featured artists have been Arnold Friberg, Grant Speed, Anton Rasmussen, Gary Price, Gary Prazen, Greg Olsen and Stan Johnson. This year's featured artist is A.D. Shaw.
In "Utah Painting and Sculpture," Vern G. Swanson, Robert L. Olpin and William C. Seifrit write that "Shaw came to Utah from Kansas to live on a farm and herd sheep in eastern Utah. By 1980 he began to gain confidence in his ability as an artist while studying with Ken and Dan Baxter and Earl Jones.
"Shaw was associated with the Plein-air Painters of Utah. While he paints a large number of field studies, unlike the purist plein-air painters he usually paints the larger pictures in his studio and is essentially a figurative genre painter. Formal relationships and construction of a solid abstract basis are of foremost importance to his painting. He portrays rural life with a little nostalgia."
Shaw's paintings are in collections throughout the world, including one belonging to George Bush.
An addition to this year's exhibit will be the First Annual Days of '47 Youth Art Show, located in the Bonneville Building, Utah State Fairpark. "I believe that inclusion of young artists will give the public an opportunity to view some of the really fine and creative young Utah artists of the future," says Venus.
The 8th Annual Days of '47 Invitational Art Show will run through July 24 at the Grand Building, Utah State Fairpark, 155 N. 1000 West. The exhibit will be open from noon to 9 p.m. each day. Admission is free.
*****
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Days of '47 Invitational Art Show participants
Kay Affleck Becky Hartvigsen Richard Prazen
Warren Archer Karin Hollebeke Gary Price
David Argyle Kay Homan Anton Rasmussen
C.S. Bailey Phyllis Horne Clayton Robbins
Dee Jay Bawden Stan Johnson Al Rounds
C. B. van Kempen David Lindsley A.D. Shaw
Clark Bronson Richard Miles Grant Speed CA
Ron Brunson Frank Miller Bernie Tanner
Linda Curley Randy Morris Diane Turner
Sheri L. Boyer Doty Greg Olsen Brent Todd
Glen Edwards Mark Perry Lena Toritch
Ortho Fairbanks Joseph Pettegrew Joseph S. Venus
Mike Fitch Pete Plastow Larry Wade
Jean Gasser Kevin Powell Jeff Wolf
Michael Hamby Dan Prazen Richard Young
Carol Harding Gary Prazen