With changing the venue to the Museum of Utah Art and History, this year's Days of '47/Deseret Morning News Landscape Art Show, "2006 Color of the Land," promises to be a landmark exhibition.
"We're excited," said MUAH director Kandace Steadman. "If you look at what the museum does — show Utah art and Utah history — landscape painting is such a big part of the Utah scene.
"Also, just look at the history of the Deseret Morning News and the Days of '47; the art show fits in perfectly with the museum's mission."
The venue change also allows artists to exhibit their work in a gallery/museum atmosphere for three weeks. Size restrictions hampering previous shows were also removed, giving artists more freedom in what they could enter. Exhibit visitors will notice many large works of art in this year's show.
With 291 entries — the most received in the exhibit's history — jurors Jean Arnold, Doug Braithwaite and Clayton Williams worked long and hard to select the 65 pieces that will be on display; included are oils, watercolors, prints, drawings and pastels.
Brad Teare's color woodblock print, "Rock Moss," was selected as this year's $2,500 Purchase Award-winner. Teare's woodblock is the first of its kind in the newspaper's art collection.
First place in the competition, with a $1,000 award, went to Clay Wagstaff for his oil-on-board painting, "Mountain #3." John Erickson took second place and $800 with his oil, "7th East." Third place, with $600, was given to David Meikle for his oil "Cliffs Above Willard."
Five noncash Honorable Mentions were also awarded: Jeffery Pugh for "Peoa"; H. Shane Ross for "Duchesne Fields"; Eric Zschiesche for "Wasatch Spring"; Harrison Groutage for "Winter Rain"; and Rebecca Livermore for "Timpanogos Autumn."
During the exhibit's run at the MUAH, which will be open to the public July 8-24, visitors will be allowed to vote for their personal favorite. Near the show's conclusion, two more awards — People's Choice awards — will be presented, each worth $200.
To those artists whose work was not selected for this year's show, please remember the subjective nature of the jurying process; another set of jurors would have selected a different show. Please continue to enter each year.
Landscape painting in Utah remains a vital artistic voice in the region, and the Days of '47/Deseret Morning News Landscape Art Show will continue to be its staunch supporter.
E-mail: gag@desnews.com