Artist of the Month - November 2008

M.A.R.C. Retrospective for Moab Artist, Rick Showalter
by Rick Wheeler

Moab artist Rick Showalter passed away October 1, 2008. In honor of his contribution to the Moab art community, there will be a retrospective of his work October 30-November 6, 2008 at the Moab Arts and Recreation Center, 111 E. 100 North. A reception for the show will be held Saturday, November 1, 6-9 p.m. Several works will be on display, including new drawings never seen publicly before. Several of the pieces will be for sale, with the proceeds going to help pay for Rick’s exorbitant medical expenses.

Rick’s fine art prints were highly sought after by an audience that included both national and international collectors. His background included years of honing his skills as an illustrator for Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona, as well as a prolific book illustrator, particularly regarding the geology of the Colorado Plateau. Rick’s interest in science – which included astronomy, geology, archeology, and anthropology – played a big part in his fine art work. Temper this with his additional interests in psychology and the Surrealist art movement of the early 20th century and you have an amazing blend of influences that resulted in some of the most visionary interpretations of the desert southwest ever put to paper. Rick’s great talent was his ability to draw. Although he was highly skilled with pen & ink, charcoal, and pencil, his preferred medium of choice in recent years was colored pencil, of which he was truly a master.

Please join us for the reception on Saturday, Nov. 1, 6-9 p.m. for Rick’s retrospective at the MARC. The exhibit will run for one week only. For more information, please contact either Bayley or Beth at the MARC at (435) 259-6272.