Moab Happenings Archive
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GALLERY HAPPENINGS September 2008

Cat's Lair CollectionEnjoy the Refreshing Experience of Original Art

We feature local, regional, and international artists. You will find sculptures, beautiful pottery, glass, wood and metal works, unique photographs and thought-provoking paintings, azurite crystal roses, hand spun wool & silk, light & color.

Moab is a small town located in the red rock desert of southwestern Utah. It is world - famous for its spectacular natural beauty and is one of the greatest places for hiking, biking, river trips and jeeping adventures. Nevertheless, in this beautiful surrounding there are many talented and devoted artists who live and work here, quietly interpreting the natural beauty around them into stunning works of contemporary art.

So, we are searching for the hidden and known talents in our region and beyond, so you, our visitors, will enjoy the refreshing experience of original art.

This month we would like to talk about two artists: our newest artist -photographer Joe Justad and local artist Sandi Snead.

Sandi Snead
Sandi Snead Sandi came to the Moab area from Florida, where she studied at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. Her artist style ranges from hauntingly surrealistic with complex emotional and spiritual feelings, to a graceful beauty that comes from her background of modern dance.

Sandi first came to the canyon country in 1987 and fell in love with the area. For a while, when Sandi was busy building her house and studio in La Sal, she did not paint much. Now a wave of creativity and inspiration drives Sandi to produce series after series of the most interesting pieces that overwhelm you with an explosion of creative force and emotions.

During our years of representing Sandi we showed her series of very emotional surrealistic paintings, very funny “Goblin Valley Portraits”, “Faces in Unusual Places” and “Vibrant Landscapes” full of movement, energy and color. Now we have her new painting “The Essence of Me Turning into a Bird”.

Joe Justad
Joe Justad - Red MountainJoe Justad has lived in the American West his entire life. He studied art and photography at the University of Washington and has a degree in filmmaking from Evergreen State College. He has worked in the field of visual communications most of his adult life as a film editor in Hollywood, and graphics and video teacher in Seattle, then later as an educational filmmaker.

He began shooting landscapes in 2005 when he spent a year on the Navajo Mountain.
He shot with digital cameras initially, but later he came to believe that large film negatives create a more detailed and a lyrical image.

“I’ve spent thousands of hours editing images from some of the world’s best cinematographers, and thousands more observing the visual arts for enlightenment and fun, but my approach to creating photographs is still quite simple; if I like what I see, I photograph it.”

Art, whether we’re making it, buying it, or merely appreciating it, is an act of faith. Not religious faith, but faith that our senses, our minds, and especially our hearts are telling us the truth. Technical issues, (film? digital?) and formal artistic considerations such as composition and art history are, finally, just servants of the intangible.

I find shooting photographs in the American Southwest to be a humbling experience, exhausting, and highly satisfying. On a planet populated with 6 billion people, I consider it a rare blessing to explore and photograph the “empty spaces” of this region and consider myself to be in the truth and beauty business. I’m a beauty hunter!

A Latin term that sums up how I feel about my photographs: “Res ipsa loquitur.” Which means: “The Thing Speaks For Itself:, or better yet, “The Thing Itself Speaks”. “Hope you like what you see! - Joe Justad “

As long as you are here in the gallery, check out the new and unique jewelry by Olga Martinova. Olga works at her jeweler’s bench and greets her customers, who appreciate the opportunity to meet the artist and watch her work. She makes many custom beaded earrings and necklaces upon request; you can watch her make your piece while you wait. She also spins wool and silk. Often you can see her spinning when you walk into the gallery. She will often give demonstrations to customers who has never seen this ancient art practiced in real life.

If you’re passing through Moab, we’d like to invite you to take a few moments to stop in and enjoy the refreshing experience of original art!....

We are located in the Eddie McStiff’s Plaza, “when you see the big yellow cat above its rocky lair, you know you’re in the right place!”

Cat's Lair Collection
59 South Main St.
Moab, UT 84532
(435) 259-2458
www.catslaircollection.com

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