GALLERY HAPPENINGS November 2010

The Bighorn Gallery at
Dead Horse Point State Park

The Bighorn Gallery at Dead Horse Point State Park currently features a unique exhibit of photography and paintings by local artists, Catherine Holmburg and Melinda Redd.

Moab, UT – Inspired by the “harsh beauty of the desert landscape,” a duo of Moab-area artists have combined their talents to create a vibrant exhibit of paintings and photography. Catherine Holmburg and Melinda Redd’s artwork will be on display in the Bighorn Gallery at the Dead Horse Point State Park’s visitor center through Feb. 28, 2011.

Holmburg intends to evoke an emotional response with her large, colorful oil paintings. She studied art history at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and earned a master of fine arts degree from Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, Calif. She said cubism and Dutch still life influence her work, and describes her style as loose, abstract and focused on the process of glazing and impasto. Holmburg is an established artist at the David Barnett Gallery in Milwaukee. She currently teaches art classes at Moab Charter School.

Redd said she attempts to capture the true symbols of the American west in her photographs, from the “subtle exquisiteness of desert blooms” to “the calloused hands of real, live cowboys.” Redd has won several awards at San Juan County Fairs, including best of show. One of her photos recently made the front page of the local newspaper, the San Jan Record. Several of her photographs are published in a fine art book, Capture my Utah. Redd currently lives on a cattle ranch in the desert with her husband, raising two young cowboy sons.

For more information visit CatherineHolmburg.imagekind.com and cowgirlmin.imagekind.com

Dead Horse Point State Park is located nine miles north of Moab on US 191, and 23 miles south on SR 313 at the end of the highway. The visitor center is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Park admission is $10. For more information contact the park at 435-259-2614.

Off The Wall Art Gallery

Off The Wall Art Gallery is Moab’s newest art gallery. This month it is featuring two of its member artists - Kelly Krusnoski and J.C. Borders.

Kelly Krusnoski, a self-taught artist, grew up in Grand Jct., Colorado where she became immersed in the outdoors, which gave her the inspirations for her art. Painting came naturally to her because it was in her blood. Her Grandpa Rae and her uncle were also artists who encouraged her to be creative with her drawing at a very young age.

After finishing school, she lived in Telluride, Colorado for a few years and using the easel she had inherited from her grandfather, she completed her first watercolor. When she moved to Hawaii in 2003, a local artist and friend challenged her to pursue a career as an artist. Under the tutelage of some accomplished artists, she developed her skills until her dream of becoming a professional artist came true and people around the world began to recognize her talent by purchasing her paintings.

Coming full circle she’s back in Grand Jct. Using oils she works full time to produce the seascape scenery of Hawaii and the landscape of the Rocky Mountains and the desert southwest as she expresses her love of the outdoors that surrounds her.

J.C. Borders, a self-taught artist, originally painted with oils. He always loved art but between raising a family and running a construction business in Portland, Oregon, he had little time to devote to it. While in Portland, he discovered that it was easier to find time for his art after he switched to pastels, which offer many advantages over oils. Pastels don’t dry out and are less expensive. They are a great medium to learn color composition and are more forgiving because mistakes can be erased and easily corrected.

When he retired fifteen years ago, he moved to Moab where he devotes three to four hours every morning to his painting and starts his day very early while he’s still fresh. His subjects are the outdoor landscapes of the Moab area from the grandeur of the La Sal Mountains to the striking beauty of the red rock desert.

J.C. has become very involved in the art community and for the last four years he’s taught classes in pastels. He loves teaching and always welcomes beginners who have the desire to express themselves through art. Starting the first week of November, he will offer classes once a week at Off The Wall Art Gallery from 5:30 to 8:00 with room for six students. For more information on cost and materials stop by the gallery or e-mail Collette at offthewallartmoab@gmail.com.

J.C. and other artists will be giving demonstrations at Off The Wall’s booth at the Moab Folk Festival on November 5th and 6th.and J.C. will also present a demonstration in pastels at the gallery during the art walk on Saturday, November 13. To stay abreast on all the gallery’s current activities, check the website – offthewallart.com.

Off The Wall Art Gallery, which offers a wide array of mediums in metal, clay, glass, watercolors, pastels and oils is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 to 6:00, Sunday from 10:00 to 2:00 and is closed on Monday. It is conveniently located at 225 South 400 East, not far from Milt’s and Dave’s Corner Market.