Moab Happenings Archive
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GALLERY HAPPENINGS March 2017

Between Dream & Reality at Bighorn Gallery

The ethereal art of French self-taught photographer Patrick Paul René makes its debut at the Bighorn Gallery, Dead Horse Point State Park, between March 6th and April 28th. King of Towers
René’s passion for the majesty of the Colorado Plateau has its roots in his earlier life as an explorer of the Alps in the Dauphine region of France. A resident of Moab, the artist first set eyes on the American Southwest more than three decades ago.
Through a palette of pseudo “paintings,” the artist presents fresh interpretations of subjects that have long enchanted visitors to the area. Where we view a broken down vehicle, a deserted ranch, or even familiar landscapes in Canyon Country, René sees captivating lines, textures, pensive moods, and the chance to create tantalizing visual experiences.
“The possibility of capturing perfection in a photograph keeps my passion high and my vision in harmony with nature’s solitude and beauty,” says the artist. “Each time I set out to catch those fleeting moments, I feel the excitement and confident expectation that keeps my spirit filled with awe and inspiration.”
René works with emotion to offer a vision of the magnificent light in the American Southwest as it changes from day to day, season to season. While exploring and expanding areas that arouse his curiosity, he revisits favorite sites to capture the ever-changing moods of the vast and wild landscape that inspires his creativity.
During the exhibition, René’s images, prints and note cards will be available for purchase.

Dead Horse Point State Park is located nine miles north of Moab on US 191, and 23 miles south on SR 313. The visitor center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through mid-March, then 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the season. Park admission is $15. For more information, contact the park at 435-259-2614.

March at Gallery Moab
by Larry Thomas

Gallery Moab is entering their fourth year on Main Street with a fresh new look. The staff has been busy painting and reorganizing to brighten up the place and better show off great local art. We also welcome a new artist.
Deborah McDermott moved to Moab last June from Salt Lake City. Big life changes made it possible for her to relocate to this area, which she has crisscrossed many times, as a child vacationing with her family, and later exploring with her husband and their two children. She considers this earthy place her spiritual home and feels fortunate to have found new motivation in her art.
Deborah studied art at the U of Utah in the 1970’s, and at Queens College, New York in the 1980’s. Her own education became more meaningful when she began to work with children. She initiated an art program for a small, independent K-8 school in Salt Lake, and developed projects that integrated with school curriculum. In addition to parenting her own two children, teaching art to kids was creative, challenging, but exhausting. She kept her own work simmering at Saltgrass Printshop in Salt Lake, where she met other artists, attended workshops by visiting artists, and created prints using a variety of printmaking techniques.
Since coming to Moab, she has discovered special places to investigate by photographing, drawing, making prints, and painting with acrylics. The prints that she is presenting here at Gallery Moab are lino-block prints, printed by hand (without a press), in small editions. Her acrylic paintings are related by subject matter to the prints.
Deborah is looking forward to sharing her work with the public. She is excited to have contact with other artists who are also inspired by the color and forms of southeast Utah.
This month the spectacular photographs of Bryan Haile and Robert McKendrick are featured. As are all the artists in the gallery, these are local artists with a great talent. Robert specializes in light and shadow in wildly eroded slot canyons. These are hidden places we hear about but seldom see. Robert has a reverence for the wild beauty of nature. His goal is to show the grandeur, peacefulness and serenity of nature in a way the viewer will experience as his own emotions.
Bryan Haile presents photos varying from star speckled skies, to arches and familiar geologic features presented in glowing color. He has been capturing landscapes around Moab and the Colorado Plateau for 25 years. He often includes images from the ancestral puebloans who inhabited the area hundreds of years ago.
The Moab Gallery is located at 87 North Main St. In addition to paintings and photographs there are locally made pottery, jewelry, cards and wood carvings. The gallery is open Wednesday through Monday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Tuesday.


Gallery Moab, 87 North Main Street.
435-355-0024
Winter hours: Thursday - Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
gallerymoab.com
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