Art Rising: Gallery Stroll Builds Artists Up

In a letter to his son in 1746, statesman Philip Stanhope, the Fourth Earl of Chesterfield, wrote, “Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well.” It’s fatherly advice that holds true 269 years later. Luckily, in the artist community, we have a tradition of mentoring—this tradition of passing down techniques and earned knowledge continues today in the forms of workshops, artist lectures, higher education and peer mentoring.

Gallery Stroll pays homage to this power of building up the community from within. Held on the third Friday of every month, this event gives the community an opportunity to see art on many levels, from the budding artist to the master craftsman. Artist receptions are held from 6 to 9 p.m. and provide an opportunity to speak with artists and offer support, criticism and praise. The Aug. 21 Gallery Stroll has much to offer, but I present to you two opportunities to see emerging artists alongside established artists, working on being the best that they can be.

Terence K. Stephens has traveled the world for his art. After receiving his Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Utah, he went on to study in Avignon, France, and Washington, D.C. He recently returned to Salt Lake City after stints in San Francisco and Seattle, where he was commissioned to do several murals. While in Seattle, he served on the board of the Center of Contemporary Art. Stephens has now returned to Utah to impart his knowledge of the arts to those just entering the art scene. His newest venture, Art 270 Gallery—located on 270 S. Main Street—strives to bring in artists from different regions, and also from diverse social and economical classes. The August show, Uptown, features Nate Lusan and Michael Lopez’s airbrush work on canvas, clothing and cars, and Ryan Akerley’s futuristic landscapes paired against Stephens’ traditional landscapes. For more information on this and upcoming shows, visit art270slc.com.

Art Access Gallery has a long tradition of providing artist workshops, residency programs and mentorships, along with curating captivating and enlightening exhibits. August’s gallery exhibit, on display from Aug. 21 through Sept. 11., will feature the work of the Teen Workshops and the Partners mentoring program. Teens explored Altered Thrift Store Art with Megan Hallett; Upcycled Mosaics with Louise Fischman; A Bit of Kitsch: Image transfer Furniture with Stephanie Swift; and Animal Expressions: Drawing and Painting with Ron Russon. In the Partners program, mentoring artists work with emerging artists with various disabilities in one-on-one, custom sessions. Apprentice artists hone a range of skills, including their own styles and techniques, business plans and marketing. On display in the main gallery will be the work of both the apprentice and the mentor: Melissa Rasmussen and Kirstin Scott in creative writing, Alissa Meservy Bott and Sue Martin in watercolor painting, Paul Williams and Royden Card in abstract realism landscape painting, and Zack Barnett and Elizabeth Schulte in digital media and animation. Also on display will be the work of previous partnership success stories: Jaren Nielsen and Stefanie Dykes in printmaking and Keaton Buck and Sarinda Jones in fused glass.

Whether you’re an artist looking to be inspired or you’re an art patron broadening your horizons, Gallery Stroll is an excellent night to rise to the occasion.