Gallery Stroll – September 2008

It’s funny how you can feel summer ending––the temperature cools, a swift breeze reminds us that leaves are changing and will soon fall to the ground and fall and winter ale goes on sale. In Utah we host Oktoberfest in August––another reminder that if you blink you can miss a whole season.

This month’s Gallery Stroll picks are inspired by the past, present and future.

Artist Garrett Loesch looks to the future and leaves all his formal training behind in search of lost things waiting to be found on his daily journeys. “It’s hard to pinpoint what inspires someone to do something––I’ve been doing a lot more walking lately, which has been a real eye opener. I have always embraced the unknown, and wandering is a little extension of that,” he says.

On his daily walk-a-about, random objects whose capacity and purpose do not unfold until further inspection and contemplation inspire Loesch. Leaving inspirational materials up to fate can make for a synergetic experience. “My thoughts have been focused on being humble and listening for my brain to realize the moment.”

Look for something old, something new, something…you know what I mean. In more general terms, look for a new purpose in everything with Loesch’s found object assemblages at nobrow Coffee (311 E Broadway) on September 19th.

Somewhere between the past and present, in the corners of my dusty and sometimes rambling mind, I have realized why fall is so exciting during Gallery Stroll. I can now enter some of my favorite galleries without a sweat rag, but even more importantly, it’s the biannual Equinox Show at Poor Yorick. Local artists and Poor Yorick landlords Brad and Tracy Slaugh have been sweeping out the dust bunnies and challenging artists to put down the brush, clean up the paint and invite the public to view the fruit of their summer labor.

With live music, hearty refreshments, open access to over thirty local artists and no cover charge, there is absolutely no reason to miss it. The studio will open on Friday, September 26 from 6pm – 10pm and Saturday, September 27 from 1pm -5pm. Poor Yorick is located on 126 W Crystal Ave. (2550 S).

Now to the present––Present Tense that is. If you haven’t already seen the Present Tense: Post 337 Project show featuring the work of over 25 of the original 140 artists who worked on the 337 building, then you are missing a piece of Salt Lake history. Building owners Adam and Dessi Price’s gift of temporary space to local artists hosted nearly 10,000 people in its original six days.

It united 140 artists, arranged the post 337 show and made the name 337 Project synonymous with Utah’s urban art scene. It is inspiring and I haven’t even touched on the video documenting the original building and its demolition. Come and feel the energy first hand. The show is hosted at the Salt Lake Arts Center (20 West Temple) and closes on September 27th. For more information about the show and corresponding film times visit slartscenter.org.

For you artists waiting to be discovered in the future, The Utah Arts Council is accepting applications for the 2009 Visual Arts Fellowship Program until Thursday, September 18, 2008. This competition annually awards two $10,000 fellowships to Utah artists in order to encourage artistic development and the advancement of their careers. Artists working in crafts, drawing, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture are eligible.

Artists working in media outside the above listed categories may still be eligible and are encouraged to consult the Utah Arts Council Visual Arts program. For application materials and questions regarding the fellowship program, contact Lila Abersold at 801-533-3581 or labersold@utah.gov. Information can also be found online at: arts.utah.gov.

Don’t wait for art to find you, go out and find it!