Press Release
Utah State University Eastern presents 2017 Utah Watercolor Society, a Utah Arts & Museums Traveling Exhibition, from Jan. 8 through Feb. 2 at Gallery East. The works in this exhibition illustrate the variety of ways that watercolors can be employed in painting.
“We are really pleased to have this exhibit at Gallery East this year,” said gallery director Noel Carmack. “It’s a highly coveted show, and I think our visitors will appreciate seeing the wide-ranging skill in watercolorists from around the state.”
The works selected for the 2017-2018 exhibition include a variety of subjects and representations, from the fresh, spontaneous, and transparent images typically associated with watercolor, to controlled images that have been created through carefully overlaid washes. To create these images, artists divorced themselves from directly recreating the objects of their gaze and instead concerned themselves with the abstract elements of a painted image: line, value, shape, rhythm and texture. Others utilized these same techniques and structural elements to construct recognizable images of Utah’s landscape.
Utah Watercolor Society of Utah was founded in 1974 to “elevate watercolor and educate the public of the importance of watercolor as a creative, permanent art medium.” The society encourages its members to develop artistically and creatively and to share ideas and techniques with one another while providing opportunities for exposure of their art in exhibitions. The society is a member of the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies, a collective of societies in ten western states that share the same goals and mission.
Each year, the Utah Watercolor Society sponsors a competition juried by nationally recognized watercolorists. From this show, works are selected for the Utah Arts & Museums’ Traveling Exhibition Program. The 2017 exhibition will be on view at Gallery East, in the Central Instruction Building (CIB), located on the USU Eastern Price Campus.
Located in the CIB, Gallery East is free and open to the public during the academic year from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed weekends and holidays. The 2017 Utah Watercolor Society Traveling Exhibition is part of USU Eastern’s Year of the Arts celebration.
For more information, please contact Noel Carmack at (435) 613-5241 or email noel.carmack@usu.edu
About Utah Arts & Museums and the Traveling Exhibit Program
Utah Arts & Museums’ Traveling Exhibit Program is a statewide outreach program that provides schools, museums, libraries, and community galleries with the opportunity to bring curated exhibitions to their community. This program is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information on participating in the program, please contact Fletcher Booth at fbooth@utah.gov or call (801) 824-9177. For media inquiries, please contact Laura Durham, at ldurham@utah.gov or call (801) 236-7553.
Utah Arts & Museums is a division of the Utah Department of Heritage and Arts (DHA). To enrich the quality of life for the people of Utah, DHA creates, preserves, and promotes Heritage and Arts. The Division provides funding, education, and technical services to individuals and organizations statewide so that all Utahns, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or economic status, can access, understand, and receive the benefits of arts and culture. Additional information on the programs and services can be found at artsandmuseums.utah.gov or by calling (801) 236-7555.
