It’s hard to believe that this is the Kimball Art Center’s 39th year hosting the Park City Arts Festival. Congratulations! This is the largest art festival in Utah, with growth every year.

As always, Main Street will close down on Friday afternoon to allow the artists and craftsmen to set up their booths. On this night, locals can check out the booths in a free sneak peak starting at around 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The official festival kicks off on Saturday, August 2nd from 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. and runs through Sunday, August 3rd from 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. 225 artists will showcase their wares and live music; 3 beer and wine gardens, and delicious food will entice you to stay all day. There’s also a Kids’ Corner featuring activities including face painting and art projects to keep the little ones busy.

“How to Fest”:

• Park at the Park City Mountain Resort lot and take a 5 minute bus to Main Street, or carpool with friends and park in one of the Marsac lots.

• Arrive early and walk up one side of the street during the coolest part of the day. Grab a Navajo Taco and a beer for lunch at the top of Main, then stroll down to see the other side of the street.

• Come at night and make a reservation at one of your favorite restaurants. My pick? Artichokes and trout on the patio at Cafe Terigo, or blistered beans and sushi on Shabu’s deck.

• Take a full tour before making any purchase decisions. Ask the vendor to put the piece in hold for 30 minutes if you need some time to think. Can’t live without it? Snatch up the piece right away… many vendors sell out and your piece may not be there later!

• Don’t forget a visit to Gallery MAR at 580 Main Street– we will have Utah artist Brooks Yates performing an artist demonstration on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“Sunny Side of the Street” by Jan Perkins, Oil.

On Thursday night Park City was graced with the musical talents of Feist, an “indie” singer and songwriter whose voice is delicate, soothing and yet powerful all at once. Her concert was one of the many outdoor music events that the Park City Performing Arts Foundation puts on and was sponsored in part by two friends of Gallery MAR, Jon and Leslie Snavely.

A packed crowd waited for the sky to darken and the concert to begin. At around 9, Feist finally took the stage and a light show of sorts began. I say “of sorts”– after such a long wait the result was not as dramatic and I had hoped for. Little bursts of light here and there, pulsating to the music. Ho, hum.

The light show continued to develop as it got darker. Behind the musicians, on the backdrop of their stage, we saw enormous hands criss crossing and dragging paint into shapes and scenery. Turns out they had an artist live on the stage who was created the pieces on a light box which was then transferred to the big screen. The pieces they created, each in line with the lyric to a song, were temporary and washed away as the songs ended. Stencils and objects were also projected over the light box, and at one point two of the artists worked together to join hands and form new imagery.

I have to say, it distracted me from the performers and the music (the light box was quite bright), but it was a fun idea and a fresh way of showing artwork.

Since our opening nearly 6 weeks ago, we have added to our exhibiting artists list. Five new artists from all of the country have joined us.

Allow me to make the introduction…

Debbie Fowler grew up in Idaho and began her painting career 15 years ago. She has painted professionally and exhibited in galleries since 1997, and has studied and worked with renowned Utah artists such as Ovanis Berberian, Larry Wade, George Allen, Ann Marie Oborn, and Diane Turner. Her lush and vibrant floral scenes and landscapes showcase the best views in the west.

Allan Mardon lives in Arizona, and is inspired by the graphic beauty and history of his new surroundings. After moving here from Canada, he began to approach his canvas in an entirely different way, embarking upon a series of paintings with Native American themes. Employing a primitive and narrative style, these works depict in historic detail the artifacts and beauty of indigenous cultures of bygone times. Mardon’s paintings can be found in galleries and museums throughout the country as well as extensive public, corporate and private collections in the United States and abroad.

Fran Nicholson is our new sculptor from New Mexico. Her current body of work is all about dogs doing what they do best – living in the moment, unselfconsciously, and at peace being themselves. These virtues, which come so naturally to dogs, are often life-long goals for their human companions. Luckily for us, dogs are brilliant teachers. Nicholson says, “My second series consists of bronze dogs in relation to cubes, like the props used in formal photo shoots. True to their nature, these dogs would rather skip the formal poses and just climb down. Maybe roll over for a belly rub, or sit and scratch an itchy spot. So they do, and so I sculpt them.”

Jan Perkins graduated with a degree in painting and illustration from Utah State University in 1985. Since then Jan has worked as an illustrator and more recently as a landscape and wildlife artist. She has a vast interest in life and this is reflected in her variety of created work. She has painted Greek ceiling paintings, award winning portraits of musicians in the Utah Symphony, children’s portraits, landscapes for Utah ski resorts, fashion illustration, and paintings of show and race horses. She is currently exploring and expressing as much as possible the heart and soul within via the beauty of wild lands, nature, and light. Her work is influenced by James Reynolds, Dan McCaw, Putt, Sargent, Levitan, Phillip Goodwin, Sorolla and Vouillard.

Mary Scrimgeour began painting full time in 1990. Her worldwide travels continue to enhance and nourish her work. Mary interprets the world by painting what she sees and feels. Her love of children, a sense of humor, and a compassion for people are some of the emotions she blends with her vision. She majored in fine arts at the University of Colorado and has taken numerous classes with prominent Colorado artists. For many years Mary worked as an art director for several national magazines; during this time she continued her artwork independently. In 1985 she designed her own line of women’s clothing for her designer clothing store in Boulder, Colorado.

Jessica Peterson, of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, is calling for new members to the Young Benefactors group. I am a member, and want to encourage all young and arts-interested readers to attend one of the recruitment events coming soon.

Jessica writes, “We want to take advantage of this year’s blockbuster exhibition, ‘Monet to Picasso,’ and use this opportunity to introduce new people to the Museum and to the Young Benefactors. We will be hosting two morning/breakfast YB recruitment events on August 7 and 15. On both dates we will begin with an informal gathering and light breakfast in the board room at 8am, followed by a private tour of “Monet to Picasso” lead by Jill Dawsey. If you know of other people who would enjoy participating in the Young Benefactors, please provide me with their names and contact info (address, phone, email) no later than Wednesday, July 16.” Her phone number at the museum is 801-585-0464.

We are off to a fantastic start. With five weeks and counting, Gallery MAR celebrated our Grand Opening this Independence Day weekend. Local artist demonstrators Rob Colvin and Shirley McKay shared their artistic prowess with our guests, and McKay even allowed a young fan to add her own brush stroke to a painting!

We watched the parade from inside the gallery (great view!) and gave away more popsicles than I can count. Thank you to all of the collectors and friends who visited over the weekend and entered to win the Sharon Jackman original ceramic sculptor. Lucky Parkite Martha Ellison, who told us she has never won a thing, went home with the sculpture. Congratulation, Martha!

Thank you to Greg Marshall of the Park Record and to Shawn Rossiter of 15Bytes for their coverage of our events and opening.

Gallery MAR just received this email from Brad Stroman, our Pennsylvania artist and environmentalist:

“Often after an exhibition or show at a gallery or other venue I make an effort to donate to a worthy local environmental cause. After receiving your wonderful email about the sale of three of my paintings in one day at Gallery MAR, I would like to do the same there in Park City.

Would you kindly present a gift of $100 to the Swaner Nature Preserve in Park City in my name? http://www.swanerecocenter.org/primarypages/aboutsnpmain.html. I don’t do this with every show, but I feel I want to do this at this time. Thank you.”

Of course, Gallery MAR will match that gift in kind. After such a successful Grand Opening Weekend, it’s wonderful to pass the energy on… when was the last time you donated to an environmental cause?

Thank you for Randy Barton for hosting me on his afternoon radio show. This past Thursday he gave me 30 minutes in which to chat about the gallery. Randy’s show live, weekdays from 4 to 7 pm and features local guests, enticing commentary, and provocative subjects. And the occasional gallery girl plugging her artists.

Today I had the good fortune to be on KPCW’s This Green Earth broadcast. For those of you who tuned in, I promised to post some of the topics I covered and give you helpful links.  As well, I will be Randy Barton’s guest on his week-day show, this Thursday the 3rd at 6:30 pm, so listen in. Thanks again to Chris and Katie for bringing me on air. Have any suggestions or favorite painting tips? Let’s hear it!

Painting Precautions

Always ventilate your area well, and wear a mask if you are particularly sensitive to chemicals. Avoid these if you’re sensitive: Chrome paints, Zinc paints, Cadmiums, Cobalt, Petroleum, Thalo colors, and preservatives. You can request a Material Data Safety Sheet (MSDS) from almost all manufacturers (like Utrecht, Crayola, etc.) to check out what’s in your products.

“Green” painting practices

All- natural encaustics, made of beeswax and tree resin (just make sure to use low temps and do not use a direct flame on the wax); egg tempura, casein (milk-based), and water mediums (watercolors). For sculpture, there are quite a few fun options such a recycled materials, clay, wood, stone, and more.  Use baby oil or vegetable oil for cleaning your brushes and hands from varnishes and other painting chemicals. Make your own oil paints using natural pigments and linseed oil. Buy good quality, reusable products vs. disposable items.

Recipe for non-toxic Finger paints

courtesy of www.care2.com

1 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soap flakes melted with 1/2 cup
boiling water
Juice dyes (see below)

Make your own soap flakes by grating a bar of homemade hand soap (available at your health food store) until you have 1/3 of a cup of soap flakes. Combine the cornstarch, water, and melted soap in a bowl. Stir to blend. Let the mixture set until it has become thick. Divide into separate bowls and stir in juice dyes for color. Have fun and get messy!

www.NaturalPigments.com - articles, insights, and products to help you make your own paints.

www.RobPettit.com - provocative artist using cell phones to create art and discussion. This is why I’ve had the same cell for nearly 5 years.