The Summit County Fair celebrated 100 years this summer with several special commemorative events during its centennial, Aug. 1-8. Anniversary events included a centennial quilt, medallion and mural by Gallery MAR artist Jan Perkins. The county’s longtime residents, 95 years and older, served as the fair’s Grand Marshals.

This past weekend, Summit County unveiled an original mural commemorating the fair’s first 100 years, created by Oakley artist Jan Perkins. The mural will hang on the back of the grandstand, located at the entrance of the fairgrounds in Coalville, Utah.

“Jan’s iconic depiction of our rodeo, one of the most popular events at the Summit County Fair, and her excellence in artistic execution won her the commission,” said Brian Bellamy, interim county manager.

Perkins, who graduated from Utah State with a degree in painting, specializes in painting animals with an attention to anatomical detail that gives her subjects a realistic quality. Her strong interest in magazine illustrations from the early 1900s has influenced her design for the mural, which depicts home arts, horticulture, floriculture, livestock and the rodeo. Perkins was chosen to create the mural by a selection committee from the Summit County Fair Board, which reviewed the artistic submissions.

Our artists, Jan Perkins and Rob Colvin are currently on view at the Springville Museum of Art. In celebration of the unique and varied landscape of the west, the Springville Museum of Art has opened its new exhibit, Redrock, Sage & Pinon. The exhibit, which spans over 100 years of fine art, includes such artists as Maynard Dixon, John Fery and Alfred Lambourne, along with Gallery MAR artist Rob Colvin. Featuring the raw and untamed beauty of the Wild West, each work highlights the depth and wonder of canyons and deserts unique to Utah. With the striking contrast of the bright blue sky against the red rock, it is no wonder why artists were drawn to the National Parks and Monuments.

Jan Perkins’ piece, “Sanctuary,” was selected as one of 200 pieces in the annual Spring Salon at the Springville Musuem of Art. She has aslo recently been selected to commission a mural for the city of Oakley, Utah, for their Centennial celebration. The mural will debut during the Summit County Fair, August 1st through the 8th. The mural will be hung on the back of the grandstand at the entrance of the Summit County Fairgrounds in Coalville. “Jan’s iconic depiction of our rodeo, one of the most popular events at the Summit County Fair, and her excellence in artistic execution won her the commission,” said Brian Bellamy, Interim County Manager.