Zion Centennial Celebration of Art

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CONTENTS 2-3

Celebrating 100 Years of Zion National Park

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About the Zion Forever Project

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Zion’s Artistic Legacy

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Centennial Celebration Artists & Artwork

10-53 Paintings by Zion Centennial Celebration Artists 54

Sponsors & Event Committee

Zion Forever Project Zion National Park Springdale, UT 84767 Z I O N PA R K.O RG Copyright © 2019 by Zion Forever Project The Forever Project is the official nonprofit partner of Zion National Park

Cover Art: Spring Greening on the Virgin 40x27 Pastel 1


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Z IO N

Celebrating 100 Years as a National Park Honoring Zion National Park’s 2019 Centennial, the Zion Forever Project, in partnership with the Park, have planned a distinct celebration of art and history during our traditional plein air art week, November 5-10, 2019. Along with our featured artist, Arlene Braithwaite, we’ve invited ten artists from among the featured artists of our first ten years to participate in this year’s celebration as “Centennial Artists.” This year’s event is shorter, modified, and more streamlined to fit in with the other great things happening during the Zion National Park Centennial. It will juxtapose the legacy of art in the canyon with the park’s history, and is designed to continue, in a new and exciting way, the great tradition of art in the park established over the first ten years of our plein air event. Each of our 11 Centennial Artists have created five original Zion Paintings, including a large designated “Centennial Painting,” all of which are included in this online virtual exhibit beginning September 23, and continuing through the end of the event in November. These paintings, along with the plein air work created by the Centennial Artists during the week, will be hung in the Zion Museum Auditorium for actual exhibit/sale on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 8, 9, and 10. We are especially excited to host these eleven outstanding artists whose variety of styles and mediums express the wonder and beauty of Zion Canyon across a wide spectrum of interpretation. They are each artists who have connected deeply with visitors over the years, not only through their remarkable art, but through their pleasing personalities and their willingness to share their thoughts on painting and on what the park means to them. Some, like Roland Lee, Bill Cramer, Cody DeLong, John Cogan, and George Handrahan, have participated in nearly every Zion art event over the last ten years. Suze Woolf has not only been a perennial favorite in Zion, but was also an artist in residence in the canyon. Michelle Condrat has dazzled visitors with her unique style for several years, as has James McGrew, who when he isn’t painting, works as a park ranger in Yosemite. The most abstract painter of the group, Buffalo Kaplinski, is returning to Zion after a few years absence. His work has excited many attendees as it opens their eyes to new ways of seeing the park. The elegant, majestic and powerful pastels by Arlene Braithwaite are among the most beloved work produced in Zion. She, along with Kate Starling, who stands among the greatest painters in the history of Zion, were among the original artists in the Zion event. In fact, with Arlene’s pastels, Kate’s oils, Roland Lee’s watercolors, and the work of each of the other invited artists, we have the bases covered when it comes to the finest contemporary art in Zion. This year’s art celebration is designed to commemorate the first 100 years of Zion as a national park, recognize the legacy of art in the history of the canyon, and honor eleven contemporary artists who have helped perpetuate that legacy over the last ten years.

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OUR MI S SION The Zion National Park Forever Project engages in collaborative efforts with federal agencies, gateway communities, and guests to create connections to the Greater Zion Landscape that will lead to lifelong stewardship. By establishing business and agency partnerships, encouraging collaborative innovation, expanding educational opportunities, funding tangible projects, and leveraging resources, the Zion Forever Project is building the next generation of leaders and stewards.

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Z ION PAR K.O RG

Z ION PARK .ORG

ZI ON PARK .ORG

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ZION’S ARTISTIC LEGAC Y Color sets Zion National Park apart from many of the world’s majestic places. Nature has painted the canyon with a perfect combination of chemicals. The Navajo Sandstone walls we see today were laid down 175 million years ago as sand dunes in an enormous Sahara-like desert. Through the ages, those dunes hardened into what we now call Navajo Sandstone, and as the landscape lifted, a stream called the Virgin River began to carve a masterpiece. Navajo Sandstone is composed of white-quartz sand grains cemented together with calcium carbonate, silica, and red iron oxide. Variations in the type and amount of these cements comprise Nature’s palette in Zion Canyon. As the chemical composition varies, so do the colors of the canyon walls, from dark brown to rust and orange, to red, pink, and white. These are Nature’s paints. Her brushstrokes are exposed in the random crossbedding of sands laid down anciently. And Her design presents itself in the myriad shapes of the canyon, from sheer cliffs and hanging gardens, to beehives, hoodoos, spires, and flat-topped mesas on the skyline—all the result of continuous erosion by wind, rain, and the constant flow of the Virgin River. Somehow, all the elements of the master artist have serendipitously assembled here. Each of the great artists invited to Zion during the week of November 5, 2019, are known for the way they capture the amazing array and nuance of color in Zion. For more than 130 years, artists have been capturing it in their own way. It started with such iconic artists as Thomas Moran, and it continues today with the work of masters like those invited to paint in this year’s Zion Centennial Celebration of Art. In the book Art of the National Parks: Historic Connections, Contemporary Interpretations, Jean Stern makes a solid case for the importance of original art in the creation of America’s first national park, and subsequent national parks. She quotes William Henry Jackson who wrote that his photographs and Thomas Moran’s watercolors made during the Hayden Expedition to Yellowstone in the early 1870s “…were the most important exhibits brought before the Congressional Committee. The wonderful coloring of Moran’s sketches,” he wrote, “made all the difference.” Zion owes much to the artist Frederick Dellenbaugh who created a series of paintings of Zion in the summer of 1903, that hung in the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Those paintings and other early works of Zion, captured the color of Zion and are credited for helping the authorities in Washington, D.C. understand the importance of preserving such a place for the public to enjoy in perpetuity. Just five years later, President William Howard Taft signed the proclamation creating Mukuntuweap National Monument. Ten years later in November of 1919, congress passed legislation transforming the national monument into Zion National Park. Lyman Hafen, Executive Director of the Zion Forever Project, said, “This is an amazing event that partners the community with the park and combines art and philanthropy.” He added, “Art has a very firm place in the history of Zion Canyon and in the story that led to it becoming a National Park. Today, artists, donors, sponsors and visitors continue that rich tradition, preserving the wonder that is Zion National Park for future generations, and enhancing the experience of everyone who comes here.” 6


Ancestral Puebloans circa 1400 AD

Thomas Moran 1873

Frederick Dellenbaugh 1903

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ZION NATIONAL PARK CENTENNIAL CELEBR ATION ARTISTS All artists participating in the Centennial Celebration of Art have played significant roles in Zion’s previous art events. Throughout its 11 year history, the Zion Plein Air Invitational has featured many of the memorable works shown below.

G. Handrahan pg 30-33

K. Starling pg 46-49

J. Cogan pg 14-17

A. Braithwaite pg 10-13

B. Kaplinski pg 34-37

J. McGrew pg 42-45

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C. DeLong pg 26-29

R. Lee pg38-41

M. Condrat pg 18-21

B. Cramer pg 22-25

S. Woolf pg 52-55


ABO U T T H E A RT WOR K The paintings on the following pages were part of an online sale which ended November 11, 2019. Although the Zion Centennial Celebreation of Art has ended , some pieces may still be available for purchase. For more information about the art and the artists, please contact the Zion Forever Project at 435-772-3264.

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ARLENE BRAITHWAITE – Cedar City, UT arlenebraithwaite.fineartstudioonline.com Pastel painter Arlene Braithwaite earned her master’s degree from the University of Utah. Upon graduation she enjoyed a 32 year teaching career as an art educator at Southern Utah University where she was awarded the University’s “Distinguished Educator” Award. Arlene was also recognized as “Art Teacher of the Year for the State of Utah” by the National Art Education Association. Upon retiring, she was able to focus her full attention on pastel painting. Her work has been shown in solo exhibitions at the Springville Art Museum, the St. George Art Museum, the Utah Museum of Natural History, and Zion National Park’s Human History Museum. Arlene’s paintings have also appeared in the magazines; Pastel Journal and International Artist, and the books; Art of the National Parks: Historic Connections, Contemporary Interpretations; and Painters of Utah’s Canyons & Deserts. Additional recognition has come through first place and director’s awards in statewide and regional exhibitions. Her pastels have twice been selected as Grand Prize winners at the Escalante Canyon Plein Air Art Festival, and she won the People’s Choice and Employee’s Choice Award and several Purchase Awards at Zion National Park Plein Air Invitationals. Last year Arlene had a one-woman exhibition at the Randall Jones Theater, participated in the Cedar Breaks Plein Air Invitational Show Arts Afire, and the Zion Plein Air event. To build interest in plein air painting, Arlene enjoys teaching art workshops for the Utah Art Education Association, Southern Utah University, and the Southern Utah Museum of Art. Centennial Painting: “During the painting process I focus on the quality of light, Zion Sentinels 40x27 Pastel

atmosphere, surface textures, shifts in color temperature and edge variations. My goal is to create a painting that will resonate with the viewer’s experience.”

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Morning Light, Kolob 12x12 Pastel

“The road to Kolob was closed for repair last year and this piece was painted on my first trip back up the canyon. The morning light kissing the edges of the cliffs was what caught my eye.“

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Autumn on the Road to the Tunnel 24x24 Pastel

Clear Winter Light, Zion 16x12 Pastel

Winter Spotlight 24x18 Pastel

Spring Rain, Kolob 24x12 Pastel 13


JOHN D. COGAN – Farmington, NM johncogan.com John Cogan captures the beauty of creation on canvas painting the landscapes of the American West in a unique style that has become known throughout the United States and the world. He paints primarily in acrylic focusing on color and the effects of light. John earned a PhD in physics from Rice University in 1981. But he loved painting more than science, and by the following year, painting had become his vocation. The Grand Canyon has been one of John’s favorite subjects, and he has painted it hundreds of times in all seasons and weather. He has participated in the Grand Canyon Association’s Plein Air on the Rim from 2009 through the present as well as the 2009 Modern Masters show at Kolb Studio. In 2012, John’s painting “Out of the Depths” won the Jack Dudley Memorial Purchase Award and is a permanent part of the collection of the Grand Canyon. In 2015 John won Best of Show. Zion National Park is one of John’s favorite painting destinations as well; its quiet beauty and cathedral-like setting have inspired many of his best paintings. He has participated in Zion National Park’s Plein Air Invitational every year since 2010, winning multiple awards as well as the Superintendent’s Award in 2011 and the Foundation Award in 2015. His painting “Waters of Evening” was used as the poster painting in 2016. The recent book, Art of the National Parks features John’s paintings in the section on Zion National Park.

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Centennial Painting:

“I hiked up on the Sand Bench Trail and walked into the Court

Court of the Patriarchs – Evening 30x40 Acrylic

of the Patriarchs just as the sun was dropping along the edge of the rocks behind the Sentinel. The light was unbelievable.”

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Zion Cathedral 24x30 Acrylic

Sunlit Cliff at Zion 12x16 Acrylic

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J3 – Portrait of a Condor 16x20 Acrylic

The Watchman Evening Glow 20x30 Acrylic 17


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MI CHEL LE CON DR AT – Salt Lake City, UT michellecondrat.com Michelle Condrat was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor Degree in Painting and Drawing and a Minor in Art History. Michelle enjoys painting the unique landscape of Utah and the Southwest, and spends a lot of her time in the outdoors, where she gathers inspiration and subject matter for her paintings. With intense color choices and linear blended strokes, Michelle is able to give motion and movement to her paintings, while capturing the feel of the western landscape, with a fresh and new visual perspective. “I believe that Plein Air painting is one of the most raw and pure ways an artist can paint, because everything you are seeing is real and in real time. You are not relying on a photograph, and you are not warping your vision by looking through a lens or a screen. Because of this, it makes it very challenging due to the changes in light, how you are in the elements, and how nature is affecting you and your paints. I also think that the most challenging part for me, is choosing what to paint, when there are so many options and endless possibilities! But, when you find that perfect spot to paint, it makes it all worth it, and it gives you a sense of accomplishment that is ten times the reward compared to finishing a painting in the studio.” Centennial Painting:

“When I visit Zion National Park, I am reminded of how time and

Reflections Of Time And Beauty 24x36 Oil

the elements have carved the beauty that is shown before me. When I am standing there looking up at the towering rock walls above me, and listening to the flowing of the river beside me, I’m filled with a joy of being surrounded by a special and sacred place that is unlike any other! It is a place that has touched my heart so deeply with its unique beauty, and it is a place that I feel needs to be preserved so that the same feelings of love and serenity can be felt by others for years and years to come.”

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Autumn’s Peak 16x20 Oil

Lavender Dusk 12x16 Oil

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A Walk Along The River 18x24 Oil

A River Runs Through It 18x24 Oil

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BI L L CR AMER – Prescott, AZ billcramerstudio.com Growing up in southern California, Bill always had an interest in exploring nature and creating art. As an experienced rock climber, he spent much of his youth enjoying the more vertical places of the American west. This gave him a perspective of the world that few others would ever experience. He received a fine arts degree from California State University Long Beach in 1989, and later moved to Prescott, Arizona with his wife Michelle to be closer to the scenery they both enjoyed. It was there that Bill discovered the joys and challenges of landscape painting, his outdoor experiences providing much of the insight and inspiration expressed in his art. Today with his wife and two daughters, Sarah and Megan, Bill divides his time between family, art and outdoor pursuits. Centennial Painting:

“This painting was inspired by one of my first trips to Zion that

Crowning Moment 48x36 Oil

included a visit to Gooseberry Mesa. The view from up there of the Virgin River Valley, Mt. Kinesava, the West Temple and much of Zion National Park itself has always stuck with me. It was a great introduction to the scale and beauty of the park.”

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Span of Time 12x24 Oil

Temple Light 24x24 Oil

Autumn Memories 20x16 Oil

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Nature’s Palette 36x20 Oil

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CODY DELON G – Jerome, AZ codydelong.com Lifelong student of art, Cody has studied at the Loveland Academy of Fine Arts, as well as the Scottsdale Artists School, where in 2003, he was awarded a Merit based Scholarship. In 2004 the Oil Painters of America selected him as that year’s Shirl Smithson Scholarship Winner. In 2009 Cody was awarded a Teachers Scholarship by the Marylin Sunderman Legacy Fund for his innovative workshop techniques. Cody has been featured in many books: Sedona’s Best Artists, Sedona Verde Valley Art, Plein Air New Mexico, Jack Richeson Series - Volume One, The Richeson 75 International - Landscape and Exteriors 2007; and magazines including the cover of Sedona Magazine (fall 2008 with 3 page color feature), Western Art Collector (many times), American Artist Workshop Magazine, Arizona Highways, Southwest Art, Sedona Monthly, Phoenix Magazine, Mountain Living Magazine (feature article), and more recently a 5 page feature article in Plein Air Magazine (June/July 2015) These days Cody divides his time between his Jerome Studio/Gallery in Jerome AZ, and painting outdoors (Plein Air). He has participated in numerous plein air events. Cody is a founding member and former Vice-President of the Arizona Plein Air Painters, is a core member of the Jerome ArtWalk Association, Jerome Chamber of Commerce, and has been a cornerstone of the Jerome arts scene for nearly two decades. Cody is also a dog lover, and a member of the Red Rock Mountain Bike Patrol, an all volunteer chapter of the National Mountain Bike Patrol.

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Centennial Painting:

“Big Bend is one of my favorite areas to paint in the park. In this

Big Bend Dreaming 36x60 Oil

case I was visualizing at first without any reference photos to come up with my idealized sketch with simplified shapes to get the mood I was feeling about this area. It’s what I see when I close my eyes, hence the name. I created this painting so you can share in these dreams too. The warmth of the sun on the rocks and the color and movement of the river make me want to walk right in and revel in it.”

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Reflections of Autumn 24x36 Oil

One Lane Bridge 12x18 Oil

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Eye on Autumn 16x24 Oil

Angels Rising 18x24 Oil

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GEORGE H A N DR A H A N – Layton, UT georgehandrahan.com With over 70 major awards, listings in 7 books featuring prominent artists, and paintings sold through major auction houses, George W. Handrahan is considered to be one of the most collectable artists in Utah. George has been painting the beauty of Utah, California and New England landscapes for more than forty years. A native of Utah, he was raised in the rural community of South Weber. It was in this environment that he came to love and appreciate the diverse natural landscape surrounding him, taking every opportunity to spend time outdoors. As a student, George learned to appreciate many forms of art, but gravitated towards the work of LeConte Stewart, Maynard Dixon, the California and the American Regionalist artists, admiring their ability to subtly portray the essence of light, color, form, and mood. Taking his degree in art from Weber State in 1976 under Farrell R. Collett and Richard Van Wagoner, these influences led him to devote his skills full time to landscape painting. George’s art is characterized by both his lifetime affinity with nature and his knowledge of art principles, design and composition. His paintings invite the viewer to see, in a unique way, color they might otherwise have missed, to sense a mood frequently ignored, and to share in the beauty of a transient time and place. George has work hanging permanently in museums, corporate and private collections in Utah, California, New England, and the Southwest.

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Centennial Painting:

“My primary objectives are to capture those instants in nature

After the Storm 30x40 Oil

where form, color and light are constantly changing, while simultaneously instilling into each canvas a personal and emotional response.�

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Zion Wall 24x24 Oil

Monarch of Kolob Canyon 30x24 Oil

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A Contrast of Hot and Cold 10x20 Oil

Heat and Crows – Grafton, Utah 14x18 Oil

A hot, dry day in the ghost town of Grafton, Utah. This home is part of the original pioneer settlement that was later abandoned.

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BUFFALO K A P LI N S K I – Elizabeth, Colorado buffalowatercolors.com For more than 40 years, Buffalo Kaplinski has been a fine artist establishing himself in the western U.S. Born in Chicago (1943), he studied at the American Academy of Art and the Chicago Art Institute. The late Irving Shapiro AWS was a great influence on Buffalo’s early watercolor style & later working a lot of plein air affected his technique. After working as a commercial artist in Chicago, the lure of the American Southwest took him to Taos, NM where his career as a fine artist began (1967). He quickly became known as one of the finest contemporary landscape artists working in watercolor and acrylic and gained national recognition through his many one-man shows. His work has been added to numerous corporate collections as well as hundreds of private collections. National shows in which he exhibited include the American Watercolor Society, the Artists of America show, and the National Academy of Design (1965). Buffalos work has been featured in articles for American Artist, Southwest Art, Western Art Collector, and Plein Air magazines. He won the Superintendant’s Award of Excellence at Zion National Park in 2012, and was the featured artist in the 2013 Zion Plein Air Invitational. He also received awards from Pikes Peak Watercolor Society, Plein Air Artists of Colorado and other water-media shows. Buffalo has also been involved in documenting Anasazi cliff ruins in exhibits of Mesa Verde National Park - Rims to Ruins exhibition. The Southwest, canyons of Utah, high country of Colorado, moving water, fallen snow, ice, aspen groves, rock formations, sunsets, and glaciers are subjects that get Buffalo splashing away in watercolor and acrylic. He has worked plein air all over the world in about 25 different countries.

Centennial Painting:

“My Centennial painting was developed from a large plein air water-

His Power – Court of the Patriarchs 30x40 Acrylic Gouache on Canvas

color & I zoomed in on shapes and developed a powerful sky to get some movement. I realize some may say it is not so. Have you been there? Have you seen the interplay of light & form? I hope this will be remembered by everyone who sees it. My wish is to ‘knock ‘em over.’”

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The Color Anvil Near Court of the Patriarchs 24x30 Watercolor / Canvas

Checkerboard Mesa – Chess Pieces 19x24 Watercolor / Paper 36

Checkerboard Mesa – Distant View 12x16 Watercolor / Canvas


It’s Getting Crowded Here – West Temple 18x24 Watercolor / Canvas 37


ROL AND LEE – St. George, UT rolandlee.com Saint George, Utah, artist Roland Lee has explored the National Parks for over 40 years, capturing images with sketchbook and paintbrush. From his cabin on the east border of Zion National Park, Roland has intimately explored the peaks and canyons of Zion and his original paintings can be found in over 1700 museum, bank, corporate, university, and private art collections. He was recently awarded the Utah Governor’s Mansion Medal for contribution to the arts in Utah. Roland’s paintings have been selected for exhibit by the National Watercolor Society, the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Arts for the Parks Top 100, and Paint the Parks Top 100 shows which toured America. Roland’s paintings are featured in his new 160 page hardcover book; Discovering Zion, A Pictorial Guide to the Landscape, Geology and History of Zion National Park. Forty of Roland’s Zion Canyon landscape paintings are included in the book; Mukuntuweap, Landscape and Story of Zion Canyon, and his essay; Eye of the Beholder, 30 Years of Painting Zion, is included in the book, Century of Sanctuary, The Art of Zion National Park. He is also featured in the books; Art of the National Parks, Painters of Utah’s Deserts and Canyons, and Contemporary Western Artists. “Utah’s scenic wonders are beyond compare,” says Roland. “We are blessed to live in a place so rich in scenic beauty, and I thank God each day for the gift of art in my life. I hope that those who see my paintings share this immense appreciation and gratitude for our sacred lands.” Roland served on the Board of directors of the Zion Natural History Association and Zion National Park Foundation at Zion National Park for twelve years.

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Centennial Painting:

“I’m often asked if I’m afraid I’ll run out of things to paint. That could

Sentinel Shadows 22 x 30 Watercolor

never happen…My biggest fear is not having enough time in my life to paint all the things that interest me.”

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A Glimpse of Heaven 18x28 Watercolor

Hiking the Narrows 14x10 Watercolor

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Zion Fireglow 29x21 Watercolor

Watchman Over the Virgin River 10x10 Watercolor

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Centennial Painting:

“As unusually heavy snow fell on the Zion Canyon floor, I drove

Zion Winter Symphony 24x48 Oil on linen on birch ply

through the night to Zion and arrived as the storm cleared on Feb 22. I photographed and painted for several days including a peaceful evening at Big Bend. I used that plein air work to create this larger studio panorama with the monumental sandstone features decorated in fresh snow so vital for life in the desert. The elements of a grand scale, towering features, elegant snow, and golden light like the glow of a choir paired perfectly with Beethoven’s 9th symphony playing as I drove through Zion Canyon.”

“On July 11, 2018 I hiked Angel’s Landing to photograph and paint the wondrous peregrine falcons nesting on the sheer north face. I produced plein air paintings of the speeding aerial acrobats and scenery. Thunderclouds rolled into the park and I found myself alone on the summit when an adult falcon flew back home for the evening, bringing food for its young as sun beams shot through the darkening shadows.” Building Momentum 18x14 Oil on linen on birch ply 42


JAMES MCGR E W – Lake Oswego, OR jamesmcgrewfineart.com James McGrew’s passion for painting national parks began with his first family backpack at four months old. A strong background in natural sciences (biology, chemistry, geology and environmental ed.) help James understand his subjects and carry on the tradition of historic artists whose images helped establish national parks. McGrew also lends his art background to work as a summer seasonal Yosemite park ranger of 23 summers. James prefers to paint direct from life, creating even large works on location and backpacking/hiking hundreds of miles a year in search of personal connections and unique perspectives. McGrew’s award winning paintings hang in collections around the world and have shown in many solo shows, international exhibitions and plein air invitationals. He presented at numerous art and science conferences including Plein Air Convention and his work/ writings have been published in books, videos most major art magazines. He is a signature member of the American Impressionist Society, LPAPA, and an out of state artist member of the California Art Club. “I interpret nature with my brush, not just representing a scene, but conveying the emotions while experiencing a place and event. I hope my works inspire others to connect, appreciate, and protect natural and cultural history for not only my two daughters, but all of our future generations.” “Here I’m showing the perigrine’s wings folding back, gaining momentum before reaching an aerodynamic teardrop and rocketing downward. The fastest creatures on Earth, peregrines attain speeds up to 242mph. Despite unmatched speed, agility, bravery and intelligence, peregrine populations crashed towards extinction in the 1960’s due to human threats, especially pesticides. Under the Endangered Species Act, and protected habitat, peregrines received protective management enabling population recovery and federal de-listing by 1999. Today, Zion’s majestic towering walls house one of the world’s largest populations of wild peregrine falcons.” 43


Zion Monsoon Maestoso/Allegro “With thunderclouds encroaching I descended, reaching 30x40 Oil on linen on board. refrigerator canyon as rain fell and thunder echoed. I took shelter beneath a rock overhang as the sky unleashed three inches of rain in a matter of minutes. Sandstone walls suddenly erupted in waterfalls in every direction. Lightning frequently flashed and almost instantly, thunder overpowered the roar of waterfalls and rockfall all around. The title refers to the final movements of Camille SaintSaens Symphony No. 3, “Organ Symphony,” one of the greatest romantic era musical achievements and to which I repeatedly listened in the studio as I painted. No other music so perfectly conveyed the feeling in the moment that I experienced the glorious flood; from the excitement, exhilaration, serenity among the cathedral-like walls and incredible power, all harmonized together. ” 44


Soaring Together 30x15 Oil on linen on birch ply “The following morning I again hiked up Angel’s Landing where I observed California Condors including the mating pair of condors 523 (wing tag J3) and 409, (wing tag 9) rising up from the shadows and soaring together. Standing on the edge of the abyss, I felt like I soared with them. This spring, the pair hatched a chick (condor #1000) barely visible on the cliff below Scout’s Lookout. Hopefully the chick will fledge this November, continuing the successful recovery process of this species once on the brink.”

“Exploring on the east side, I came across a group of Desert bighorn sheep which I painted and photographed for about an hour. Desert bighorn historically vanished from Zion’s landscape, impacted mainly by disease from introduced domestic sheep. Following reintroduction and intensive management, bighorn now thrive in Zion’s sanctuary.” East Side Hidden Treasures (Desert Bighorn) 18x24 Oil on linen on birch ply

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K AT E STA R LI N G – Rockville, Utah kstarling.com

Kate Starling is an oil painter who lives and works in the canyons of southern Utah. Having earned a degree in geology, she spent years working outside as a geologist and National Park ranger. After formal academic art training from 1988 - 1995 she devoted her work to painting the landscape. Educated in the importance of painting directly from observation she has spent years painting outside, learning the way light plays on the land. Now she splits her time between the roadways and trails surrounding her home and the studio. Kate’s paintings portray the natural world and focus on communicating a sense of place, atmosphere and dazzling light, retaining the immediacy of the painting experience. She knows the strength of emotion that the landscape seen in a particular light can trigger in her – she strives to paint in such a way that memory and emotion are triggered in the people who see her work. “One of the things that’s essential to my work is that I don’t just paint big, majestic landscapes of the obvious places. A lot of what I want to paint is the beauty of everyday life. In the end, it’s all about the way that the sunlight hits something, and you can find that anywhere in the right light. But I do my best work in the places I know and the things I see every day.”

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Centennial Painting:

Zion Narrows Oil 36x44

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Lee Valley Sky Oil 16x20

Big Bend Oil 20x30 48

Clear Creek Narrows Oil 16x20


Dry Creek Oil 30x30

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S UZ E WO OLF – Seattle, WA suzewoolf-fineart.com Suze Woolf has been drawing all her life. After an undergraduate degree from McGill University, she pursued fifth-year studies in printmaking and ceramics at the University of Washington. Her professional career included graphic design of printed materials and interfaces for commercial and prototype software. She has received regional and national awards for watercolor. Her subject matter is diverse and driven by a desire to bring the unnoticed to the forefront of consciousness. From the burnedover forests of the arid West, and numbering systems on utility poles to large-scale industrial subjects, she finds intense visual experience everywhere she looks. Suze was Artist-in-Residence in Zion in 2012 and has returned for every Plein Air Invitational since. She has also been an invited resident in the North Cascades, Glacier and Capitol Reef National Parks and the Grand Canyon Trust, as well as Vermont Studio Center, Banff, Jentel, Willowtail Springs and Playa.

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Centennial Painting:

“I’ve met my goal when I’ve transported the viewer into the world

East Temple Watercolor 20x30

of the painting but that viewer remains aware my hand wielded the brush. The painting walks a line between invoking reality and a collection of brush strokes.”

Little Siberia Watercolor 11x30

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The Narrows Watercolor 32.5x14

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The Watchman Watercolor 20x30

Foot of Angels Watercolor 15x22

Kayenta View Watercolor 15x22

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Paint Out Event November, 2018 Zion Lodge Lawn

COMMITTEE MEMBERS Aly Baltrus, Zion National Park Lyman Hafen, Zion Forever Project Daisy Hobbs, Ensign Hospitality Kacey Jones, Zion Forever Project Kathy LaFave, Zion Forever Project Miriam Watson, Zion National Park Erin Whittaker, Zion National Park

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