Look who’s coming to the Celebration of Fine Art this year! At first glance, Josh Hirt’s works of art look like they could be layers of paint or resin that have been oxidized by the hands of Father Time or by way of acids applied to the paint. But, look a little closer and you discover there’s much more than meets the eye!
Artist Pete Tillack is equal parts artist and masterful storyteller. He’s dialed in how to use his art to share some of life’s most important lessons––lessons he’s learned along his journey. He depicts these lessons and meanings in various objects planted within his paintings almost like Easter eggs waiting to be discovered and cracked open.
The great American West has long captivated the curiosity and hearts of many, from explorers to scholars and scientists to artists. This issue of Art Connection celebrates the splendor of the West, from the desert Southwest depicted in Heidi Rosner’s watercolors to the heritage of cowboy culture shared in Curt Mattson’s sculptures.
Artist Abigail Crow may have been classically trained in painting oil on canvas, but in search of a way to bring more dimension to her work, she began experimenting with different mediums. Testing the waters with a material she found at Ikea, eventually led her to a unique style she can truly call her own. See what medium she uses and the process she uses to create layers in her paintings.
Though artist Brit Hansen had long loved block printing, over time she came to realize it was actually the carving process she craved. She began experimenting with other mediums––wax, wood, clay, to name a few––and eventually landed on acrylic paint. See how she created this unique style of creating reliefs using acrylic paint and carving tools.
Jenny Foster always knew she was destined for art. And she was one of the lucky ones who was able to tap into the artistic style that was intrinsic to her at a young age. Still, getting to where she is today took hard work and dedication, and she’s as passionate about it today as she was a child.
It started out simple enough…an admiration for rings compelled Shelli Kahl to take a soldering class so she could learn how to make her own. Several courses later, she found herself producing enough work to start showing at art shows. But it wasn’t until she sought the mentorship of a well-known metalsmith master that her career took off.
When mixed media artist Tim Weldon began creating art, he started to see the world through heightened senses. Suddenly, everything around him––flowers, stones, colors, people––was rich with story, texture and character. And he saw himself as a conduit for sharing these stories through his art.
Artist Beth Zink has become well known for her vibrant paintings of desert sunsets, and flora and fauna, but happening upon the bold color palette that has become synonymous with her name was a bit of a fluke. See how she developed this iconic style and what she loves most about art.
In a time when true craftsmanship seems to be slipping away, there are still artisans out there striving to preserve centuries-old practices not only through the work they put out into the world, but also by passing down these techniques and philosophies to those coming up in the industry. One such artist is goldsmith and jewelry maker Paul Farmer.
