I met local artist, Brett Hamilton, at his studio in the popular haunted attraction, Fear Factor. Props smeared with blood are piled here and there, randomly; makeup swells out of toolboxes and crates; mannequins and body casts stand and lean like the frozen living, lay like scattered corpses. We sit down at a table scummed with a thin layer of dust, and when he speaks, his … [Read more...]
Turning Bike Chains and Discarded Engines Into Art
Andrew’s eye for a particular kind of design element, the skill he uses to make manifest his imagination, and the levity that permeates his work, have earned him an established yet playful place in the serious world of art. Andrew Smith’s found-object kinetic sculptures—works that spin gears, move water, twirl rotors and guide rolling balls—are a fusion of … [Read more...]
Custom Saddles from Huntsville, Utah
Glen Thompson is a master saddler and one of the few remaining artisans skilled in the specialized craft of hand-made western saddlery. At his home in Huntsville, nestled in the bucolic Ogden Valley, Glen welcomes me into his shop—a virtual time machine festooned with tools, tack and relics dating back to the 1800s. The first thing I notice is the aroma. The smells of … [Read more...]
Salt Lake City 2014 Comic Con Photos
Quitting Her Day Job: One Utah Artist’s Journey
Eighteen months ago Heather Ackley was working for Franklin Covey doing design work. In May of this year she had her first solo art exhibit at Mod a-go-go. From one point to the next how are dreams fulfilled? For Heather, it happened when a friend commissioned a portrait of her dogs. Heather’s first inclination was to do a drawing of the dogs, but the friend suggested she … [Read more...]
Utah’s Best New Bluegrass Band are in Middle School
“We all met in a bar,” jokes 14-year-old Flint and Steel musician Garrison Asper. Bars with alcohol? No. Musical bars? Yes. The quintet may kid about how they formed their band, but they’re spot-on serious when it comes to creating music. This group of friends are always joking around and having fun together, and this energy resonates in their sound. Finding both gigs and … [Read more...]
Meet Photojournalist Richard Menzies
In 1971, photographer Richard Menzies, on assignment for the Salt Flat News (SFN), took what would become the iconic image of legendary New Zealand motorcycle racer Bert Munro, on Bonneville Salt Flats. With no other photographer around, Menzies sensed there was something extraordinary about Munro. It would be more than 30 years before the rest of the world would take notice … [Read more...]
Do What You Love, Love What You Do
Kristi Lauren conducts her life in a way that society tells us should be scary. “I live in the now and ride on passion,” the SLC artist declares. When a creative thought excites her, she does it. And how does a life motivated by creation look? Well, for example, a few years ago Kristi wanted to learn silk screen printing. “I bought some used equipment off of craigslist and … [Read more...]
Trent Call and the Salt Lake City Urban Art Scene
Murals are a unique art form, accessible and viewable by everyone, not just museum-goers, according to local artist Trent Call. “It exists in the world,” he said. “It becomes part of your landscape; a part of the city as a whole.” Call, born and raised in Salt Lake City, has been a long-time fixture in the Salt Lake art scene. He works with various mediums for his projects, … [Read more...]
More Jazz in Utah than the Basketball Team
“I hate jazz.” My wife declared, “and I’m not going.” Our night was off to a rough start. I had promised my friend, who gave us the tickets, that I would attend the concert of jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli at the Capitol Theater. So, feeling obligated, I told my wife that we had to go, and perhaps we would be pleasantly surprised. It’s a rare treat when you go into … [Read more...]