In 2018, HORNE Fine Art celebrates its 15th Anniversary of being a “rich asset” in the Utah art scene. The gallery has drawn inspiration from Alice Merrill Horne’s legacy in Utah arts, as well as from the gallery and museum expertise that Karen Horne and her husband Michael Rowley brought from their time in New York, San Francisco, and Santa Fe.
Since it opened in February 2003, the gallery has presented an impressive number of exciting group theme shows, as well as showcasing the talents of Karen Horne and Phyllis Horne. Rather than offering the usual one-person shows, it was Karen Horne’s thought to curate and host intriguing theme shows that included her colleagues and strongly emerging newcomers.
Early group shows presented by HORNE Fine Art included “Splash- A Group Show with a Water Theme” “Glorious Food”, “Mother Earth.” Then came a whole series of “Scapes” shows – (a twist on the landscape theme) – “Headscapes”, “Skyscapes” “Nightscapes I” “Nightscapes II”. Other highlights over the years, have included the group shows “Travelogue,” “Remembering Sugarhouse,” “A Walk in the Park”, “10th Anniversary Splash”, and “Exploring Red.”
The gallery also did a tribute to Theodore Milton (Ted) Wassmer, with a “Wall of Wassmers” exhibition before the artist’s death at 96 in 2006. Shows focusing on Phyllis Horne’s paintings included “Phyllis Horne Paints Fall and Winter”, “Hollyhock Walks” and the very popular “The Poetry of Trees.”
Over the years the gallery has introduced the talents of up and coming artists such as Jamie Wayman, Ben Steele, Steve Larson, Jennifer Suflita, Jeff Mauger and Anthony Cox as well as featuring the work of more established artists such as Doug Braithwaite, David Maestes, Ted Wassmer, Judith Mehr, John Nyberg, John Berry, Barbara Edwards, Glen Edwards, Randall Lake, Traci O’Very Covey, Rick Graham and Ken Baxter.
As Karen Horne has received more awards and commissions, including the Visual Arts Fellowship and the Mayor’s Visual Artist Award, she has found it necessary to put more focus on the studio element of the HORNE Fine Art Gallery / Studio hybrid. In recent years she has been able to spend more time at the easel rather than curating and producing as many extensive group shows. Some of Karen’s one-person theme shows at HORNE Fine Art have included “Roman Holiday,” “Art of Performance” “Art of Dance” “Color of Night”, “Night and Day”, “Romance of Dance”, “Dine O’Round in Paint,” and “Ballet to Tango.”
HORNE Fine Art plans additional events over the course of this 15th Anniversary Season – stay tuned for details.