Karen is thrilled that one of her restaurant paintings, “Balancing Act” is included in the museum’s competitive exhibition celebrating the 100th iteration of the (April) Spring Salon. This juried showcase of Utah talent in multiple visual media, including painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, drawing, assemblage etc, attracted a record number of entries this year (1450), 50% more than in usual years, and only about 250 artists were accepted. It provides a great overview of some of the finest artwork being produced in the state.
Balancing Act comes from her cafe and restaurant series.
Karen offered this description of the painting:
“Ever since I studied for a summer in Italy, I’ve been fascinated by the subject of cafés and restaurants. I see them as a lively theatre set, with constantly shifting dramas and elegantly uniformed actors presenting the food. In this scene, I emphasized the light. I loved the way the waiters and their trays were silhouetted by a far window. I also dramatized the distance between the near and far waiters, contrasting their size and movements with quick decisive marks.”
Karen is grateful to take part in this celebration of all the Springville Museum has done to encourage contemporary Utah artists over its history. She has been participating in the Spring Salon regularly since her early years as a professional artist, as has Phyllis Horne. For example, in as early as 1983, Karen’s oil, “Breakfast Table” was featured. In 1996, Phyllis Horne’s ravishing large garden painting, “On Cottonwood Lane,” was purchased by the Museum for its permanent collection.
This museum show continues through July 6, 2024. It is accompanying by a second historical show, “Salon 100,” upstairs, which gives a glimpse of some works acquired from the Salon over the decades.
For more details about this “little museum that could” and the 100th Spring Salon, click HERE.
