Helper Workshops 2007
College of Eastern Utah’s Gallery East’s January show features the work of the students from last summer’s Helper Art Workshops taught by professional artists David Dornan, Paul Davis, Doug Braithwaite and Ryan Peterson who describe themselves as a “rare combination of skill, talent and teaching ability.”
An opening reception featuring some of the artists whose work is included in the “Helper Workshops 2007” exhibit is Friday, Jan. 18, from 6-8 in Gallery East.
College of Eastern Utah’s Gallery East’s January show features the work of the students from last summer’s Helper Art Workshops taught by professional artists David Dornan, Paul Davis, Doug Braithwaite and Ryan Peterson who describe themselves as a “rare combination of skill, talent and teaching ability.”
An opening reception featuring some of the artists whose work is included in the “Helper Workshops 2007” exhibit is Friday, Jan. 18, from 6-8 in Gallery East.
Most of the work included in the show is from Utah artists, with a couple of paintings from Michigan, Gallery East Curator Cliff Bergera said. “There’s a huge range of experience in the paintings and sculptures from beginning to professional level. Most of the work is for sale and reflects the quality of work taught during the summer classes.”
Local artists with work in the exhibit include Terry Willis, Kathy Wilson, Ben Steele, Scott Yelonek and Bergera. A former CEU art student, Brittany Salt from Salt Lake, also has work in the exhibit.
“The idea to show the work of the students came about during the workshops last summer,” Bergera said. “I talked to David [Dornan] about the possibility of showing the artist’s work at the college gallery and he liked the idea. What seemed simple to organize last summer became difficult because some of the participants were from out of the state and had to ship their artwork to the college.”
This is the 12th year the workshops have been conducted in Helper and are gaining national recognition as they develop a student base from throughout the United States. They consist of a figure drawing and painting class taught by Davis, still life painting class taught by Dornan, a landscape painting class taught by Doug Braithwaiate and a drawing and sculpting the human head class taught by Davis and Peterson.
Classes were held in the Studio Group Building at 76 South Main Street in Helper. The building was originally the Utah Hotel and Furniture Store, and has since been converted in to a large studio environment.
Concerning the workshops, its organizers believed, “individual instruction and less problems are structured in a way that caters to all levels of experience: beginners will be comfortable and practicing artists will be challenged.”
The goal of the Helper Art Workshops is to provide a serious and intense learning environment that reduces the distractions of a traditional academic environment and day-to-day responsibilities. This is to challenge the students to realize their potential and invigorate their art spirit.
The show runs from Jan. 11 to Feb. 8 and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays in Gallery East located on the northwest wing of the old Student Activity Center. Gallery East is supported by CEU, the Utah Arts Council and the National Endowment for the arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.
The exhibit is free and open to the public.
