Jen Suflita opens ’08-09 Gallery East season

This archived article was written by: Kris Kohler

Gallery East hosted the first of this year’s exhibits Friday, showcasing the renditions of recent Utah State University graduate, Jenifer Suflita.
According to Suflita, the exhibit went very well. The fact that there was a dance going on at the same time may have caused a lack of attendance but she was pleased with the overall turnout.
Noel Carmack, director of the College of Eastern Utah’s Gallery East said he is very pleased with the exhibit and is optimistic about this year’s lineup of talent. Cliff Burgera, retired CEU art director, who also expressed a positive opinion about the exhibit, accompanied Carmack Friday night.
“I’m really excited for the upcoming exhibit schedule. Gallery East is an outstanding venue, perhaps one of the best I’ve seen this side of the Wasatch Range,” quipped Carmack. “A lot of people don’t realize what a great gallery CEU has and the artwork shown here is as good as anything you will see in Salt Lake or even Park City.
Suflita’s portraiture are striking to see. The show features a group of etchings and dry points that range from very small to quite large. It is set up so that passerby’s on the north side of the building will hopefully be drawn into the gallery, just from the way the show is presented and seen from the outside, said Carmack.
“We will also be featuring the work of artists from the Saltgrass Studio in Salt Lake City,” said Carmack. “This is a group of individuals who, for a fee, use the print equipment at the coop studio. The work produced in this studio is fantastic. I think it’ll be well worth seeing.”
In January, the gallery will feature the work of high school art students from all over the region. This is the annual high school art competition that often includes some of the most creative new artists whom Carmack hopes to see enrolled in the art program at CEU in the future.
“In addition to our annual high school art competition, we will also have an exhibit of the Native American rock art which has been photographed by Craig Law, professor of photography at Utah State University in February,” said Carmack. “Law has been traveling the state, documenting the ancient petro glyphs for several years. His images of the rock drawings are phenomenal. I think this will be a must-see exhibit for local rock art enthusiasts.”
According to Carmack, in March, the gallery will feature the paintings, prints and installation pieces of Ike Bushman, a working artist living in Provo. His art has been influenced by the work of abstract expressionists like Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Motherwell, and the Arte Povera works of Antoni Tapies. He is another artist who, I think, will soon be gaining notoriety, not only on a state level, but nationally as well.
“We will conclude our exhibit schedule with the annual student show in April. This will be the best of what our own CEU art students have produced over the past year and will be worth attending,” concluded Carmack. “We have some very creative, innovative students here at CEU who are producing some noteworthy pieces as part of their coursework here at the college, so take the time to come and celebrate their hard work.”

2008-09 Gallery East
Exhibitions

Oct 3 – Oct 31:
Jen Suflita Etchings, In the Moment

Nov 7 – Dec 9:
Prints from Saltgrass
(Utah Arts Council)

Jan 5 – Jan 24:
Fourth Annual Statewide High School
Art Competition

Jan 29 – Mar 5:
The Art in Rock Art,
photographs by Craig Law
(Utah Arts Council)

Mar 7 – Apr 3:
Ike Bushman Prints and Paintings

Apr 10 – May 2:
College of Eastern Utah
Annual Student Art Show