October 23rd, 2020
While several of the artists we represent here at Gallery MAR are local to our Park City area, many more of our artists hail from all across the globe.
Think about where you call home or where you’re from. How has that place, dear to your heart, informed your sense of style, your taste, even aspects of your own identity? Oftentimes, both the landscape and culture of a place have a way of influencing our artists’ work. Take a tour with us — perhaps we can see more of those influences, learning more about these beautiful places our artists call home.
We know all too well why our local artists love where they live, so we’re curious to learn more about the places our not-so-local artists live and love. So, even while most of us are still stuck at home, we can travel the world with our artists, even if it’s just through our computer screens.
Our first stop is beautiful Lander, Wyoming, where our mixed media artist, Matt Flint, calls home. Lander is beloved for its outdoorsy culture and small town charm. Located halfway between the Badlands, Yellowstone, and the Teton National Parks, residents of this city have no shortage of breathtaking scenery to take in. After a long day of hiking through the area’s stunning wilderness, stop by the Flint family-owned Lander Bake Shop for some delicious pastry treats.
Next up, we’re heading down South to visit the iconic city of New Orleans. Although Hunt Slonem spends much of his time in Manhattan, he also owns several homes in the South, including two historic plantations near New Orleans, Louisiana. While many people are drawn to this city for the fun festivities of Mardi Gras, Slonem prefers the quiet beauty of the area’s historic homes. Find out more about his gorgeous southern plantations in his feature in The New York Times.
Just south of the Canadian border sits gorgeous Whitefish, Montana, home to our encaustic artist, Shawna Moore. As a surfer, skier, and overall outdoorswoman, Moore finds solace in the beauty and activity of this outdoorsy city. While the views and downtown charm of Whitefish, Montana warrant a visit all on its own, the world renown Glacier National Park (pictured above) is only a short half hour drive away. It’s easy to see how the luminous colors in Shawna Moore’s work could be inspired by the bright turquoise waters of Montana’s gorgeous lakes.
Last month, we wrote about Maura Allen’s recent move to Prescott, Arizona from Denver, Colorado and how her new home has inspired her work. Through our conversation, Allen explains what she loves about the peaceful, open spaces and easy pace of life of Prescott, Arizona: “There’s a different sensibility on texture, color, and openness [in Prescott],” she says, “I’m not surrounded by the loud music of urban life. Out here, the music of life is more like quiet conversations.” The serenity of this scene from nearby Watson Lake only emphasizes her observations.
Our artist Patrick St. Clair is currently in the midst of a move to France from San Francisco, CA. With works featuring majestic snowy peaks, St. Clair’s move to France is sure to give him even greater inspiration for his work. We look forward to seeing how the magnificence of the French Alps and the cultural arts of the country inform St. Clair’s interior and exterior landscapes.
Next we visit Pamela Murphy’s farm/studio in Sister Bay, Wisconsin. A peninsula jutting out into Lake Michigan, Sister Bay, Wisconsin has the benefit of both quiet farmlands and beautiful lake waters. In the winters, snow and ice abound, providing ample inspiration for Pamela Murphy’s peaceful wintery paintings. When the snow starts to thaw, stop by Pamela Murphy’s farm to visit her studio and the precious baby goats she raises there.
Next we’re heading back out West to the bustling city of Denver, Colorado. With a backdrop of pastel-hued mountains, it’s no wonder the residents of this city love the outdoors. A short drive from the Flatirons of Boulder, CO and several of the highest Western peaks (affectionately known as 14ers for their 14,000+ ft of elevation), this city is a hiker’s dream. An avid outdoorswoman herself, mixed media artist Sarah Winkler takes inspiration in the stunning colors and textures of the Colorado landscape in her mixed media work. We especially love to see the bright golds in her work, representative of the stunning gold of the local Aspen trees in autumn.
It may be unsurprising to hear that our fashion-inspired artist Jane Maxwell hails from a great metropolitan city like Boston, Massachusetts. Growing up visiting her grandfather’s garment factory in South Boston, Maxwell was inspired at an early age to combine her love of art and fashion. The bustling city of Boston has much excitement to offer its residents and visitors, from cultural attractions like the Boston Museum of Fine Art to fun pastimes like Fenway Park to worldwide draws like the famous Boston Marathon. Consistently ranked as one of the best cities in America, this city likely has something for you, whatever your niche.
Now we’ll hop over to the Golden coast and visit sunny California. Jylian Gustlin has called San Francisco, California home for most of her life. Influenced by nearby Silicon Valley, her abstract works combine her interest in computers and mathematics with her love of artistic expression. A rock climber and avid hiker, Jylian Gustlin finds plenty to explore in the beautiful landscape around San Francisco. Right outside of the city’s borders lies world renown Muir Woods and Sequoia National Park. In addition to the natural beauties of the area, San Francisco is home to cultural icons like the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Alcatraz. Whether you’re looking for natural splendor or cultural riches, San Francisco has you covered.
Jumping across the pond once more, we find Stefan Heyer’s hometown of Hamburg, Germany. The city of Hamburg is best known for its famous harbor area, the Port of Hamburg. Boats dot the cities waterways, from its harbor to its inner city lakes, Alster Lakes, while cafes line the streets. Stunning architecture can be found in every corner of Hamburg, making sense of Heyer’s lifelong fascination with architecture and history. This fascination permeates his work, acting as “fragments from the past and present floating though [his paintings], like ghosts and echoes from another time and dimension.”
Finally, we’ll end our trip in the artsy city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, where Nina Tichava finds her inspiration. The dusty hues of the distant mountains and the highly textured natural elements of the surrounding landscape all find their way into Nina Tichava’s work. Between its renown art galleries, its Georgia O’Keefe museum, and its beautiful handmade crafts, the city of Santa Fe is the ideal place for an artist or art lover.
We hope you enjoyed learning a little more about where our artists work and live, and the inspiration they find in the cities they love. Which artists’ city is still on your bucket list?
Written by Veronica Vale
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