BOUNTIFUL, Utah, July 16, 2010- The Summerfest Exhibit at Bountiful/Davis Art Center will feature artists who will also be involved in the festival August 5-7 at Bountiful City Park. The exhibit will open with a reception on July 30 at 7pm. It is free to the public. The following artists will be part of the exhibit:
Featured Artist: Jimmy Lucero
Frida and Pancho
Salt Lake City artist Jimmy Lucero, who teaches painting and drawing at the University of Utah and Westminster College was born and raised in Santa Barbara, CA. A naturally gifted artist, Jimmy was studying oil painting from Ivan Webster by the age of 10. While completing his Associate of Arts degree at Santa Barbara City College, Jimmy was heavily influenced by his instructor Manuel Unzueta who encouraged his interest in Mexican Muralists and in figure drawing. During this time, Jimmy volunteered and taught painting at La Casa De La Raza, a center for Hispanic youths. He had no idea that thirty years later, he would be doing similar work with Hispanic youths in Salt Lake City, Utah.
During those thirty years, Jimmy obtained a B.S. in Biology from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, worked in science labs at UC Davis and Stanford University, got married and had two children, Dolan and Ginger. In 1992 Jimmy and his family moved to Salt Lake City, UT. Jimmy obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in June of 2001 at the University of Utah. Upon completion of his MFA in 2003, Jimmy was awarded the Howard Clark Art Scholarship for most outstanding graduate work and has been a full-time professional artist ever since.
Jimmy grew into his present role as a social activist during the 18 months he spent researching immigration issues and producing 16 pieces for his controversial show at Art Access entitled “La Migra” which focused on the plight of undocumented workers, their families, and the construction of the wall between the US and Mexico. Director Ruth Lubbers was quoted saying “It may have been the most provocative show Art Access has hosted to date”. He has been invited to speak about his passions for art and social access at numerous forums including Kimball Art Center, “Avant-garde Artists” Culture Bytes, Black Box Theater, and Utah Museum of Fine Arts. He incorporates lectures about diversity in his teaching and introduces students to non-traditional minority and women artists.
Lucero’s passion for teaching and communicating his message of diversity and opportunity for social change don’t stop when he leaves the university campus. He volunteers every Saturday to run a “Brown Bag” figure drawing session, and provides free drawing lessons to teens through the Mestizo Institute of Culture and Arts (MICA). He has been heavily involved in the “Bridges Over Barriers” mosaic project on the I-15 underpass and was excited to participate in the recent 337 garage door “Face Off” project. He had three so far in 2010 past year including “Minute Clan” at the Kimball Gallery, the “300 Plates” show at Art Access, and the Salt Lake Art Center “Contemporary Masters” exhibit which opened in June.
“I am displaying paintings from two major groups of my work, narrative toy paintings and border paintings. My toy paintings have to do with the childhood experience of interacting with toys. Toys are made to be played with and as adults we lose that playfulness because we are too busy with our everyday lives. If we see a toy on the ground, we pick it up and put it away rather than play with it. I am putting the toys in an environment that adults can relate to, where the toys come to life. They are no longer just toys, they are telling a story.
In my border paintings, I’ve taken my artwork in a more personal direction and focus on the theme of realizing the American dream and making a better life for our kids than we had for ourselves. My paintings also make visual references about my family coming into the United States from Mexico and their struggles in becoming part of the American dream,”says Lucero.
The 2010 limited edition t-shirt design was based on a painting by Jimmy Lucero entitled ‘Undertow’.
Emerging Artist: Bobby Asay
Bobby’s painting was chosen as ‘Best of Show’ in the 2010 Davis School District High School Exhibit. He is a student at Viewmont High School. He has been taught by Roger Cushing, well known Utah artist and art educator.
Featured International Artist: Luis Jofre Pizarro, Santiago, Chile
Watercolors paintings and acrylic abstracts
Other participating artists are: Marianne Nybo, Kaysville, Janet Clark and Bettie Hyer, Bountiful, Jared Nielsen, Salt Lake City, Chris Adams, Clinton, Namon Bills and Justin Wheatley, Salt Lake City, Walt Hunter, Jesus Silva and Benjamin Davis, Salt Lake City, Brandi Bixler, Woods Cross, Lester B. Lee, Clarkston and Lamplight Art Gallery artists: Louise Shaw, North Salt Lake, Barbara Dowdle, North Salt Lake, Scott Durrant, Bountiful, Barbara Gustavesen, Farmington, Nora Del Murdock, West Jordan, and Gail VanWagoner, Bountiful.
The exhibit at Bountiful/Davis Art Center, 745 Main Street in Bountiful, continues through September 3, 2010.
These artists will also have booths at Summerfest, August 5-7 at Bountiful City Park, 400 North and 200 West in Bountiful. Donated works from these artists will be available through the ‘Silent Auction’ located near the information booth at the festival. The artists will be joined by 60 other artists and crafters at the festival.
The Summerfest Organizers are looking for host families, volunteers and interpreters. Please contact BDAC, info@bdac.org or www.bdac.org .
Summerfest is a cultural feast that delights the senses and bridges the borders of the world through a celebration of the arts.
For more information, contact Bountiful/Davis Art Center, 801 292-0367 or visit us online at www.bdac.org
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