Willie Holdman Art Conversation & Exhibit (St. George: July 24 - Oct 16)

St. George Art Museum
www.sgartmuseum.org , museum@sgcity.org
47 East 200 North, St. George, Utah 84770
Phone: 435.627.4525
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10-5
3rd Thursdays 10-9pm with Art Conversations at 7pm
Nominal Admission Fees

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE USE
For Information Contact: Deborah Reeder

Art Conversation with Willie Holdman whose exhibit is on view in the
Mezzanine Gallery
Summoning the Spirit of the Southwestern Lands
Art Conversation on September 16th at 7pm


July 24, through October 16, 2010 (Three exhibits on view

Main Gallery Botanical Illustration: From Penstemons to Pines (Botanical Illustrations from the Denver Botanical Garden)

Mezzanine Gallery Willie Holdman -
Summoning the Spirit of the Southwestern Lands

Legacy Gallery Forgotten Places – by Sam Scholes & Ben Kuhns




Summoning the Spirit of the Southwestern Lands

In the Mezzanine Gallery, we tour the southwest through the lens of Willie Holdman, whose large, stunning photographs have graced the moving walkway in the Salt Lake City airport terminal for a number of years.

A native Utahn, Holdman started experiencing the wonders of nature at an early age by assisting his father, Floyd, on photography assignments for National Geographic throughout the country. He managed to slip out and photograph the rural areas of Utah while at Brigham Young University where he received his BFA degree with an emphasis in photography. Although he has photographed nature all over the world, it can't compare with the versatility and beauty of his home state, Utah. Whether it is high in an alpine meadow, or low in the red rock desert, this is home. He resides at the base of majestic Mt. Timpanogos in Midway, Utah. A new book on Mt. Timpanogos by Holdman has just come out, and copies are available to purchase for signing
Holdman writes: “Photographers are visual artists. While a camera, like a pencil or painter's brush, can be usefully employed as a documentary tool, photography in itself is not a science. Like a drawing or painting it is a medium of visual expression. The question for visual artists is how clearly we can express our personal vision. The camera has long past the days when it was considered only a documentary device. It is now more than ever a tool for the artist to express himself. My wish is that I am able to express myself through the use of a camera.
At this time it is my desire to do portraits of the Earth, to capture the Earth's personality and true character. To experience these phenomena of nature, we must be attentive to the subject. Just as people only reveal themselves on special occasions for people they know and trust, so too, does the Earth save herself for those who respect her and are willing to make the sacrifice and journey off the beaten path. These revealings don't last long; one must be ready and skillful to capture these moments. The result is a photograph that captures the essence of the Earth that has rarely been seen before.
Unlike a painting, these photographs are of real subjects and real places that do actually exist. No manipulations or color enhancer filters were used. I hope these photographs will help you gain a better appreciation for nature and help you learn more about this planet called Earth.”
His work has been used in numerous publications throughout the country and is collected by many corporate and personal entities; some of these include Robert Redford, Senator Orin Hatch, 2002 Utah Winter Olympics, Utah Travel Council, SLC International Airport, and Outdoor Photographer. Recently he published a book titled “Timpanogos”, that is a compilation of photographs taken over 15 years on the mountain. Some of his other products are a calendar on Utah, posters, and screen savers for computers.