Art Hikes @ Southern Utah Museum of Art (CC: June 4)

For Immediate Release: 5/16/11
Michael French
Public Information Officer
Southern Utah University
College of Performing and Visual Arts
Southern Utah University
Office: (435) 865-8667
michaelfrench@suu.edu

Photo: Spring Creek Canyon, near Cedar City. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Cedar City / Brian Head Tourism Bureau

FOR CALENDAR EDITORS: SUMA ART HIKES, SPRING CREEK CANYON, ARLENE BRAITHWAITE

WHAT: SUMA Art Hikes have been created to provide an opportunity for the southern Utah community to discover the special places that local artists gain inspiration for their art. Participants will get to hike to these inspiring locations with the artist as well as a representative from the Public Lands who will educate and enlighten the hikers to learn more about these unique locales.

WHO: SUMA, Southern Utah Museum of Art, Community Engagement Committee

WHEN: Saturday, June 4, 2011

TIME: 9:00am

WHERE: Cedar City Main Street Park, east side (near main pavilion), Cedar City, UT

TICKETS: Free and open to the general public. All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

INFO: (435) 586-5462 or visiting www.suu.edu/pva/suma.

SUU’s SUMA Community Engagement Committee
Launches Free Art Hikes with Regional Artists

Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah: The natural beauty of the southern Utah landscape has inspired the art of numerous acclaimed artists. These gifted artisans trek into the spectacular terrain in order to create breath-taking artwork. Now you can join them on their artistic journey on three different hikes that explore the creative process, the SUMA Art Hikes. Beginning on Saturday, June 4, 2011, hikers can join renowned artist Arlene Braithwaite with a trek through Spring Creek Canyon. The Art Hikes have been created by the Southern Utah Museum of Art’s (SUMA) Community Engagement Committee to build public awareness for the proposed museum. All Art Hikes are free.

SUMA Art Hikes have been created to provide an opportunity for the southern Utah community to discover the special places where local artists gain inspiration for their art. Participants will get to hike to these inspiring locations with the artist as well as a representative from the Public Lands who will educate and enlighten the hikers to learn more about these unique locales. In addition, all participants are encouraged to bring their own art supplies (sketch books, pencils, pastels, watercolors or whatever a hiker’s media) and cameras to capture the natural beauty of the region for themselves.
On Saturday, June 4, 2011, Arlene Braithwaite hikes to Spring Creek Canyon. Braithwaite earned her Masters degree from the University of Utah. A former Associate Professor of art at Southern Utah University, Arlene was recognized in 2002 by the Utah Art Education Association as Utah Art Educator of the Year. Arlene's pastel paintings have been on display in one-person exhibits at the St. George Art Museum, the Springville Art Museum, the Utah Museum of Natural History and Zion National Park’s Museum of Human History. Additionally, her work has been published in the magazines “Pastel Journal” and “International Artist.” Arlene has received first place and director awards in statewide pastel exhibitions and she earned first place recognition at the Escalante Canyon Plein Air art competition, fall 2007.

Additional tours this summer include exploring the wonders of Red Cliffs Desert Reserve with Royden Card on Saturday, June 18th and Cedar Breaks National Monument with Brad Holt on Saturday, July 16th, which coincides with the Wildflower Festival.

SUMA Art Hikes are free and open to the entire community. All ages are welcome. Hikers will meet at Cedar City Main Street Park, east side (near main pavilion) at 9 am. Participants are welcome to bring their own art supplies. All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Hikers need to provide: Own transportation, lunch, sturdy hiking shoes or boots, knapsack, a minimum one quart of water per person, rain jacket, personal first aid kit, sun screen protection, and layered, comfortable clothing (for any type of weather).

Joanne Brattain and Diane Strachan, co-chairs of the SUMA Community Engagement Committee, gratefully acknowledge Anne Smith, SUU Instructor, Outdoor Recreation in Parks and Tourism (ORPT), Coordinator, Outdoor Education Series, for creating this special hike series and Ann Salviazul of the former Blue Sage Art Gallery in Cedar City for coordinating the artists’ participation. Brattain and Strachan would like to express their gratitude to Cedar City Leisure Services, the Family Hike Series, the National Parks Service and the Cedar City and St. George offices of the Bureau of Land Management for their support of this project.

For more information, contact Anne Smith at smith_a@suu.edu or Joan Anderson, SUU PE Dept. Secretary, at (435)586-7816. Additional information can be obtained by calling (435) 586-5462 or visiting www.suu.edu/pva/suma.

To make a contribution to SUMA, please contact Donna Law, Director of Development: CPVA, at 435-865-8182 or law@suu.edu. Contributions can be made online at www.suu.edu/pva/suma.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE
The Southern Utah University College of Performing and Visual Arts is comprised of nationally accredited departments of Art and Design, Music, Theatre Arts and Dance, as well as a graduate program in Arts Administration. The College offers 16 different degree areas, including liberal arts Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees; professional Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Fine Arts in art and theatre degrees; and a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration degree. More than 60 full- and part-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 550 majors in the College. Over 1100 students enroll each year in over 195 arts classes on the SUU campus. The College presents 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year. The College’s affiliate organizations include the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, American Folk Ballet, Utah Shakespeare Festival, the performance group Acclamation, and the SUU Ballroom Dance Company. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, contact the Office of the Dean at (435) 865-8561, or by email at cpvamktg@suu.edu.