FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 4, 2012
Michael French
Michael French
Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator
College of Performing and Visual Arts
Southern Utah University
Office: (435) 865-8667
michaelfrench@suu.edu
FOR CALENDAR EDITORS: INTO THE WOODS: A PAINTED DIARY OF THE DIXIE NATIONAL FOREST BY ARLENE BRAITHWAITE
WHAT: The visual wonders of the southern Utah landscape will be showcased in a special exhibition entitled Into the Woods: A Painted Diary of Dixie National Forest by Arlene Braithwaite. SUU’s Great Hall Gallery in the Hunter Conference Center offers a chance to see the culmination of the work done by acclaimed regional artist Arlene Braithwaite who was partially commissioned by the Dixie National Forest, USDA Forest Service, to depict the forest’s breathtaking landscapes.
WHO: Southern Utah University, Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery
WHEN: April 19 – August 25, 2012
TIME: Monday – Friday, 10am-5pm, except holidays and events at Convention Center.
WHERE: SUU’s Hunter Conference Center, Second Floor
PRICES: Free and the General Public is encouraged to attend.
MORE INFO: http://www.suu.edu/pva/artgallery/
SUU's Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery Presents
Into the Woods: A Painted Diary of the Dixie National Forest
By Arlene Braithwaite
April 19 – August 25, 2012
Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah: The visual wonders of the southern Utah landscape and one spectacular national forest will be showcased in a special exhibition entitled Into the Woods: A Painted Diary of Dixie National Forest by Arlene Braithwaite. Southern Utah University’s Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery offers a chance to see the culmination of the work done by the well-known regional artist who was commissioned by the Dixie National Forest, USDA Forest Service to depict four breathtaking landscapes within the forest. With so many incredible vistas within the forest, Ms. Braithwaite created 20 works based on the landscapes. This special exhibit will be featured in a newly created space in SUU’s Hunter Conference Center, second floor. There will be an opening reception from 6 to 7:30pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012. The show continues through Saturday, August 25, 2012. The exhibit’s hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00am-5:00pm, except holidays and special events in the Conference Center. Admission is free and the general public is encouraged to attend.
For this exhibition, Arlene Braithwaite drove, hiked, skied and flew over the Dixie National Forest to draw her inspiration from the area’s majestic vistas and intimate, still spots. Among the notable locales captured by the artist are Hell’s Backbone, Saddies Nipple, Honeycomb Cliffs, Tom Best Springs, Ashdown Gorge and Casto Canyon to name a few. Summarizing the goal of this commission, Braithwaite says, “It is my intention to convey the discoveries I made on the Dixie National Forest in the hope of encouraging others to go ‘into the woods’ and make discoveries on their own. I also hope the paintings will communicate insights I gained during the experience, from the restorative power of fire to the geologic and erosive forces that sculpt amazing formations.”
Many of the paintings in the exhibition will be available for purchase. In addition, Into the Woods-inspired merchandise (mugs and art note cards) as well as other original art by Arlene Braithwaite will be available at Artisans Art Gallery located only a few blocks from the Hunter Conference Center at 94 West Center Street, Cedar City. Artisans’ hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11am to 7pm. For more information, please visit: www.cedarcityartisans.com.
Pastel painter Arlene Braithwaite earned her Masters degree from the University of Utah. Her pastel paintings have been shown in solo exhibitions at the Springville Art Museum, the St. George Art Museum, the Utah Museum of Natural History and Zion National Park's Museum of Human History. Her work has been published in the magazines "Pastel Journal" and "International Artist" and Poulton and Swanson's book "Painter's of Utah's Canyons and Deserts" and Olpin's "Artists of Utah." Additional recognition has come through first place and director's awards in statewide and regional exhibitions. Her pastels have twice been selected as Grand Prize winners at the Escalante Canyon Plein Air Art Festival. In 2011 she won the People’s Choice Award and a Purchase Award at the Zion National Park Plein Air Invitational. To build interest in painting on location Arlene taught workshops for the Utah Art Education Association, Southern Utah University and Snow Canyon State Park. Before committing to full time painting, Braithwaite enjoyed a 32 year career as an art educator at Southern Utah University where she was awarded the University's "Distinguished Educator" Award. Arlene was also recognized as "Art Teacher of the Year for the State of Utah" by the National Art Education Association.
The Dixie National Forest displays a contrast in color, climate and culture through its geology, world class recreation, scenery and natural and heritage resources. The Dixie National Forest occupies almost two million acres and stretches for about 170 miles across southern Utah. It straddles the divide between the Great Basin and the Colorado River. Elevations vary from 2,800 feet near St. George, Utah to 11,322 feet at Blue Bell Knoll on Boulder Mountain. Scenery ranges from desert canyon gorges of amber, rose, and sienna to high mountain forests, plateaus, and alpine lakes. The Dixie National Forest offers a nearly endless list of recreation opportunities as well as numerous scenic drives. For more information about the Dixie National Forest please contact www.fs.usda.gov/dixie. According to Forest Supervisor Rob Mac Whorter, “The Dixie National Forest is proud to be in partnership along with SUU and the gallery opening of Arlene Braithwaite’s Into the Wood’s A Painted Diary of the Dixie National Forest. Arlene’s paintings provide a glimpse into the natural beauty that connects people to the Dixie National Forest.”
In conjunction with the opening of Into the Woods, there will be a series of events to celebrate Earth Day and the Dixie National Forest. On Thursday, April 19th, there will be two free screenings of the documentary about Aldo Leopold’s life in the early part of the twentieth century and the many ways his land ethic continues to be applied all over the world today. Green Fire: A Land Ethic for Our Time will be shown free of charge and open to the public at 4pm and 7:30pm in the Great Hall within the Hunter Conference Center. On Saturday, April 21st, there will two guided hikes, one longer to Silver Rim Trail in Leeds and a shorter more family friendly one to Lion’s Mouth in the Dixie National Forest. Participants should meet at the SUU Recreation Center (check website for start time) and provide their own transportation, water and snacks. There will be a special Earth Day Fair on Friday, April 20th, located on SUU’s upper quad. The fair will feature interactive projects for youngsters, informational booths (including one from the Forest Service), and giveaways. The hours for the fair are 11am-6pm. The event is free and open to the public. The Earth Day Celebrations were coordinated through the efforts of Southern Utah University’s Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, College of Performing and Visual Arts, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Education and Human Development, Center for Sustainability and the Forest Service, USDA. For more information about these and other SUU Earth Day events, please check http://www.suu.edu/pva/artgallery/.
Take an inspiration journey as captured through an artist’s eye. Don’t miss Into the Woods: A Painted Diary of Dixie National Forest by Arlene Braithwaite. For more information about this exhibit, visit www.suu.edu/pva/artgallery or call (435) 586-5432. The Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery’s mission is to exhibit, collect and preserve historic and contemporary works of art significant to the interior American West. In addition, the Gallery hosts art exhibitions that represent the principal artistic styles and periods of world cultures.
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, 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 e-mail at cpvamktg@suu.edu.
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, 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 e-mail at cpvamktg@suu.edu.
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