A few months ago, local filmmaker @austinsmock_ reached out wanting to create a mini documentary about my approach to art. With much gratitude, here is the result!
#artist #artistspotlight #localartist #documentary #contemporaryartist #fineart #muralist #saltlakecity #utahartist #surrealism
The Breath of Life: A History of Storytelling
8’ x 75’ (2.5 x 23 m)
The mural begins in prehistory, with oral tradition breathing the first stories into existence - a breath that becomes a living current, weaving its way through the entire composition. The imagery travels through the oral traditions and early written epics of Sanskrit & Egyptian literature, into the monumental dramas of ancient Greece, and onward into the rich symbolic worlds of fairy tales and Shakespearean theater. It follows the birth of cinema, the rise of comic book heroes, and the visions of science fiction, before arriving at the creation of the computer, digital modeling, and the emergence of artificial intelligence. Storytelling, in this arc, becomes a mirror of our own transformation as a species - and as the mural reaches the present moment, it invites reflection on where our collective imagination, and our society itself, may be headed next. Throughout, figures and symbols flow together across time, all connected by the shared breath of imagination - a reminder that even as our tools change, the soul of storytelling endures.
Commissioned by Salt Lake County, this massive illustration has been months in the making. On Eccles Theater on Main Street of downtown SLC, it activates the space this summer as the theater is closed for renovations. Check out the Open Streets schedule for weekly activations of this spot!
Thank you so much to all those involved and for being selected to create this!!
#saltlakecity #downtownslc #openstreets #publicart #mural #muralist #utahartist #illustration #goodhappystuff
For this mural I wanted to create something that really brought the good vibes to the neighborhood. The design of the woodland creatures cradling the human skull speaks to the idea that even in the face of human death and loss I believe that the world is still inherently good and that’s evident in the small creatures of earth. Applied 3 years in a row and finally got to live my dream this May! Here’s to many more 🥂
South Salt Lake Mural Festival 2024
30x30’
2200 S 500 E, SLC
#mural #muralist #streetart #saltlakecity #utahartist #muralfestival #goodhappystuff
New plein-airs this week. Foothills and Stansbury ranging from 5x7” to 8x10”
Really paid for the Stansbury ones in bug bites 🪰
#pleinairpainting #greatsaltlake #saltlakecity #utahartist
The wait is over 👀✨ The new mural @slcoparksandrec Olympus Hills Park is officially complete!
Local artist @goodhappystuff has transformed the baseball field into something bold, vibrant, and full of life 🎨⚾️ We loved sharing a behind-the-scenes look, and now we’re excited for you to see the finished piece in person.
Stop by, take it in, and let us know what you think 💭📸
📍 Olympus Hills Park Baseball Field
3131 E 4500 S, Salt Lake City #peopleparksplay #artinpublicplaces #saltlakecountyarts #mural
I’m honored that this painting has been juried into the 102nd Annual Spring Salon at @springvillemuseum ! The show opens tonight and runs until July 3rd.
Whom Does the Grail Serve?
18” x 24”
Oil on canvas
This painting’s name comes from the Holy Grail legend. This sick kingdom worships and depends on the grail and Parsifal breaks the silence and questions the relationship to the sacred object. It’s an acknowledgment that things are off and questioning that immediately heals the kingdom. In this story there is no quest for the grail - they already have it but the magic is not flowing and nourishing everyone.
My painting brings this question to our world today. In an era of so many existential paradigm shifts, we are being forced to reckon with reality on a planetary, species-wide scale. I believe the problems of the world are symptoms of a culturally-enforced spiritual disconnect. The relationship to the grail is a metaphor for how we should relate to reality. It’s so easy to hide from our personal shadows and ignore the horrors of the world. Learning to accept reality with clear eyes and open hearts is the first step to healing ourselves, questioning the status quo, and finding our way to serve reality.
#contemporaryart #symbolism #ai #worldpeace #god
“The Rusted Range”
5’ x 80’
Corten steel
For @pcscarts 🙏
We loved collaborating to create these! Check them out at the PC MARC this summer.
#publicart #steelart #muralist #utahartist #parkcity
“The Rusted Range”
5 x 80’ (1.5 x 24 meters)
Park City, Utah
Installed last month at the Park City Public Pool, these fence panels were over a year in the making. Garth and I worked together to combine my drawings with his fabrication ideas. I hand-drew the designs based on Park City animals, elements, and mining history and then vectorized and worked out the structural tabbing. Garth meticulously designed the mounting system and other structural considerations. The Corten steel sheets were laser-cut and bent using machines and then Garth completed their construction with some welding and grinding. We then made a rust accelerant and sprayed them down for a week before installation to get that nice patina started. Each panel was custom sized to the 1/8th of an inch and we were able to install them smoothly in a day’s time. The pool is still under major renovations. We can’t wait to go back and see the finished site in a couple of months, but the rusted fence matches the building color and it looks great.
Thanks to @pcscarts for the trust and support, and @cypressmetals for the speedy work!
#publicart #parkcity #steelart #fence
Recent figures! A range of 2 minute - 40 minute poses from the last 3 months at @saltlakedrawingclub , one of my favorite places to be. Hosting regularly for the last 4 years has been the best thing for my drawing practice development. Many thanks to the models and the team at @clubhouseslc !
#figuredrawing #lifedrawing #contemporaryfigurativeart
Film dump October 25 - March 26
Racecars mural, 24 hours of painting for peace, LA with wifey, thanksgiving in Spokane, recycling center, Uhaul gallery. Thanks to the people that made these memories with me :)
#artist #muralist #saltlakecity
