Utah State University Hosts Inaugural Juried Photography Exhibition

Utah State University’s Department of Art in the Caine School of the Arts, has organized a juried photography exhibition, “The Tippetts Intermountain Competitive Exhibition.” In its inaugural year, the 2009 exhibit’s theme is “Borders, Boundaries and Ranges,” and features the creative work of artists from the Intermountain region.

The exhibition is displayed Feb. 2-20, with an opening reception from 5-7 p.m. Mon, Feb 2, in the Twain C. Tippetts Gallery in the Chase Fine Arts Center (approximately 1110 E. 610 N., Logan) on the USU campus.

 

The Tippetts Intermountain Competitive Exhibition was open to artists over the age of 18 who currently reside in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington or Wyoming.

 

The exhibition honors Twain C. Tippetts, a long time USU arts faculty member and administrator. He began his tenure as art department head in 1956. He spent years traveling across a six state region meeting emerging artists and eventually exhibiting their work, gaining a reputation for his passions, said USU’s current art department head Carolyn Cardenas.

 

“Twain Tippetts exhibited definitive photography and clay work of the West all while telling folk and wanderlust stories with a spry, humorous wit,” she said. “He collected watercolors, drawings, prints and paintings and led student tours to artist studios across the globe, all the while finding any location he could to exhibit these passions. By following his tradition, he set the context for this show.”

 

The show features photographs from nationally recognized photographers Stephen Marc, Julie Anand and Stephen Chalmers. In all, work from 17 regional artists explores the exhibition’s theme. Additional artists include Carolyn Guild and Noelle Berlage from Utah; Daniel Kasser from California; and Craig Goodworth from New Mexico.

 

“We are thrilled to launch this new competition and exhibition,” said Christopher M. Gauthiér, curator. “We hope this will be the beginning of a new tradition for the Intermountain arts community and an opportunity for the residents of this region to appreciate the substantial talent we enjoy here.”

 

The show’s juror is Sarah Linford, a USU alumna who received her bachelor of arts degree in 2004.

 

“Works submitted and selected for this exhibition are of the highest quality one can expect,” said Linford. “The photographs approached our theme from a variety of interesting perspectives that are going to make a beautiful show.”

 

After graduating from USU, Linford completed a graduate degree in the history of art at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass. Linford has worked in a number of museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and the Clark Art Institute, as well as curating special projects for a private art gallery, Eckert Fine Art. She currently works for Economics Research Associates as a museum consultant.

 

For more information about the exhibition, contact the department of art at (435) 797-3460.

 

 

Writer: Sally Okelberry, (435) 797-1500, sally.okelberry@usu.edu
Contact: Department of Art, (435) 797-3460