Buzz Blog
Back out onto the Salt Lake Gallery Stroll for another month, the new year brought about some interesting showcases. --- It also brought about a damn cold feeling throughout the valley as the inversion begins its slow tread into the area and will probably make the next two Stroll events a dash to escape the cold. This month we kept warm in Phillips Gallery over on 200 South to check out the "Waterscapes" display from oil painter Connie Borup.
So... strange occurrence. Rather than doing the traditional interview and answering the questions I had for her, Borup opted to send an all encompassing statement about herself. I'll admit, its a first, I've never had an artist decide to use the opportunity to summarize their career into a two-paragraph statement, but that's what she chose to do. If you'd like to see more photos from the evening you can check them out in this gallery here.
Connie Borup
Connie: I was born in Kaysville, which at that time was a small rural town. During my senior year of high school I was an exchange student to Germany. This experience both introduced me to a much larger world and to art history. I came back to Utah determined to become an artist. Studies at the University of Utah led to a degree in art as well as German. I taught advanced studio art at Brighton High School,and then Rowland Hall/ St. Marks School.
Connie: During this time I worked in pastels, studying with Utah’s great regional landscape painter, LeConte Stewart. In 1990 I returned to the University of Utah to complete an MFA in painting and drawing. This was a very expansive time for me and I settled in to making large tonalist landscape oil paintings. At this time I was showing at Phillips Gallery in Salt Lake, Munson Gallery in Santa Fe, and Gail Severn Gallery in Sun Valley.
Connie: I finished my teaching career as an instructor at the University of Utah, and became a full time painter at my studio in Sugar House. During this time I found my interest shifting to a closer view of bare trees, branches, and then leaves and other natural forms. I am drawn to the quiet, contemplative moods of nature. I’m not interested in portraying the impact of humans on our world. My interest in nature has led me to produce these oil paintings of water scenes which are now showing at Phillips Gallery.
Connie: I still favor oil painting as my medium but have found that working with printmaking and encaustic keeps me making new discoveries. I have been with Phillips Gallery for over 25 years and they have certainly helped me build my career. The art scene in Salt Lake City is growing fast and I’m encouraged to see many young, enthusiastic artists enter this scene.
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