UMOCA NAMES EDUCATOR-IN-RESIDENCE
Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA) is very pleased to announce that Nathan Florence will join the residency program as Educator-In-Residence for summer 2013. Florence’s residency with be from May to August, which will allow him to be a part of our open house and will benefit from inclusion in a curator visit.  The Educator-in-Residence program is a way to introduce contemporary art practices and ideas to local Junior High and High School art teachers. It’s a chance for educators to work side by side with UMOCA’s artists in residence to get a better understanding of their work process, to hear opinions from artists about art, and to help artists gather ideas. This will encourage a greater focus on contemporary art in classrooms and inspire students to start these types of conversations.

ARTIST TALK: KEVIN RED STAR
Kevin Red Star, an American Indian painter featured in the Utah Museum of Fine Arts’ acclaimed exhibition Bierstadt to Warhol: American Indians in the West, will give an artist talk at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 18. The talk, free and open to the public, will be held in the Katherine W. and Ezekiel R. Dumke Jr. Auditorium in the UMFA’s Marcia and John Price Museum Building at the University of Utah. Red Star was born and brought up on the Crow Indian Reservation in Lodge Grass, Montana, and his family, heritage, and abundance of visual experience serve as his palette. Considered a visual historian and ambassador for his Native Crow culture, Red Star was one of 150 students chosen in 1962 to attend the newly established Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. He went on to study at the San Francisco Art Institute.  Click here for more info.

UMOCA OFFERS ART FITNESS TRAINING
The Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA) is happy to announce the return of Art Fitness Training, an innovative art-education program that will provide Utahns the opportunity to learn the skills they need to understand Contemporary Art concepts and to flex their art muscles at museums and private collections everywhere. Workout attire is optional. “Art Fitness Training is designed to help our participants understand that they already have the tools necessary to understand contemporary art, we just provide them with the steps to unlock those tools,” says UMOCA’s Curator of Education, Jared Steffensen. “They leave the sessions feeling empowered and ready to tackle anything an artist sends their way.”  Click here for more info.

SERENITY SPA HOSTS "IN-SPA LOCAL ARTIST PROGRAM"
Serenity Spa at Westgate Park City at Canyons Resort recently established a Local Artist Exhibition program, where different artists will exhibit their work in the lobby and lounge areas throughout the spa. Currently being displayed is the work of Richard D. Pick, nature photographer from RDP Nature Photography in Park City. He photographs Utah’s hummingbirds, water fowl, and the ever-changing Utah landscapes. Pick has displayed photos taken in Canyonlands National Park, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Albion Basin in Alta, Lower Antelope Canyon, and Park City. Also currently exhibiting is local jeweler Dori Pratt, presenting sterling silver jewelry with hand cut natural stones as the focal point, with brass, copper, and gold accents.

ARTIST/MENTOR PROGRAM ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
The Kimball Art Center (KAC) is now accepting applications for the RELEVANT 2013 program. This 8-day artist-in-residence program focuses on sculpture, painting, mixed media and photography. Beginning July 27th and running through August 4th, 2013, RELEVANT provides participants with the opportunity to work directly with a professional artist mentor, attend panel discussions and networking events with art industry professionals and collectors. The program culminates with an exhibition in the Main Gallery of the Kimball Art Center running from Aug. 3 -Sept. 1, 2013. Artists' works will be displayed during the 43rd Park City Kimball Arts Festival, held on August 2 - 4th. This event is considered to be one of the top art festivals in the country, which attracts over 57,000 art enthusiasts. Students can apply for the program online at http://www.relevant-art.org/become-a-resident/.  The deadline for RELEVANT is April 19th.

UMFA HOSTS ARTIST TALK – FREE TO PUBLIC
Los Angeles-based artist Jedediah Caesar will give an artist talk April 4 at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA), which recently acquired one of Caesar’s pieces for the Museum’s permanent collection. Caesar will discuss his current work, including “*|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_,” a sculpture the UMFA’s Friends of Contemporary Art (FoCA) selected for purchase last fall. The free public talk, sponsored by A Gallery, will be held at 6 p.m. in the Katherine W. and Ezekiel R. Dumke Jr. Auditorium in the UMFA’s Marcia and John Price Museum Building at the University of Utah. “*|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_” will be on view in the UMFA’s Phyllis Cannon Wattis Gallery for Twentieth Century Art through July.

MUMMY LOVE
The Leonardo is hosting the exclusive Intermountain engagement of the blockbuster Mummies of the World exhibition, debuting February 16, 2013. Featuring an astounding collection of rare mummies from around the world, it is the largest exhibition of real human and animal mummies and related artifacts ever assembled, and the first exhibition of its kind to be showcased at The Leonardo.  The presentation in Salt Lake City will mark the seventh stop of the exhibition’s exclusive tour of the United States, and is the only engagement in Utah, providing residents and visitors the rare opportunity to experience real mummies like never before, and learn about the lives and cultures of these ancient people. Click here for more info.

MCMILLEN RELEASES "DRAWN IN"
Currently featured and new to the gallery is the McMillen's breathtaking image "Drawn In". This powerful photograph highlights the colors of fall near Deer Valley, Utah. Swing by the gallery and check out the amazing colors of this true master piece.  Also, this Valentine's Day McMillen Fine Art is giving fans a special offer on their limited edition image "LUV2".  Details at mcmillenfineart.com.

MAGGIE WILLIS APPOINTED UMOCA INTERIM DIRECTOR
The Utah Museum of Contemporary Art Board of Trustees announces today that they have selected Maggie Willis to serve as Interim Director of the museum. “Maggie is a uniquely qualified administrator and is committed to the well-being of the organization,” said Board President Roy Jespersen. “We’re very fortunate that she’s willing to take on this great responsibility during UMOCA’s transitional period.”  Click here for a full press release.

MOUNTAIN TRAILS GALLERY - NEW WORKS BY TROY COLLINS
Troy Collins' first paintings of 2013 are brimming with terrific color and rich texture. The artist continues to push variations on his technique, using his palette knife, brush and fingers.  Troy's faith, family, and the elemental beauties found in nature remain the top priorities in all of his original art. Mountain Trails Gallery in Park City invites you to enjoy these newest paintings.  Click here to see images.

UMOCA ANNOUNCES ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE
Salt Lake City - Utah Museum of Contemporary Art is delighted to announce that Jared Lindsay Clark, Brian Patterson and Mary Toscano have been selected as the first artists-in-residence for UMOCA’s new long-term residency program designed expressly to meet the needs of artists living and working in Utah. Not only were these artists selected based on artistic merit by a panel of art world professionals, but also their commitment to work in a contemporary idiom and...more.