⭐ Celebrating “The America Story: 250 Years”

The theme for this year’s contest is “The America Story: Celebrating 250 Years.” We’re inviting students in grades K–12 to explore this theme through their artwork — whether that’s through photography, painting, drawing, sculpture, mixed media, or graphic design. This year celebrates a milestone in our nation’s history and is a great opportunity for young artists to think about what American history, culture, and dreams mean to them.

Who Can Enter?

• All students in grades K–12

• Any school within the Wasatch School District

• Submissions are welcome from all skill levels — from budding young artists to seasoned creatives!

Important Dates

• Entry Deadline: April 14, 2026
  Make sure your artwork is submitted by this date to be considered!

Entry Categories

Participants can submit their work in the following categories:

• 📷 Photography

• 🖌️ Painting

• ✏️ Drawing

• 🗿 Sculpture

• 🎨 Mixed Media / Graphic Design

Whether students prefer traditional art forms or digital exploration, there’s a place for every kind of creative voice.

Why You Should Participate

The Art Emergence Contest is more than a competition — it’s a celebration of youth creativity and community pride. Winners from last year demonstrated such inspiring talent and vision that their work continues to uplift and spark imagination throughout our valley. This year, we hope even more students will take part and let their creativity shine!

Parents, teachers, and community members: you are encouraged to support your young artists by helping them brainstorm, create, and submit their visions. Art strengthens confidence, communication, and critical thinking — and it’s a joy to see our community come together through creative expression.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

This contest would not be possible without the generous support of:

• Wasatch County School District

• Wasatch CAPS

• Wasatch Community Foundation

• Wasatch County Arts Council

• Heber Valley Life Magazine

Their partnership helps bring this annual celebration of art to life!

📩 Submit Your Artwork

Encourage your student artists to participate and turn their ideas into art! Visit emergence.hebervalleylife.com for details on how to submit entries, view past winners, and learn more about the contest.

Let’s make 2026 the most creative year yet — we can’t wait to see what your young artists imagine!

Da Vida a tu Creatividad: ¡Participa en el Concurso Art Emergence 2026!

Cada año, el Wasatch School District, en colaboración con Heber Valley Life Magazine, invita a estudiantes de todas las edades a participar en el inspirador Art Emergence Contest. Este concurso celebra el talento artístico joven de nuestra comunidad y promueve la imaginación, la creatividad y la expresión personal a través del arte visual.

Nuestra Historia Americana: Celebrando 250 años

El tema de este año es “Nuestra Historia Americana: Celebrando 250 años”, una invitación a que los estudiantes desde kínder hasta grado 12 exploren, interpreten y representen esta importante etapa de la historia de los Estados Unidos desde su propia perspectiva artística.

A través del arte, los estudiantes pueden reflexionar sobre la historia, la cultura, los valores y las historias que han dado forma a nuestra nación durante 250 años.

¿Quiénes Pueden Participar?

• Todos los estudiantes de grados K–12

• Escuelas dentro del Wasatch School District

• Todos los niveles de habilidad son bienvenidos, desde artistas principiantes hasta jóvenes con experiencia

Fechas Importantes

• Fecha límite de inscripción: 14 de abril de 2026
  Las obras deben enviarse antes de esta fecha para ser consideradas.

Categorías de Participación

Los estudiantes pueden presentar sus obras en las siguientes categorías:

• 📷 Fotografía

• 🖌️ Pintura

• ✏️ Dibujo

• 🗿 Escultura

• 🎨 Técnica mixta / Diseño gráfico

Ya sea arte tradicional o digital, este concurso ofrece un espacio para todo tipo de expresión creativa.

¿Por Qué Participar?

El Art Emergence Contest es mucho más que una competencia: es una celebración del talento juvenil y del orgullo comunitario. Los ganadores del año pasado demostraron una creatividad y visión extraordinarias, y sus obras continúan inspirando a nuestra comunidad.

Este año, invitamos a aún más estudiantes a participar y compartir su talento. Padres, maestros y miembros de la comunidad están invitados a apoyar a los jóvenes artistas ayudándolos a crear, soñar y enviar sus obras. El arte fortalece la confianza, la comunicación y el pensamiento crítico, y conecta a nuestra comunidad de una manera única.

Agradecimiento a Nuestros Patrocinadores

Este concurso es posible gracias al valioso apoyo de:

• Wasatch County School District

• Wasatch CAPS

• Wasatch Community Foundation

• Wasatch County Arts Council

• Heber Valley Life Magazine

Su compromiso hace posible esta celebración anual del arte y la creatividad.

📩 Envía tu Obra

Anima a tus estudiantes artistas a participar y transformar sus ideas en arte. Visita emergence.hebervalleylife.com para conocer los requisitos de inscripción, ver ganadores de años anteriores y obtener más información.

¡Hagamos del 2026 el año más creativo hasta ahora! Estamos ansiosos por ver lo que nuestros jóvenes artistas pueden imaginar.

What started online—selling images through social media—has grown into a thriving business that now includes art shows, vendor markets, and partnerships with local businesses and breweries. It’s become a full-time career, not just for Johnny but for his wife Sherry Adolphson as well, who manages the business side of the operation. Together, the couple has built something deeply collaborative, grounded in years of working side by side across various industries.

You may recognize Johnny’s work from past issues of this very magazine. His images—often showcasing Utah’s dramatic landscapes and seasonal beauty—have graced several covers over the years. Now, for the first time, the photographer behind those images takes center stage.

Johnny’s camera lens is often turned toward Utah’s rugged beauty—an area he considers his specialty—but his travels have taken him from the Tetons to the Canadian wilderness. Local mountains like Timpanogos, blooming wildflower meadows, and stretches of open farmland remain some of his favorite subjects. Though he has trekked deep into remote wilderness and faced off with wildlife, some of the most challenging moments of his early photography career came not from nature, but from the chaos of shooting weddings. In contrast, nature’s unpredictability feels more fluid—storms may interrupt a plan, but often lead to unexpected beauty.

Much of his process is guided by instinct. A planned shot may be completely abandoned in favor of something else that emerges in the moment—like a sudden burst of flowers, dramatic lighting, or an unexpected weather shift. Over the years, participating in art shows has given him insight into what resonates with viewers, yet his artistic choices are still driven by personal vision rather than trends. He acknowledges that while some of his more iconic Utah images perform well commercially, it’s often the less conventional ones that hold deeper meaning to him—images shaped by patience, light, and intuition.

Johnny recalls a few of these moments, “Mesa Arch— the most popular arch in Utah— I pulled up and stood there with the masses and got my shot. Last summer, I was down in Moab for the Art Festival, and I drove out there again. The parking lot was full, but I’ve always gone to this spot called Buck Canyon, just down the road. I like to cook breakfast in my van and chill there after shooting the sunrise. I was the only person there, and I got this amazing image of a lone dead tree. The tree formed this symmetrical light pattern between itself and the canyon in front of me, with clouds rolling over the La Sal Mountains in the background. That shot’s actually been a nice perform— but to me it’s meant way more than the Mesa Arch shot.”

The emotional response Johnny’s work evokes in others is what keeps him going. Whether his images hang in quiet homes or bustling office spaces, his goal is to bring serenity and wonder into people’s everyday environments. For him, landscape photography isn’t just visual—it’s a kind of emotional preservation.

That sense of responsibility extends beyond the frame. He’s contributed to environmental efforts by donating work to conservation groups and land trusts.
Some of the fields and barns he’s captured no longer exist, lost to rapid development in the valley. He reminisces, “Recently, Sherry dropped me off at Guardsman’s Pass, and I hiked up to a photo spot from there, but just five years ago, I was driving up and parking right at the top. A lot of the fields and barns that I’ve photographed in the valley here… those scenes aren’t there anymore due to growth and houses.” Johnny’s photography, in a way, becomes both art and archive—evidence of what once was.

There have been unforgettable encounters along the way—from standoffs with a mountain lion to surreal human moments deep in the backcountry. “There’s a place called Gooseberry Mesa,” Johnny shares, “Where one day I came across an encampment with some young adult males that were outcasts from a polygamous society who had set up their encampment where I do shoots. They were armed and had all sorts of signs quoting scriptures and warning people to stay away, even though they were on forest service lands. I just let them know that I was shooting there and went on my way.”

These experiences are part of what has shaped Johnny’s grounded approach. Through it all, the advice he offers to others looking to pursue landscape photography is simple but essential: watch the light, and build everything else around it.

With new projects on the horizon—including the opening of a gallery right here in Heber at the old fire station in mid-August—there’s a sense that the journey is still unfolding. Future travels may take him back to beloved regions like Washington’s Palouse or the Sierra, but it’s clear that Utah will always be at the heart of his work.

Behind the scenes, Sherry plays a vital role in sustaining the momentum. Her background in landscaping and business management made her a natural fit for running operations—from inventory and customer tracking to financial planning. Together, they’ve built a lifestyle rooted in independence, passion, and shared purpose. It’s a life that requires grit and flexibility, but also offers deep rewards—like hearing from customers who cherish their artwork or watching their images find a place in someone else’s story.

Sherry expresses her gratitude, “It’s incredibly rewarding. Everywhere we go now, we hear things like, ‘Hey Johnny, we have your art in our home.’ Or, ‘We gave one of your prints to our son for his birthday—he loved it.’ When young people, like college or high school students, come to our Art shows and spend their hard-earned money on a little paper print—and they’re excited about it—that’s really cool and very rewarding.”

Even now, after years of honing his craft, Johnny considers himself a lifelong student of photography. The learning never ends, and neither does the desire to create. For him, this is more than a career—it’s a calling that continues to grow, frame by frame.

You can see Johnny’s work on Instagram or Facebook and at johnnyadolphsonphotography.com

Highlighting History in Everyday Spaces

The project brings Heber City’s history to life, featuring archival images that capture the legacy of the region. Each wrapped power box tells a story, transforming a simple utility structure into a visual reminder of the city’s heritage. By blending functionality with cultural storytelling, Heber City has created a unique way for residents and visitors to connect with the past.

This initiative is part of Heber City’s broader efforts to enhance public spaces and foster a deeper sense of identity and pride within the community. By celebrating its history, the city not only preserves its heritage but also inspires meaningful engagement with local landmarks.

Calling All Artists!

While the current project focuses on historical photography, Heber City plans to involve local artists in transforming the power boxes with original designs in the future. These artist-led projects will build on the success of the historical wraps, adding vibrant, creative energy to the cityscape. The goal is to beautify Heber City while showcasing local talent and making art accessible to everyone.

Blending History and Community Spirit

The wrapped power boxes serve as a visual bridge between the past and present, offering a walkable gallery that celebrates Heber City’s heritage. From historic images of pioneer settlers to snapshots of early community events, the designs create opportunities for reflection and conversation. Each location provides a window into the stories that shaped Heber Valley.

Looking Ahead

This is just the beginning of Heber City’s journey to incorporate art into public spaces. With plans to invite local artists to contribute their visions in the future, the city aims to blend historical celebration with creative innovation. These efforts align with Heber City’s commitment to enhancing its streetscape, supporting the arts, and creating engaging experiences for residents and visitors alike.

As Heber City grows and evolves, its streets will showcase both the richness of its history and the promise of its creative future. The wrapped power boxes stand as a testament to the city’s commitment to honoring the past while transforming everyday spaces into opportunities for artistic expression.

If you are interested in becoming one of the featured artists, click here to apply.

Their Story

Charitable Acts Theatre was created by Carrie Zabaldo, after considering ways she could make a difference. With many generous organizations already established, Carrie wondered how she could create something unique that would help the community. The thought of using her personal experiences, knowledge, gifts, and talents was the answer. Carrie grew up in Twin Falls, Idaho, and, as a young girl, participated in community theatre with her mom and siblings. At age twelve, she started doing a show every summer and fell in love with community theatre. After earning an associate degree in theater, she discovered a new love and priority: raising a family with her husband, Nathan. As her children started getting older, the desire to perform more service that would make an impact grew stronger. Carrie believes abilities and desires are given to everyone for the simple purpose of making a difference in each other’s lives.

Blending entertainment with donations to charities is a special combination. Carrie explains, “I think the arts can make a difference in impactful ways. Through the arts, we can build bridges, knock down walls, and, at the same time, help people who are in need. I feel like I put myself in other people’s shoes because of my own experiences, so, like most people, I want to help where I can. I feel when we have talents or life skills or even just a basic desire to make a difference, we have a responsibility to follow through. That’s what enriches our lives. That’s what makes life meaningful.”

Carrie and Nathan Zabaldo moved to the Heber Valley from Oregon in 2020. Because of the pandemic, Nate was able to work from home, which set the stage to live anywhere. The couple began searching and scouting out places to live. In addition to wanting to be closer to extended family members, they also wanted to live somewhere family-oriented.

After visiting various states and a few Utah cities, the drive through Provo Canyon towards Wasatch County felt like a call home. Once here, she met other like-minded, service-oriented people who encouraged her to move forward. She began networking with others, and in two short years, her vision became a reality. Charitable Acts Theatre is a 501c3 non-profit organization that donates 100% of its ticket sales to other local non-profit causes. In 2022, Charitable Acts Theatre went from being a good idea to a reality with their first show, Steel Magnolias, benefiting local charity The Horse of Many Colors. In 2023, the cast and audiences of Arsenic and Old Lace supported the local Community Action Food Bank. This summer, Our Town, will contribute to the Wasatch Community Foundation.

Our Town is an ideal play for Charitable Acts because it’s a reflective and touching story about life and love. Written by American playwright Thornton Wilder in 1938, the play takes place in the early 1900s. The set and props are minimalistic, so the focus stays on the characters and theme. It’s simple and raw. Because it’s considered a classic, it drew many talented and even some professional actors throughout the valley to the auditions, which makes for an amazing cast. Performances are at Midway Town Hall. The stage will be on the floor, set up like a black box theatre with risers. In this way, the audience has a more intimate experience by seeing the actors’ facial expressions and getting the full dramatic effect. There won’t be a bad seat in the house.

Carrie expounds, “It’s a play with heart. It’s a play where his [Wilder’s] purpose in writing is to allow the audience to see themselves in the characters and situations. It’s just real people on stage in a real town, which is extremely moving.”

Connecting Our Town with benefiting Wasatch Community Foundation is a perfect match. WCF is comprised of a large group of volunteers and donors that serve Wasatch County in many areas, including human services, health, education, recreation, and arts. “I like the idea of connecting it with the play. Since the play Our Town is about a little town with real people who experience real challenges in life, what better thing than to give to a charity that supports our town here so well,” Carrie shares excitedly.

She continues to define Heber Valley, “The amount of people who are so giving in this community is inspiring. It’s a very unique place, and I don’t know if I could make Charitable Acts Theatre work anywhere else because community support is vital to our mission. That, coupled with the local talent and love of the arts, makes Heber Valley the perfect place for us.”

Your Connection

There are so many opportunities and resources in the Heber Valley. Sharing an evening with fellow community members and neighbors, and knowing you’re making a difference is incredibly rewarding. Knowing your time and money benefits others (including yourself) on many levels is exciting. Charitable Acts Theatre gives people unique opportunities and experiences.

Carrie’s epilogue, “I feel we’re a community theater in every way and then some. Yes, we are a community theater and we reach for excellence, but our motivating force is beyond the performance. We aim for a sense of community from beginning to end – in planning and implementing productions, in rehearsals, and in the participation of audience members – and then we extend that into helping those in the community who need it the most. It sets us apart. I want people to come and experience the community of it.”

Get Your Tickets

Our Town is showing June 3rd-15th, Monday, Wednesday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m. at Midway Town Hall. Buy tickets online or at the door (unless sold out).

To donate, nominate a charity, buy tickets, get involved, or find more information, visit HeberCAT.org. You can also find them on Instagram and Facebook.

Lee Music provides a serious music education. It takes the general idea of private music lessons and instantly ratchets up the possibilities. Whether you love classical sonatas, or dream about riffing on the electric guitar, there is a teacher who will take your dream seriously and lead you along the way to mastery — or slaying on the guitar.

As a young toddler, Winston Lee would lie underneath his mother’s grand piano while she played. He was also shaped by the complex sounds and storytelling of Prokofiev’s orchestral “Peter and the Wolf” which he listened to several times a day. When Winston was seven, his mother started his piano training. Winston recalls,“I would throw the music on the floor because I was able to memorize songs quickly. My mother took me to B.Y.U. at age eight to audition for Dr. Pollei. He took me on as a student and I began practicing four hours a day.” At the age of nine, Winston became the youngest instrumentalist to perform with the Utah Valley Symphony where he performed Mozart’s 19th Piano Concerto. That led to spending his youth practicing piano and participating in many competitions; Winston received many awards along the way.

Winston shares that he eventually, “[…] burned out at around fourteen and stopped competing. When I was sixteen I worked at The Homestead dining room as a pianist. I enjoyed playing there, but still had no desire to compete. Finally, at age nineteen I had a desire to study music and received a full tuition scholarship at Utah State where I studied with Professor Amano. While at the University, I taught piano at the Conservatory on campus. I felt like I was effective in not only my ability to teach, but also in my ability to connect with students. It was very fulfilling. From that time to the present, teaching has been my passion.”

In speaking with a parent of one of Winston’s students she mentioned specifically choosing him because of his competition-level training and artistry that was tempered by his priority to keep music joyful for the students. Another mom whose children were with Winston for over 10 years, she shared, “In addition to his mastery of the piano and ability to teach skills, I appreciate how much he taught the ‘Whole Student’. The music was never more important than my child, and I think that Winston’s experience with having burned out made him an inspired teacher who always nurtured their interests in music in such a quiet, kind, way by simply allowing the music to motivate them.”

THE GENESIS

After college, Winston set up private lessons in Heber. “For several years, I taught about sixty piano students at Winston Lee Piano Studio which was housed in a small room at my dad’s store: The House of Fine Arts where he sold gift items and original paintings, as well as provided custom framing for customers. Eventually, my dad allowed me to build two more teaching studios in the store to bring in three more teachers: Russ-guitar, Kirk-violin, and Heather-saxophone. The four of us taught there for a few months before my dad was diagnosed with cancer. He passed away two months after his diagnosis.”

After his father’s passing, Winston saw a “For Rent” sign at the current location on 55 West 100 South. “I contacted the owners, Jim and Norma Fosgate. They were excited to have a music studio open up in their building and told me about the history of the building. Jim originally bought the building, and it became Audionics, where he developed sound equipment under the name of Rockford Fosgate. Notably, he won an Emmy in technology for designing what is now known as “Surround Sound,” which is used in homes and theaters all over the world. He sold the patent to Dolby.”

Dedicated to developing a music school with a variety of instruction, the new location started humbly with two crates of sheet music to sell and four teachers.

EXPANSION, SHAPING LIVES AND LIFTING HEARTS

“I had seven studios built inside to expand instrument lessons. People supported us right from the start. They came in asking if I would carry guitar strings, reeds, instrument cables, etc. I installed some slat wall and bought hooks and filled it with musical accessories that had been requested. I also recruited teachers on various instruments. Today, we have sixteen teachers, a school of rock program, rental instruments, guitars, ukuleles, and musical accessories. We opened in August of 2000 with tremendous support from the community: without them, Lee Music would not exist.”

Lee Music’s teachers provide lessons in the afternoons and evenings when students are out of school or work with a variety of private lessons and group instruction. Lee’s also has lessons in the form of rock bands through Lee Music School of Rock. The school also rents and sells guitars, ukuleles, violins, violas, and cellos, as well as providing minor repairs on instruments and changing strings.

There are multiple University and private studies citing the benefits of music to the brain and general well-being for those who play music or simply listen. It’s not just for those seeking a career in music. Winston feels that music touches the heart and lifts the spirit of every human being and it’s never too late to start. He mentioned that his adult students are often his most dedicated since they have great discipline to practice.

ALUMNI KEEPS GROWING

By having a serious music school available in Heber, kids from all along the Wasatch Back have access to life-changing opportunities. Some of his former students, now professional musicians, composers, and songwriters shared their insights.

“Winston and Lee Music shaped my childhood, and eventually my adulthood, by giving me opportunities both with performance and collaboration. Winston was completely unique as a piano teacher in his approach to music theory, improvisation, song writing, accompaniment, and playing music with other people in ensembles. The way he taught made music feel deeply accessible and fun, like anything was possible and that I could do anything I wanted to do with music. I feel like Winston didn’t just teach me how to play the piano, he taught me how to speak the language of music.” Stefania Barr of Shrink the Giant

“Winston did a good job at responding to my personal interests and needs. I wanted to learn all the Beethoven sonatas that I could and he supported me in that interest. Later, when I taught music, I found that it helps to keep kids interested when they get to choose the music that they want to learn so they can become the type of musician that they want to be. Winston encouraged a variety of approaches to learning music. Sometimes maybe a very strict classical teacher will focus on reading music and perfecting your execution and technique, and that is important. But if you don’t also teach improvisations, harmonies that exist outside of classical music, like in jazz for example, the process of creativity in composition, then you’re really lacking something in your musical education. I think I got a well-rounded music education in technique, learning discipline for practice, learning creativity, composition, improvisation, and how to dissect music to understand theory.” Jean-Christian Barr of Shrink the Giant

MISSION

The mission of Lee Music is to provide high quality musical instruction and inspire students to bring music into their lives. Winston shared, “What makes me most proud of our accomplishments are watching former students continue pursuing music after their time at Lee Music. It’s also rewarding when former students drop by and visit us. They let us know how grateful they are that we gave them such a positive experience with music when they were growing up. We’ve had an exciting 22 years and really appreciate the enthusiasm and support we’ve received along the way. As long as people still believe in music, we’ll just keep on moving forward.”

“Practice Every Day” At least 20 minutes and it will still provide great benefit.

• Piano is recommended for all students because it helps them to make sense out of any other instrument they pursue later.
• You’re never too old to start learning an instrument. You should just jump into it. I’ve found that adult beginners are some of my best students.
• Students should be encouraged to learn whatever instrument they are drawn to.

If someone has been playing all their lives, they should continue to do so. I still practice, arrange and compose music for about two hours each day.

While in college she took several art classes including, drawing, 2D art, art history, and pottery, and was well on her way to earning her associates degree when, as often happens in life, she changed her mind. Instead of earning a degree in graphic arts, AmberLee earned her bachelor’s in elementary education, and began teaching. After her first year, she took a one-year break to stay home with her son. Still thinking about art, she decided to teach a few art classes out of her house before going back to teaching school full time; which she would do for another six years.

In early 2022 AmberLee and her husband went out on a date to a pottery studio, and that changed everything. She explains, “While we were at that class, I was like I want to do this! I want my own studio. Originally, I thought I’d just have a pottery studio, but I also wanted to do paints and other art.” The couple went to a few different art classes — just to make sure — but AmberLee was certain. She continues, “I was like, ‘Ya, this is what I want to do,’ and that just sort of started the ball rolling. This was literally like January/February of this year that I decided I wanted to take the leap; and actually open an art studio instead of just doing classes out of my house.” AmberLee laughs as she shares that once the decision was made they immediately started purchasing supplies and looking for a place. In March they found a quaint basement ‘studio’ that they renovated and by April they were opening their doors; welcoming all to Inspiration Haven Art Studio!

What can you expect to find when you walk into the studio? A lot of inspiration, a lot of fun, and a lot of ways to create! With clay being AmberLee’s favorite medium, it comes as no surprise that she plans to have a pottery room in the back of the studio. But for now, Inspiration Haven offers art classes, paint nights, and private parties for families, birthdays, and corporate events. Combining her love for art and elementary education, AmberLee also offers 4-week and 12-week kid’s art classes for ages 3-15. AmberLee teaches the fundamentals of art and the kid’s get to explore all types of mediums. AmberLee explains, “We work with clay and pastels, we paint with watercolors and acrylics, we explore all avenues. The kids come once a week for an hour-and-a-half and we just have fun and learn all kinds of art.” At the end of the 12 weeks Inspiration Haven turns into an art gallery. “We give the kids an opportunity to have their art work displayed in a more formal setting. It’s fun for them to see their work on display with everybody else’s.” The event is open to the public so friends, family, and community members can all enjoy what they’ve accomplished.

AmberLee has accomplished quite a bit in just a few short months and enjoys helping others fall in love with art too. For her paint nights, anyone, from expert to never touched a paint brush before are welcome. AmberLee shares, “I guide them through a painting. I teach them technique a little bit too, but it’s not necessarily a formal art class. It’s more of an opportunity to come paint a picture and have fun, have a friends or family night out and enjoy the night.” The two-hour classes are typically on Friday or Saturday night; however, you can call and set up a private party for any night of the week. You can choose a 16X20 (or request a size) painting from Inspiration Haven’s collection or, if you give AmberLee a two-week notice, you can send her a picture of the art work would like to use instead. Everything you need to create your masterpiece is provided by the studio. If you require ‘snackage’ while painting (or hosting a birthday party or event) AmberLee says, “bring the food” just let her know first and she’ll make sure there’s a table for your victuals. Her goal is to create an inviting, fun space where everyone can be inspired. When asked what artist(s) inspire her she shares, “One of my favorite artists has always been Vincent Van Gogh. I love most post-impressionism art but his has always been a favorite of mine. I love how he creates movement in his artwork and the vibrant colors he uses. I’m also inspired by my husband’s grandma and aunt. They are incredible artists and I have always hoped to paint as well as they do.”

When you visit Inspiration Haven’s website you will be greeted with these words: Inspiring Creativity & Imagination. If you scroll down just a bit more you’ll find this quote from Vincent Van Gough: “If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” And that is just what AmberLee is doing; inspiring all to ‘silence’ the voice that says you can’t, to use their imagination, and to create!

Santa’s Workshop
Saturday, December 3rd. Sign up for painting and other Christmas crafts.

Art Student Gallery
Monday – Tuesday December 12th & 13th 5:00-8:00 pm

2 S Main Street Heber City, UT
435-271-3549

inspirationhavenart.com

For fifteen years now artists from all over Utah, and neighboring states, have gathered in our beautiful valley for Wasatch Plein Air Paradise, the signature event put on by the Midway Art Association (MAA). The MAA is a non-profit group that provides art education through demonstrations, classes, workshops, and competitions. This year’s plein air competition and exhibition was held June 23-July 4 and hosted 85 artists from eight states. Jerry Watterworth, MAA president shared, “The competition is open to artists of every level, from renowned professional artists to amateurs (those who have not received awards or sold paintings in the past).” In fact, in an effort to encourage amateurs, there are separate awards set aside specifically for them. The participants competed for over $20,000 in awards and prizes.

Wasatch Plein Air Paradise is broken into several competitions. The first and main event started June 23rd. You may have seen artists out and about honing their craft. Artists painted outdoors all throughout Wasatch and Summit Counties and were allowed to submit up to four paintings. Paintings were turned in on June 30th and judged by a panel of renowned judges, who are also artists. Awards were presented that same evening in the Midway Town Hall.

In addition to the main event, “Paint Out” competitions were also held. Blank canvases were stamped at 8:00 am in the morning and the finished paintings were due back at the Midway Town Hall at 2:00 pm the same day, giving the artists only six hours to work. Artists painted in or near Heber the first day and then Midway the next day.

Artists are also given a chance to share work they have previously created in their studios. Each artist may submit two paintings created at another time in-studio, rather than outdoors. Subject matter can vary, and does not have to be a landscape.

The various competitions ended with a “Quick Draw” on the fourth of July. Thirty artists had three hours to complete a painting right next to the Midway Town Hall. Afterward, those 30 paintings were auctioned off as the town hall transformed into an auction house, complete with a fast-talking auctioneer.

Aside from an auction house, the Midway Town Hall also became a gallery for a few days as the community was invited in to see all the amazing work created in such a short span of time. Natalie Shupe, who placed first in both the main event and in the studio work categories, said, “I love painting in Heber Valley! It’s very similar to my own Ogden Valley; mountains, rivers, and tress. I started painting in the Midway Plein Air about eight years ago. The organization and volunteers are truly amazing! The community is so supportive. I have met so many wonderful people through this event.” If you would like to stay posted on upcoming art events, or to become a member of the MAA, head to their website at midwayartassociation.org

Main Event

• 1st Place: Natalie Shupe
• 2nd Place: Trijsten Leach
• 3rd Place: Bridget Barksdale
• Honorable Mentions: John Poon & Rob Adamson

Heber City Paint Out

• 1st Place: Steve McGiney
• 2nd Place: Don Miskin
• 3rd Place: Kimbal Warren
• Honorable Mentions: David Dean & Steve Stauffer

Midway Paint Out

• 1st Place by Don Miskin

Studio Work

• 1st Place Natalie Shupe
• 2nd Place Trijsten Leach
• 3rd Place John Poon

What is this thread and driving force that ties his work together? A bright yet simple curiosity. Curiosity about interactions between people and places and time. Curiosity about wildlife and the earth they roam. Curiosity about relationships between individuals and other living things. This curiosity has driven a lifetime’s work that has shifted and evolved over time according to the current passions of Robert.

Curiosity Illustrated

One passion of Robert’s is travel. He loves the Heber valley, but also enjoys going with his wife, Linda, to different places to get inspiration and references for new artwork. Robert explains, “The world’s so beautiful everywhere.” Some of his favorite destinations include Maine, Vermont, and England. In his travels, he is known to stop random strangers and to spark up conversation. He loves seeing people in their native lands. “I’m terrible at just stopping and introducing ourselves to people and saying I’m an artist and that kind of opens the doors a little,” he shares. He has met a lot of people this way, many of which have become good friends and models for his work.

Once he saw a girl walking down the aisle of an outdoors store who had a look best described as part hippie, part cowgirl. He loved her uniqueness and introduced himself. Before he knew it, he and his wife were at her ranch enjoying conversation with her and her dad. They also ended up modeling for his artwork. Robert says, “Those kinds of things have happened to me all the time just by being curious about someone.”

Another time, he saw a fascinating man with a distinctive look walking down the road in Vermont. He asked some other people in town about him. He was told that this man was a grumpy hermit. Robert could not resist getting a picture of him. He rolled down his window and quickly snapped a photo … without permission. From this photo, Robert painted a picture that ended up being one of his all-time favorites, titled “The Face of New England.” The man had a bale of hay on his back, a pitch fork, and socks for gloves. Robert went back a year later and gifted the gentleman with a print of the painting. He responded that the painting did not do him any favors. Robert sat and visited with him for a few hours. After the visit, Robert asked for another chance to paint him. The man agreed and so a year later Robert returned once again with a new painting. He loved it! Robert says, “Those are the kinds of ways I love getting inspired. It’s looking for excuses to meet people and hear their stories.”

For Robert, life is an art form. When it comes to meeting people and hearing their stories, he can’t help himself. He shares, “I’m so passionate about art that I can’t control myself that way. […] I love people and country life and […] people that live life with character.” He likes the saying ‘Life is art and art is life.’ He says, “Life’s an art form to me and so I love people who kind of are a piece of art in the way they live their life.”

Robert’s Life

Art has called to Robert all his life. He remembers drawing constantly from the age of four and receiving his first set of oil paints from his grandmother when he was 11 years old. Robert knew early on in life he was meant to be an artist. He shared, “I just never had anything else I even considered really.” So paint, he did. He painted his way through elementary and high school and ended up at the University of Utah for a couple of years studying art. He decided to quit attending college to pursue his art career.

Robert remembers, “When I quit at the university, I didn’t tell my family I had quit for two or three months.” He wanted to prove he was going to make it. He says, “I worked hard on a little group of paintings and had my first show at a gallery / dry cleaners up in Wyoming and sold a big painting for a little money and that was the start of my professional career and it just kept going from there.”

Curiosity + Courage

One of the most formative things that happened early on in Robert’s career took place after he wrote a letter to John Clymer; a famous artist known for his illustrations on the covers of the Saturday Evening Post as well as his paintings illustrating the history of the American West. Again, curiosity was on Robert’s side. He couldn’t have known how a letter to one of his favorite artists and role model would change his life and open doors. Robert was amazed when he opened an invitation in response asking him to come visit with Clymer in his studio in Jackson Hole. Robert went and the beginning of a great friendship was born. Clymer became a mentor for Robert. Robert says of Clymer, “We became friends and he would have me come up and he’d critique my paintings and we would talk until two in the morning and he’d tell me all these stories about the great artists I admired that he knew when he was young.”

“Life’s an art form to me … I love people who kind of are a piece of art in the way they live their life.”

Clymer also instigated a huge break for Robert when he introduced Robert’s work to the Cowboy Artists of America, a highly respected Western Art organization. This introduction led to Robert being voted in at age 29 as the youngest member. “That kind of kicked me to a different level as far as my career,” he shares. Robert enjoyed Western art, but after five years realized he didn’t want to be pigeon-holed into just one category. Robert says, “I didn’t want to be known for just Western art. […] I just wanted to do all kinds of stuff. I didn’t want to be just known as a cowboy artist.”

Robert made a bold move and resigned from the prestigious group. He worried about how this may affect his relationship with Clymer. He says, “My friend John Clymer who had introduced me into the group was just awesome and encouraged me even though I left that group he got me into. He cheered me on and was great.” Robert recalls with fond emotion his last sweet moment with Clymer, “When he was dying [from cancer] and had to go home to Washington for his last few months, we took him to the airplane. He wrapped his arms around me and told me how proud he was of me. […] It’s those rare kinds of people that don’t have a set idea of what you should be and just cheer you on no matter what.”

Artist Evolution

Robert naturally started his career painting Western art because of the time he spent on his grandmother’s ranch in Wyoming. After marrying Linda and starting their family in Midway, he began painting his family members. He says, “I figured that the best art is art that someone painted because they were passionate about it. You always do your best when you’re doing something you’re passionate about.”

Robert’s art shifted to country life. “Seeing the farms starting to disappear made me pretty passionate about wanting to feature that lifestyle in my work because I felt it was really something of value,” he shares. Robert hoped people would make the connection to keep open spaces and to recognize the value they have. “I feel like space has a real way of bringing peace and releasing tension.”

Beauty was also an important element Robert wanted portrayed in his work. “I’ve always felt like beauty has a super important value in life” Robert says. Gardens, pets, livestock, and wildlife — Robert feels they all add value to life, making for a richer human experience. Most recently, Robert has done more wildlife paintings. He recognizes a need to save places where wildlife can still thrive and be around us.

Robert’s artistic process is imaginative and involved. Rather than drawing from one reference photo, he pulls from many. He says, “I’ll have a hundred photos I’m using for most paintings I do.” He sketches several rough thumbnail sketches to help pull his ideas together. When it comes to what ends up on the canvas, Robert says, “Mine is mostly something I have in my head and then I’ll pull things from everywhere to put it together and have to make up parts of it.” In this way, he creates the scene exactly as he imagines.

Artist Wisdom

Robert was involved in a road biking accident a year ago. Now, more than ever, he realizes he cannot live without making art. With initial nerve damage, broken bones and ribs, Robert has fought hard to paint through the whole recovery process. Even when he finds himself in a slump, he says there is no end to inspiration.

A couple of Robert’s favorite ways to get inspired are to travel or go for a bike ride. He shares, “One of the best things for me is to just go out somewhere and I almost always come back inspired.” He advises, “Get out and experience life and open space and refresh your mind.” Robert is also (not shockingly) inspired by art. He has acquired quite the library in his studio and sometimes needs a break from his own art to get energized by looking at great art from other artists.

“Get out and experience life and open space and refresh your mind.”

Robert doesn’t feel art is a competition. Rather art is about passion. Robert’s advice to artists, but applicable to all: “One of the most important things any artist can do is find something they’re passionate to express or to bring into the world.” He feels that passion leads to more important, effective, emotionally connecting work. When it comes to art there’s room for everyone.

Robert says, “Art isn’t a competition; it’s a beautiful way of everyone sharing what they love and find beautiful.”

Robert has been painting professionally for fifty years now. His life is art and art is his life. His curiosity has served him well. Robert expresses it best, “Art to me is looking at everything with curiosity and treating life as a beautiful thing and wanting to take care of it and make it something special.”

Find Duncan’s work on Facebook, Instagram, and RobertDuncanStudios.com