By Dallin Smith
Everyone deserves a second chance.
Or at least that?s the opinion of Blaine Frazier, director of Freedom Gallery on the corner of Center Street and Freedom Boulevard.
To support his stance, Frazier founded ?Showing Off Utah,? an opportunity for local artists who weren?t accepted into the Springville Museum of Art?s Spring Salon to display their artwork to the general public. The art show began Monday and will run through June 30. Art pieces can be seen at two displays, each with their own awards, at the Freedom Gallery and at the Utah County Gallery.
Frazier created the show after he noticed there was an overabundance of artwork submitted to the Springville Museum of Art. He said he knew most applicants? artwork would not be accepted. This year approximately 1,000 art pieces were submitted and only 260 were kept by the museum. Frazier wanted to offer a home for the artwork not accepted.
?There?s all that art that nobody has a place to put,? Frazier said. ?The artists are disappointed they didn?t get in. We conceived this ?Showing Off Utah? every spring in cooperation with the Springville Museum. We take the willing artists that want to enter our show.?
Artists whose paintings were not accepted by the Springville Museum of Art are referred to the ?Showing Off Utah? art show. Frazier said these artists are often as good as those whose artwork was displayed in the Spring Salon.
?Just because they don?t get into the Springville museum doesn?t mean their art isn?t top notch,? Frazier said. ?It?s very subjective. One juror one year might take a piece that a juror another year wouldn?t, so it?s very hard to tell. There?s an awful lot of personal taste on whoever?s judging the show.?
Quirl Myers, an artist whose piece is in ?Showing off Utah,? said he appreciated the chance to get his art seen.
?It puts my work out for the public, and I like that,? Myers said.
Myers? still life painting hangs on a wall covered with realistic oil paintings and abstract art. All genres are accepted at the show.
?I think it?s a good show and it shows off a lot of artists,? said Kara Schmidt, an employee at Freedom Gallery from Spanish Fork. ?It has a broad range of artwork from students and professionals. It?s a lot bigger this year. They had probably twice as many pieces. There?s a lot more variety. There?s a broader range of artists and varying styles.?
