'Shaping the Arts' Exhibition at USU

The Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library presents Shaping the Arts, part of the Utah Arts & Museums’ Traveling Exhibition Program. The exhibit opens Wednesday, May 31, in the atrium of the library on the Logan campus and features the artworks by professional Utah artists who teach art at the high school level.

Shaping the Arts is a group exhibit of Utah artists who play a significant role in arts education at the high school level.

“All young artists start somewhere and often this begins with focused attention and encouragement from teachers,” said Gaby LeBeau, with USU’s Merrill-Cazier Library. “The relationship of mentors and practicing artists has deep historical roots dating back to the middle ages. However, the contemporary relationship between teaching artists and students in arts education has greatly expanded beyond the model of trades, formalism or aesthetics. The role of the art teacher now has expanded to become a facilitator for critical discourse and meaningful explorations of contemporary social and cultural ideas and issues within the world, through the arts.”

The artists selected for this exhibit range in practice from painting and drawing to photography. Through their professional experience they provide a framework for enthusiasm, critical thinking and engagement to Utah’s young artists; shaping the future of our society.

The exhibition includes artworks by Stephen Bartholomew, John Carlisle, Christine Fedor, Alexa Hall, Randy Marsh, Bernard Meyers, James Rees, Bruce Robertson and Justin Wheatley.

Shaping the Arts will be shown at the Merrill-Cazier Library from May 31 to July 10. The exhibition may be viewed anytime during normal library hours. For more information on viewing the exhibition, please call 435-797-2678 or go https://library.usu.edu

About Utah Arts & Museums and the Traveling Exhibit Program

Utah Arts & Museums’ Traveling Exhibit Program is a statewide outreach program that provides schools, museums, libraries, and community galleries with the opportunity to bring curated exhibitions to their community. This program is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information on participating in the program, please contact Fletcher Booth at fbooth@utah.gov or call 801.824.9177.

Utah Arts & Museums is a division of the Utah Department of Heritage and Arts (DHA). To enrich the quality of life for the people of Utah, DHA creates, preserves, and promotes Heritage and Arts. The Division provides funding, education, and technical services to individuals and organizations statewide so that all Utahns, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or economic status, can access, understand, and receive the benefits of arts and culture. Additional information on the programs and services can be found at artsandmuseums.utah.gov or by calling 801.236-7555.

Contact Name: Gaby LeBeau
Contact Email: gaby.lebeau@usu.edu