Meet our April/May Artists
Seven artists will join us for the months of April and May at the Gallery sponsored by the Midway Art Association, in Midway, UT. The Gallery is in the Town Hall in space 120B. It is part of the Association’s mission to give our members an outlet to show their art to the public, whether they are established artists or just getting started in their practice.
The Gallery is open Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. It is also open by appointment.
An open house will be held on Saturday, April 5th, from 12 to 5 p.m. to view the art and meet some of the artists. Light refreshments will be served. Here are some interesting facts about our seven new artist:
BRIAN CRAGUN
Brian Cragun of Lehi, Utah has been painting landscapes and religious themes for over 25 years. His medium is oils and style impressionistic. He enjoys capturing light and the effects of light. He has studied with award winning plein air artists Marc Hanson of Savannah, and Kami Polzin of Stillwater. Most recently he has studied with Dick Horrocks and religious artist Dan Wilson of Utah. He has taught classes through Beespoke Utah of American Fork. His art can also be seen online at www.briancragun.com
LESLEE KNUTSON
Leslee of Murray, Utah says, “I have always enjoyed creating and making art. I have tried many different subjects from portraits to landscapes. Every painting is a learning experience filled with hundreds of decisions to be made by the artist. I have earned a degree in Graphic Design and Illustration from Salt Lake Community College. I have also studied privately with Kamille Corry, Susan Gallacher and John Poon.”
GINGER SHELL
Ginger is originally from Salt Lake City, UT., and has lived in Utah her entire life currently lives in Midway. She learned how to draw from her dad, at a very early age, sitting together at the kitchen table. She was fortunate to have commercial art as her main study in high school, learning from Utah artist Harold D Peterson (Pete). Later, she connected with Peterson again to study watercolor. She has since studied with several notable artists and is continually learning and achieving. She paints in the studio as well as en plein air and feels lucky to be able to pursue and share her paintings with others. Check out https://gingershell.com.
KEVIN WALLACE
Kevin is a self-taught painter from Timber Lakes, Utah. Kevin always had an affinity for art in all forms and tried many mediums throughout adolescence but first picked up oil painting during his college years as a fun hobby. Kevin primarily paints landscapes and loves exploring in search of new inspiration. His style is heavily influenced by the work of some of his favorite painters such as Edgar Payne, Maynard Dixon, Peter Wileman, and Catherine Stats. In addition to painting, Kevin loves sports and outdoor activities and is the head coach for Wasatch High School’s boys’ lacrosse team.
CAROL GRANGER
Carol is originally from Indiana and has lived most of her life in the mid-west. She had a career as an interior designer specializing in health care facilities. She and her husband moved to Utah in 2018 to be closer to family and currently resides in Heber. Though she has worked in many mediums, her favorite is currently oil. She also works in gouache and experiments with cold wax. Her favorite subject is the landscape which fits in perfectly with her love of hiking and the outdoors. She paints “en plein air” as time allows and uses these small works as a starting point for larger pieces. One of her favorite quotes about painting is from the artist Edward Hopper who said, “If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint.” Check out www.carolgranger.com, Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carol:grangerstudios, and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.granger.942
JOAN ELLSWORTH
Joan says, “I started my art career by drawing on any piece of paper I could find around the house. When we ran out, I would draw on the blank pages of my mother’s books. To her credit, she never yelled at me for doing so.” She studied at the university of Utah and has participated in numerous workshops from Kathryn Stats, David Santillanes, Ron Rencher, Carl Purcell and others. She is currently doing mentorships with Dave Santillanes and Susan Gallagher. She says, “Bottom line is I love art!”
BEVERLY ROTH
Beverly is retired and has thoroughly enjoyed painting since 2020. She paints what reminds her of a beloved memory or what touches her heart. Her grandchildren are her favorite subjects in portraits. She also loves to paint people in scenes that remind her of days gone by and memories of childhood. Beverly states, “I love the beauty all around me and have lived and traveled in areas of the country with widely varying landscapes. Each has its own charm and character. There is so much beauty out there and trying to paint that beauty helps me appreciate it more.”
