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Church History Museum's 'Artists at work'
By Jason Swensen
LDS Church News
Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009
Crafting and viewing the visual arts can be a lonesome experience.
Painters, sculptors and weavers typically ply their trade without an audience. Museum visitors generally don't chat up the artists of the masterpieces they see hanging on the gallery walls.
Heidi Kitchen poses for Russian Impressionist painter Anne Marie Oborn. (Photo by Mike Terry, Deseret News)
But on Friday, the Church History Museum brought artists and the public together during its first-ever "Artists at Work" event.
Hundreds of museum visitors watched and interacted with several working LDS artists from a variety of backgrounds and media. The evening's featured artists included oil painters Garth and Anne Marie Oborn, rug weaver Charlene Lind, colored pencil artist Sheri Doty and Elizabeth Peterson, who works with bobbin lace.
Renowned LDS sculptor Ortho Fairbanks also participated, carrying on a running commentary as he went about his work.
Angela Ames works at the museum as a church history educator and helped organize "Artists at Work." Friday's event was designed to strengthen the ties between the museum and it's adult patrons. "We want visitors tonight to have an uplifting and edifying experience," said Ames. "Hopefully, some of our visitors will be inspired to return to their homes to create art themselves."
The event was informal, as guests wandered back and forth from each artist's work station. Many asked questions about techniques or materials -- and the artists were happy to set down their brush or pencil for a moment and discuss their craft.
"Weaving is a bit solitary, unless you work together with other weavers," said Charlene Lind as she worked away at her loom. But on Friday, Lind could be found conversing with the crowds of people that squeezed around her intricate work.
The event marked the first of several "Evenings at the Museum" programs planned at the LDS Church-owned facility for 2009, said Ames. Future events this year will include lectures by well-known artists and an outdoor activity this summer. Patrons can learn about upcoming "evenings" by visiting the museum's Web site at churchhistorymuseum.org, or by calling (801) 240-4615.
Painters, sculptors and weavers typically ply their trade without an audience. Museum visitors generally don't chat up the artists of the masterpieces they see hanging on the gallery walls.
Heidi Kitchen poses for Russian Impressionist painter Anne Marie Oborn. (Photo by Mike Terry, Deseret News)
Hundreds of museum visitors watched and interacted with several working LDS artists from a variety of backgrounds and media. The evening's featured artists included oil painters Garth and Anne Marie Oborn, rug weaver Charlene Lind, colored pencil artist Sheri Doty and Elizabeth Peterson, who works with bobbin lace.
Renowned LDS sculptor Ortho Fairbanks also participated, carrying on a running commentary as he went about his work.
Angela Ames works at the museum as a church history educator and helped organize "Artists at Work." Friday's event was designed to strengthen the ties between the museum and it's adult patrons. "We want visitors tonight to have an uplifting and edifying experience," said Ames. "Hopefully, some of our visitors will be inspired to return to their homes to create art themselves."
The event was informal, as guests wandered back and forth from each artist's work station. Many asked questions about techniques or materials -- and the artists were happy to set down their brush or pencil for a moment and discuss their craft.
"Weaving is a bit solitary, unless you work together with other weavers," said Charlene Lind as she worked away at her loom. But on Friday, Lind could be found conversing with the crowds of people that squeezed around her intricate work.
The event marked the first of several "Evenings at the Museum" programs planned at the LDS Church-owned facility for 2009, said Ames. Future events this year will include lectures by well-known artists and an outdoor activity this summer. Patrons can learn about upcoming "evenings" by visiting the museum's Web site at churchhistorymuseum.org, or by calling (801) 240-4615.
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