Archives for 2018 November-December Issue

The Studio of Don Weller

The Studio of Don Weller

November 15, 2018 | by

Little did Utah-based watercolorist Don Weller realize that, when he and his wife chose to relocate from Southern California to northern Utah in the early 1980s, that decision would become the impetus for him to begin a career as a fine artist. It was a move that would set the stage for the rest of his life—and his career. In 1960, after earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in fine art from the University of Washington in his hometown of Pullman, Weller headed to Los Angeles, California to pursue a career in commercial art Don Weller (Utah) Don Weller Painting
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The Power of Two

The Power of Two

November 15, 2018 | by

When we find someone with whom to share our lives, we are fortunate. When artists do so, they are especially blessed. At least that’s the case with the four artist couples we interviewed for this article. For most of us, we were attracted to our spouses, or significant others, for a variety of reasons: their physical appearance—which might simply be a great smile—their sincerity, sense of humor, intelligence, talent, or kindness. For the artists we talked with, there are other, equally important attributes, including respect for each other’s work and a shared passion for art. Couples Featured: – Sherrie McGraw
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‘Art Must Have Soul’

‘Art Must Have Soul’

November 15, 2018 | by

As an accomplished artist with more than 30 years under his belt, Jove Wang has a theory that presides over his art. Roughly translated, it’s to know what you’re doing so well that you don’t need to be a slave to technique. It’s no understatement to say that Wang knows what he’s doing. Rather than offer up a painting that is merely a rendering, his intention is to involve viewers; he wants to elicit a response with his paintings. “I do not intend to paint extreme realism,” he explains. “I like the myriad variety of edges, as well as the
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Personality and Panache

Personality and Panache

November 15, 2018 | by

Hours spent observing wildlife in its natural habitat during his youth in Wyoming instilled in Dan Ostermiller an affinity for animals. Working alongside his well-know taxidermist father, Roy, from early in his childhood gave Ostermiller technical skills that set him apart as a sculptor later in life. But, taxidermy was not something he cared for. “I grew up in that business, but never liked it,” he says. “However, it did give me a lot of tools I needed to become an artist.” Ostermiller never received any formal training, but he knew art was his future, and painting was his initial
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‘The Greatest Thing I Could Have Done’

‘The Greatest Thing I Could Have Done’

November 15, 2018 | by

During an interview for this article in early August, Denis Milhomme is concerned about the wildfires encroaching on his beloved Yosemite Valley. “It’s a little smokier right now than usual,” he says, lamenting that he can’t capture the photos and plein air paintings he relies on as the basis of his lavishly detailed oil landscapes. “It’s really bad, all these fires that are happening; it’s a lot of damage.” Milhomme, whose home in Three Rivers, California, is not far from Sequoia National Park, treasures these scenic places and worries about their future. He conserves them in the ways that he
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‘I’m Living the Life I Paint’

‘I’m Living the Life I Paint’

November 15, 2018 | by

Tim Cox has gone fishing twice already this year. That might not seem like much to most avid fishermen, but Cox isn’t complaining. It’s more fishing that he’s done for the better part of a decade. In 2010, Cox became the vice president of the Cowboy Artists of America (CAA). The next year, when he was president, the organization officially moved from its long-time headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. That transition consumed most of Cox’s time for much of his two-year term as president. “I think I averaged about four hours of sleep a day for those
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