BY JENNIFFER WARDELL
Clipper Staff Writer
BOUNTIFUL — An artist’s greatest memorial is the work he or she leaves behind.
There are only a few days left of the Bountiful/Davis Art Center’s Foundations exhibit, one of the last few in the center’s current buildings. For me, that makes this the perfect time to take a closer look at the work in the memorial displays. We can say goodbye to the exhibit by examining how BDAC says goodbye to those it has lost.
The most affecting display is in the north half of the eastern gallery featuring works from local artists who have died during BDAC’s existence. The paintings and drawings are accompanied by brief biographies of the artists, allowing people to get a sense of the artist’s life as well as his or her work.
The highlight of the exhibit is a small book with illustrations by LeConte Stewart, showing a more playful side to the artist than his landscapes normally show.
The styles of the different artists are often highly divergent, but together they give you a strong sense of the importance of an artistic legacy.
Even though these people are gone, the work they spent their lives creating lives on. Though I had never heard of many of them before now, I am now one of the many people who will forever carry a small piece of their memory.
Part of the north gallery is set aside for Arley Curtz, one of the art center’s former directors. Curtz is still alive, which lessens some of the exhibit’s poignancy.
Still, there’s a solid selection of paintings from Curtz’s private collection, including the haunting “Wing of Providence” by Adrian Van Suchtelen. It’s here that you’ll find the beautifully detailed “Winter Cabin Scene” by Lester Lee.
Some of Curtz’s own work is on display, including a series of solid flower closeups and more than a dozen tiny, brightly colored sketches. Many of these seem to be little more than doodles, but a few delicate landscapes are surprisingly beautiful.
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