The exhibit features nine artists who share large, intricate and unusual ceramic sculptures with the Wasatch Back, according to Kimball Art Center Executive Director Aldy Milliken.
“We wanted to showcase these nine female voices,” he said. “They’re incredible storytellers.”
He said viewers will be intrigued by work from an artist named Brie Ruais, who uses the medium unconventionally.
“It’s almost like ceramic painting – this incredible work, amazing installation,” he said.
He said ceramic art is having a moment in Utah this spring.
“Traces” coincides with a larger exhibit in Salt Lake City featuring thousands of ceramic artists from all over the country – the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts, or NCECA. Milliken said some of the organization’s leaders stopped by the Kimball Art Center recently and praised the student work on display.
“Anecdotally, the president of the whole NCECA conference, this huge organization, said that one of the sixth-grade artworks from Park City Day School was their favorite work in the entire conference,” he said. “So, if you want to see what that means, you should come and check out the show.”
“Traces” runs through May 18.
Also on display at the Kimball Art Center this spring is the Wasatch Back Student Art Show, featuring work by children and teenagers from Summit and Wasatch counties with the theme “Earthen Forms.”
“We’re able to curate a museum-quality exhibition for our kindergartners all the way up to some of our high school students,” Milliken said. “And it’s a really wonderful opportunity to see some great work in the community.”
The student art show is also on display through mid-May.
Later this year, the Kimball Arts Festival will return to Park City’s Main Street, Aug. 1 to Aug. 3. Milliken said more than 1,100 artists applied to be part of this year’s event, and about 60% were accepted.
“It’s one of the most competitive in the country, and so it’s a shame that we can’t have everybody, but we really want to provide the best quality,” he said. “There’s 55 first-time artists, and so we’re really expecting a really awesome event here on Main Street again.”
The festival will feature about 10 local artists and four early-career artists.
