Claudia Sisemore, Meri DeCaria Cordell Taylor & Elise Zoller

Please join us this Friday,September 18th from 6-9pm for the opening of new work by Claudia Sisemore, Meri DeCaria & Cordell Taylor on our Main Floor and Elise Zoller in our Dibble Gallery. (Masks & social distancing required.)

Claudia Sisemore says she was teaching English when artist David Chaplin (an equally popular and influential teacher) introduced her to landscape painting. “Then he took me to a show at the Art Barn and Lee [Deffebach] was showing there [with Don Olsen and Larry Elsner – all three artists were pioneers in abstractionism in Utah]. My first impression of abstract was ‘anyone could do that.’

“I took a class from Lee at the Art Barn. She was a fantastic Abstract Expressionist.” The two showed together at Westminster in 1974, Color Field and Abstract Expressionist work. “Lee said will you show me how you do [Color Field] painting. – We learned a lot from each other. We never had the same style, though we had the same technique.” – Excerpt from Ann Poore’s 15 Bytes article 6/2015

Meri DeCaria, “Fief”,  acrylic, 23 1/2 X 20 inches
Meri DeCaria’s work continues to delight with lively forms, complex color combinations and a general sense of joie de vivre. Drawing inspiration from the images and patterns of modernism and using the fluid forms derived of the occasional doodle, she assembles fragments into abstract compositions. DeCaria received her BA from the Philadelphia Art Institute & the American College in London and has been at the helm at Phillips Gallery for the better part of its being/her lifespan.

Cordell Taylor, “Circus”, 77 X 56 X 16 inches

International sculptor Cordell Taylor was born in Wyoming and trained in sculpture at the University of Utah. Known for his abstract metal sculpture, furniture, and his Cordell Taylor Gallery, he has an exhibition history that includes places like the Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Japan, and New York. Working in wood or metal, his sculptures combine impeccable forging ability with a keen eye for capturing the simplicity of the cube as it relates to contrasting textures, balance, and design.

Elise Zoller, “All You Need Is Love”, oil on linen, 36 X 36 inches

In our Dibble Gallery (downstairs): Elise Zoller’s “Byways of Utah” is an intimate view of more than 20 landscapes and cityscapes tackled over the last few years from Hurricane to Huntsville. “Painting plein air has allowed the scenes to come alive and all manner of people have talked to me along the way, about their towns and their lives. I met a down-winder from Enterprise, a group of bakers in Veyo, horse-cart drivers in Gunlock, a cowgirl from Panguitch, and a friendly highway policewoman in Morgan.”

Zoller graduated from Princeton University in Architecture. She studied drawing and painting at the Academy of Realist Art in Boston, and Masters Academy in Springville, Utah. She is a member of Oil Painters of America, and has been an Artist in Residence for Academic Arrangements Abroad trips to Russia, Belgium, Holland, France, and the Caribbean.

Our gallery hours (for now) are Tuesday-Friday 12-5pm, Saturday 12-4pm. Please rest assured that we have been enhancing our cleaning standards by implementing specific guidelines from the CDC. Surfaces, door knobs and railings continue to be disinfected. We wear masks and ask you to do so as well while maintaining a respectful “social distance”.

For those who prefer to stay home, we support and honor your decision. Our website is available for you to peruse 24/7 at www.phillips-gallery.com and our Gallery Director and Fine Art Consultants are ready to assist you and answer questions by email at meri@phillips-gallery.com. hadley@phillips-gallery.com or lya@phillips-gallery.com or by phone at 801-364-8284.