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Show The Satt Lake Tribune TS THE JACK GOODMAN, E-2 BOOKREVIEWS, E-5 STRANGER THAN FICTION The Modern Library named Rachel Carson s Silent Springin thetop 100 nonfiction books of this i century. To find out who ranked No. 1, see page E-3 BARTS LISTINGS, E-9-13 MAY2, 1999 UTAH ARTIST JIM MORGAN PAINTS FOR THE FEELING Soe * ie Jim Morgan's painted wildlife — whether in a brace onthe wall or on the wing —blend into their Utah background, captured in a moment of time: animals and birds as part of the overall outdoor scenery. Vee Jim Morgan capturesthefields, streams, marshes around Mendon,and Utah’s animals, in paint on his canvas. SNOW FALLING ON MENDON BY TOM WHARTON THE SALT E TRIBUNE Though his paintings can be seen around the world, Morganfinds most of his subjects near his home. He gets someofhis best ideas while fly fishing MENDON — Snowfascinateswildlife artist Jim Morgan. “There is no such thing as white streams. Within a few miles of home, he ranked by some among the 10 greatest living wildlife artists. ‘The challenge is can enjoy marshscenesfeaturing his beloved pintail ducks or mountain vistas wheredeer, elk and mooselook right at snow,” said Morgan, a Utah native to try to conveythe feeling of snow. The main thing is to simplify the landscape and get rid of unnecessary distrac- tions.” Morgan, a soft-spoken man, works out of his homein the tiny Cache Valley town of Mendon at the base of the Wellsville Mountains. He paints in an almost impressionisticstyle. His works are not the detailed, photolike paintings typical of the modernwildlife genre. Instead, they capture moments. The setting around them is as important to the painting as the wild creatures. for brown trout in Cache Valley home. There are four distinct seasons this far north, and Morgan spends timeoutdoors enjoying them all. “Most of mypaintings are done within 10 miles of here,” he said. “Within 45 miles, there are 11,000-foot mountain peaks and the desert. There is such a diverse landscape. There is a marsh down there. There are heron rookeries and all the upland game stuff. That is the main reason wearehere. There are no art galleries, but that is no problem. You haveto go elsewhereto show your wares anywa tive approach that makesit so you can Andthose “wares” have earned Mor- gan quitea reputation “He s probably in he top 10 wildlife artists living today,” Apgar of New York Cit said John N. Bartfield Galleries, which specializes in art of wildlife and the American West. “His works have almost a poetic quality to them. They have nice spontaneity and wonderful impressionistic colors. Jim’s are real paintings. They look like museumpieces rather than just portraits of animals. Mostartists tryto doa portrait of an animalwithlittle background. His animals are part of the overall scenery.” Vernal artist Valoy Eaton said Morgan has a good feel for wildlife, especially birds. “His paintings have a nice staying power,” said Eaton. “They are not something youlook at, enjoy for a minute and forget about. They have a sensi- enjoy themforever. Eaton and South Jordan artist Ed Fraughton like the way Morgan plays with light. His paintings show notjust a place but a timeof day. Whenyouarepainting, it is impor. tant to learnto see light in adifferent Seldom do you come back with something you can work ona little and put in a frame. But, if you just sit and look at a rocky hillside, you can see so much more than a camera would ever see Morganis largely self-taught artist He grewup in the small Utah County way than a normal person does,” said agricultural town of Goshen and en- Fraughton. ‘When you paint it, that helps people appreciate it. Backlighting joyed drawing even as adds a tremendous amount of emotional quality to his work.” Thelight and natural textures displayed in Morgan's paintings arenot ac- cidental. He worksat his craft, often spending hoursat a timewith an easel studying different patterns. ‘T go out and paint for a coupleof hours on site,” he said. “Sometimes this is just an exercisein seeing. That's all this is anyway. It’s being ableto not look, but see. I should do more of this a third-grader. While his parents encouragedand nur. tured his interest, there was little pro- fessional guidance. Morganrecalls get ting some help from a_ sixth-grade teacher. There was no art class at Pay- son High, so someneighbors hired a BYU art professor to teach four one: hour classes over a month's period. Morganattended Utah State Univer- sity, largely because that is wherehis friends were going. He met his wife. See MORGAN, Page E-8 SYMPHO ournewlife Keith Lockhart, Music Director ow Pavel Kogan, conductor EroicaTrio, guest soloists S “MOTHER'S DAY”): SPECIAL EVENTS SATURDAY MAY 8TH AbravanelHall, 8 p.m: Enter to win ‘Phantom of the Opera apes te be eam May 8th at 00 pan Hear the wcclaimed Eroica Trio (from left n photo: Pena, Adela Erika Nickreng and Sara Sant Ambrogio) play Beethoven's exciting Concert for Piano, Violin and Cello in the Utah Symphony's Masterworks grande finale Thrill also to great music by Wagner conducted by the Let your best-kept weddingsecret be the cost of your dress, not your gift preferences. CM Tell ZCMI your gift wish list and we'll passit on. | electrifying Pavel Kogan. Down to the last detail lectures pam. in the first |