Show f Soc Beautified by Canyon Mural V Ed Lile Life Staff Writer AS you walk into the east J entrance of you will feel as though you were hiking down Little Little Little Lit Lit- tle Cottonwood Canyon What was wasa a blank west wall is now covered with a foot 16 by foot 24 mural painted by artist James and his artist son Ben It is a scene that makes the canyon come alive and adds to attractive decor The idea to have a mural cover the west wall of the entrance foyer came caine before the arts committee commit commit- tee by J. J Gordon Storrs master planning coordinator in planning and research and chairman of the arts committee He said the space called for something to identify the needs for beautification the arts that would increase quality Jim wanted to do the mural and in a meeting with the arts committee he presented ideas for a mur mural 1 of the Salt Lake Valley said that as s you walk from the parking lot east of the main entrance you first approach the cem cement cement ce ce- m ment nt fountain that depicts the Wasatch Mountains The water canal that flows from the Moun tain Fountain down to the front entrance forms the scene that ends as you enter the building and there you would see the mural of Little Cottonwood Canyon as though you were following the stream stream from the mountains m into the Valley below After the idea was presented to the arts committee a written request request request re re- re- re quest for funding along with the mural proposal was presented to President Frank Budd by Katherine Boswell assistant to the president and a member of the arts commit commit- tee After Budds Budd's approval Jim and Ben were contracted to paint the mural said that it has taken over two m months to paste the canvas canvas canvas can can- vas in sections on the wall and to paint the scene It has been said that art is a journey and not an end unto itself a form of self I donot donot do donot not attempt to chronicle it but consciously consciously consciously con con- choose to interpret that special spirit of nature he said He is a graduate of the school of architecture at the University of Oklahoma in 1959 He was most inspired by the organic school of thought led by ar- ar tt fj f x s 4 L. L c 4 n y i M 4 4 44 1 i L i iw w F K y I Horizon photo Ed Lile Former Fonner students Jim and Ben painted this mural of Little Cottonwood Canyon inside th the foyer of east entrance Frank Lloyd Wright and Bruce Goff Although a career in architecture appeared to be a major goal he was diverted to the field of art when he moved to Salt Lake City from his home in Geneva NY He earned his masters master's degree degree degree de de- de- de gree at Utah State then continued his career in education with positions positions positions held in teaching and administration administration administration ad ad- ministration retiring as vice president president president dent for administration in 1987 Ben followed his fathers father's footsteps in art by studying at the Salt Lake Art Center and where he won numerous awards of merit and excellence in the annul graphic arts shows Using gauche as a primary medium for formost formost formost most of his work Ben also enjoys doing large mural size paintings in oil The mural was started in acrylic and finished in oil Suzanne R. R Hale custodian wrote a poem called In the Mural at Salt Lake Community College South City Campus It is located on an easel next to the painting Boswell said that the official presentation of the mural has not been set at this time She added that the molding and slope sill will willbe willbe willbe be put on by the College in the Mural at Salt Lake Community College South City Campus Suzanne R. R Hale The tall evergreen trees seemed to touch the deep blue sky shy sending the spirit filled clouds on their way and I stood breathless staring at the mystic wonderment and the beauty of the valley floor below To be in a place I have never known as the cool autumn breeze gently tickled the fully colored leaves and one leaf seemed to be taken from the top of that tree to be gently placed to the rest upon natures nearly frozen ground I knew looking down I was in the place where dreams could grow And with a pure sigh I thought there there down down there there for for which I fought so in the land down below was a place of many a happy heart And I knew this land would grow to become become become be be- come a part of me Here along the mountain side a deer and her baby fawn would hide unsure of this stranger there standing byon byon by byon on the nearly frozen ground along their mountain side Now almost where I was before I sit startled at the valley floor As the years have gone by bones too fragile to stand and I l gaze upon the land and wonder why the land has changed Deeply I sigh and shed a bitter tear and wish for the earlier year when the land remained the same |