As part of the Canyonlands 50th Anniversary Celebration, the National Park Service’s Southeast Utah Group will be celebrating past and present artists who have served as Community Artist in the Parks. An exhibit at the Moab Arts and Recreation Center, 111 East 100 North, will feature works by a variety of artists including Chad Neihaus, Pete Apicella, Kathy Cooney, Logan Hansen, Sarah Hamington and Serena Supplee. A reception with the artists will be held at the MARC from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 5 and the exhibit will be on display throughout the month of July.

“We are so proud of the Community Artist in the Parks program and its continuing success as it allows visitors the opportunity to connect to these special places in a way that transcends the typical visit to a park,” said the program’s coordinator, Sharon Brussell. “When people stop, slow down and really see the landscape in a new light and through the eyes of the artist, something magical occurs. We hope the program spurs the recognition that these talented artists deserve.”

The program was created in 2009 to highlight the connection between local artists and the landscapes within Arches and Canyonlands national parks and Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments. 

“The Community Artist in the Parks program is unique in that it offers an intensive experience for the artist to express his/her connection to a particular spot on the planet,” said Niehaus. “It is a rare opportunity to build a substantial, focused body of work. It is equally rare to have so much valuable interaction about art with people from all over the world who are also drawn to this landscape. The inspiration and insight gleaned during the Community Artist in Park program can certainly inform the rest of the artist’s professional career.”