‘Amazing journey’: Artist opens dream art gallery showcasing Southern Utah talent

Written by Jessi Bang
August 25, 2023

ST. GEORGE —With no plan other than to fulfill her dreams, this local artist proved that on the other side of adversity lies opportunity. And she took it.

Artist Elizabeth Gunter stands next to one of her paintings inside Art Provides in downtown St. George, Utah, Aug. 10, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artist Elizabeth Gunter stands next to one of her paintings inside Art Provides in downtown St. George, Utah, Aug. 10, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

“It’s been an amazing journey,” Art Provides owner Elizabeth Gunter said. “Not anything that I could have possibly dreamt up or imagined or thought. It hasn’t been easy, but I think that creativity under constraint can produce amazing results.”

Art Provides is an art gallery located upstairs from Gallery 35 that showcases various mediums from local artists, including Gunter’s. Along with art displays, the open classroom provides a space for instructional art classes, jazz and poetry nights, improv performances and more.

But the path to obtaining her dream studio was far from easy.

Looking for a creative outlet to escape during a difficult time in her life, she began teaching paint nights. Throwing her art supplies in the back of her RAV4, she started in the basement of the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce building and continued to drive from location to location, which led to opening her own official paint night business – Creative Art Spa.

Artwork by Art Provides owner Elizabeth Gunter hangs on the wall inside her gallery in St. George Utah, Aug. 10, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artwork by Art Provides owner Elizabeth Gunter hangs on the wall inside her gallery in St. George Utah, Aug. 10, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

“I remembered the magic of giving someone the experience of painting for the first time,” she said. And seeing what it’s like for them reminded me of why I wanted to do art.”

In the midst of a divorce, she stopped Creative Art Spa altogether. Then, as a graphic design artist for 20 years, she unexpectedly lost her marketing job. 

“I found myself in my 40s, staring at the ceiling with tears in my eyes, wondering what I was going to do to support me and my kids and survive,” she said.

After reading “Year of Yes” by Shonda Rhimes, Gunter said she began following signs from the universe, setting healthy boundaries and saying, “Yes.” After one month of “yeses,” her self-limiting beliefs fell to the wayside. Instead, she felt inspired. Her mind started racing with thoughts of possibilities, such as having her own studio and painting again. 

After freelancing for many companies over the years, she decided it was time to invest in herself by starting her own art gallery.

While looking for a studio space, she came across the current downtown location. Instantly drawn to the energy and the Chicago loft feel, she didn’t think she stood a chance at obtaining the space.

The outside of Art Provides can be seen in downtown St. George, Utah, Aug. 10, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
The outside of Art Provides can be seen in downtown St. George, Utah, Aug. 10, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

“Here I am a single mom with questionable finances,” Gunter said. “I’m not Mormon, I’m not from Utah, this tattooed lady, like, they’re not going to give me the space.”

Committing to her mission to say “yes,” she filled out the lease application, anyway. After completing various steps in the process, she was surprised when the realtor told her the lease had been approved. Unemployed with less than two months of rent in her savings account, she said she signed the lease “like a crazy person” in July 2019.

“I figured this is obviously what I’m supposed to be doing,” she said. “And trusting that I was going to take a step and then the next three will be shown to me, and it’s been that way ever since.”

But it wasn’t smooth sailing quite yet.

After completing renovations, she was ready to open Art Provides in February 2020 – right as the pandemic struck the nation. Unqualified for a business loan or government assistance, she pivoted to keep her dream alive. Selling her home just as the market skyrocketed, she was able to live off the equity for two years.

“I threw a lot of spaghetti at the wall,” she said about the initial gallery opening. “I tried doing a co-op and other things but I realized it was limiting conversations, so I shifted. Now I’ve been able to even the playing field between professional artists and amateur artists, which has sort of always been my goal.”

The current Exhibit, "Immersion: A Visual Journey into the World of Water," runs from now until Sept. 23 inside Art Provides, St. George Utah, Aug. 10, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
The current Exhibit, “Immersion: A Visual Journey into the World of Water,” runs from now until Sept. 23 inside Art Provides, St. George Utah, Aug. 10, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

Many of the art exhibitions at Art Provides start with a theme picked by Gunter. Local artists are then invited to submit their work with a chance to be featured.

The current Exhibit, “Immersion: A Visual Journey into the World of Water,” runs from now until Sept. 23. Viewers are able to immerse themselves in various art forms by local artists who explore the profound impact of water. The exhibit includes abstract contemplations and realistic portrayals of serene oceans, majestic lakes and meandering rivers. 

While Art Provides is consistently evolving and her goals are a moving target, Gunter said she’s thankful for the leaps into the unknown that have led to three full years in business.

From design workshops to figure drawing and poetry masterclasses, see the full calendar of upcoming events at Art Provides. Visit Art Provides at 35 N. Main St. #306 in St. George, upstairs from Gallery 35. For more information, visit their website or follow them on Instagram.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessi Bang was born and raised in Utah and has a passion for nature and the great outdoors. She graduated from Kaplan University in California with a degree in criminal justice. She has extensive experience in marketing, content creation, photography and copywriting. You can find her showcasing outdoor adventures through her blog, “The Rambling Raccoon.” In her free time, she enjoys climbing mountains, trail running, working out and cuddling her two lovable pups.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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