This be-UTAH-ful art exhibit features 3 ‘very diverse’ St. George artists

Written by Jessi Bang
September 5, 2023

ST. GEORGE —Three artists have combined their talents to put on an art exhibit focused on the alluring landscapes of Utah. And it’s Be-UTAH-ful.

(L-R) Artists Donna McMullin, Mari Lopez and Julianne Skinner are the artists behind the BeUTAHful Art Exhibit at The Chamber of Commerce in St. George, Utah, Aug.22, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
(L-R) Artists Donna McMullin, Mari Lopez and Julianne Skinner are the artists behind the BeUTAHful Art Exhibit at The Chamber of Commerce in St. George, Utah, Aug. 22, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

“The three of us have very diverse artwork,” artist Mari Lopez said. “It’s like three different languages going on and it all kind of goes together.”

Lopez, along with artists Julianne Skinner and Donna McMullin, are the women behind the BeUTAHful Art Exhibit currently on display in the basement of the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce.

Inspired by the towering red rocks of Southern Utah and its vast desert landscapes, the exhibit consists of everything from repurposed Utah license plates to plants carved out of gourds.

“With beautiful art and growing businesses, we hope to bridge the gap between businesses displaying local art and businesses displaying and selling their art,” Lopez said. “Our community is growing so fast that it just makes sense to connect those dots. So what better place to start it than the Chamber of Commerce.”

Artwork by Mari Lopez is on display as part of the BeUTAHful Art Exhibit in St. George, Utah, Aug.22, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artwork by Mari Lopez is on display as part of the BeUTAHful Art Exhibit in St. George, Utah, Aug. 22, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

Lopez is known for her acrylic painting on canvas, steel and aluminum as well as aquamedia – water-based art – on paper and canvas.

Her art includes hand-painted designs on out-of-circulation Utah license plates. She’s been painting cars and bikes since 1998, and many of her commissioned pieces – both large and small – are of classic cars and collector’s vehicles. 

Painting on steel is one of her specialties, and Lopez said the 20-gauge steel is fabricated right in Washington City. After hand-painting her art, the company then clear-coats each piece at a car booth to create a smooth, car-like finish.

Being in Southern Utah for 11 years, Lopez said she fell in love with the colors of the desert, which has inspired her to paint landscapes such as the sugarloaf haystacks near Quail Creek Reservoir. For more information on Lopez or to contact her directly follow her on Instagram.

Gourd artwork by Donna McMullin is a part of the BeUTAHful Art Exhibit in St. George, Utah, Aug.22, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Gourd artwork by Donna McMullin is a part of the BeUTAHful Art Exhibit in St. George, Utah, Aug. 22, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

Artist Donna McMullin creates one-of-a-kind art pieces out of real gourds, and the process is anything but easy. Because gourds must dry for one year before being used she buys them whole and pre-dried from California. When the gourds arrive, McMullin said each one is full of mold. The cleaning process includes dumping the gourds in bleach, scrubbing the outside, then cutting into them and scraping out the moldy insides.

“That’s the part that’s poisonous to work on these,” McMullin said. “You have to wear a respirator … because if you get a mold spore in your lung, you’re in for life.”

After she cleans each one, McMullin said she carves artistic designs with a dental drill. That comes with another challenge, requiring her to think in 3D and ensure each cut is correct before moving forward. While holding the gourd in her hands, she said she lets the gourd tell her what it wants to become.

“Since we are all inspired by the area, we can give them a good flavor of what the area is all about here,” McMullin said about the BeUTAHful art exhibit. “And inspire so many different forms of art.”

For more information on McMullin visit Deep Desert Designs on Facebook.

Artwork by Julianne Skinner is on display as part of the BeUTAHful Art Exhibit in St. George, Utah, Aug.22, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Artwork by Julianne Skinner is on display as part of the BeUTAHful Art Exhibit in St. George, Utah, Aug. 22, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

Since St. George News highlighted Artist Julianne Skinner, she has become a full-time artist. Known for her “dreamscapes,” which combine reality – photographs and paintings – with her dreams, her art can be recognized by its bright colors and her signature on the side of each canvas.

“The exhibit provides a wide array of colors and styles that represents how each artist sees Utah,” Skinner said about the BeUTAHful Exhibit.

Along with the art exhibit at The Chamber of Commerce, Skinner’s work can be seen inside the Red Cliffs Gallery and Oasis Gardens.

Skinner said she’s about to create a variety of collections based on her coloring book’s dream bubbles – something that will be a transformation and transition from her current styles. For more information on Skinner and her available artwork, visit her website or follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

Visit the free BeUTAHful Art Exhibit inside the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce at 136 N. 100 E. in St. George. The exhibit is located downstairs and runs from now until Oct. 27. Each piece of artwork will be available for purchase. Due to possible meetings that may take place in the exhibit room, it’s recommended to call the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce at 435-628-1650 prior to your visit.

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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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