Artists

A native of Salt Lake City, Bonnie Posselli was introduced early by her mother to plein air painting, which she describes as her “abiding love and strongest asset.” She has traveled extensively to paint in France, Brazil, An gentina, Peru, Guatemala, Chile, Easter Island, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, and Alaska, to say nothing of the Puget Sound and the redrock country of Utah and the Four Corners area. Her subjects, chiefly done in oils, include landscapes, both rural and wild, and outdoor scenes from villages and cities. Among the important influences upon her art were the in￾struction of Alvin Gittens of the University of Utah Art Department and the art of early landscape painter John F. Carlson, whose “reverence for pure, natural landscape and his abiding love of trees” continue to inspire her to this day. Bonnie has had many gallery and corporate one person shows. Her most recent awards include Best of Show, Maynard Dixon Invitational; Deserei News Purchase Award; and Utah Governor’s Mansion Artist Award. Further examples of her art can be viewed at http:www.bonnieposselli.com.

David Koch has loved art ever since he was in grade school but didn’t realize that he could also make a living at it until his second year at Utah State Univer￾sity. He paints various subjects but particularly enjoys recreating historical events. His paintings can be found in many art collections, including that of Vice President Dick Cheney and in the LDS Nauvoo Temple. David, his wife Lori, and five children, Thomas, Hannah, Megan, Mitchell, and Mallory, have a home and studio in Richmond, Utah. He writes: “I am very blessed to be do￾ing what I love while enjoying the support and company of my family. I am very excited about the future where there is so much to learn and discover.” For more information about his art, visit www.davidkochartist.com

A lifetime resident of Utah, Liz Lemon Swindle studied art at Utah State University. Liz initially worked as a set designer and painter for Osmond Stu￾dios, then focused her attention on oil painting, guided by wildlife artist Nancy Glazier. After gaining a reputation as a wildlife painter, Liz turned to representing scenes of her faith, particularly portraits of Joseph and Emma Smith and episodes from the life of Jesus.

Greg Olsen was born in Idaho and resides there still. He studied art at Utah State University where he met and married Sydnie Cazier. They have six children and a number of grandchildren. For more information about his art, visit http://www.gregolsenart.com. Of his painting depicted in this issue, Greg  writes: “In a home near the Sea of Galilee, Jairus and his wife are given an unfathomable gift as Jesus rescues them from overwhelming grief by raising their twelve-year-old daughter from the dead. The Savior’s healing touch and gentle command truly are a miracle never to be forgotten.”

Born in Bohemia, Wulf Barsch von Benedikt is now an American citizen. He received a rigorous Bauhaus training in Germany from master students of Kandinsky and Klee. He got an MFA at Werkkunstschule, Hanover, Germany, in 1967, before coming to America. He is a professor of art in the Department of Visual Arts, Brigham Young University. He presently resides in Boulder, Utah, and commutes to Provo.

A graduate of Brigham Young University’s BFA and MFA program, Bethanne Andersen initially focused on abstract painting but later moved to New York to study illustration at the School of Visual Arts. As an illustrator, she has received critical praise for her work and has earned the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, the Boston Globe Horn Book Honor Award, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Golden Kite Honor Book Award. She currently teaches art at Brigham Young University.

Brian Kershisnik lives with his wife, Suzanne, and three children in Kanosh, Utah. The son of a petroleum geologist, he grew up in Angola, Thailand, Texas, and Pakistan. After serving a mission in Denmark, he took a bachelor’s degree in painting at BYU and a graduate degree in printmaking at the University of Texas in Austin. His paintings have been featured at numerous solo and group exhibitions, and images of them have been reproduced in numerous books and catalogs. Kershisnik has himself created a notable anthology of his own paintings, Painting from Life, published in 2002 by Guild Publishing of Madison, Wisconsin.

Emily Plewe grew up in Centerville, Utah, and attended Wellesley College where she studied art and literature. She then pursued a master’s degree at BYU. Emily and her husband, John, who is also an artist and whose work will be featured in the next issue of Dialogue, lived for many years in Los Angeles before moving to Salt Lake City. They now live in the Sugarhouse neighborhood where Emily is involved in the community council. As a child, Emily would explore the night sky with her grandfather who taught her astronomy which he brought to life through his telescope. This interest was augmented when she later learned about quantum mechanics and particle physics. Plewe’s abstract paintings are inspired by her interest in “space, energy and inter￾actions—both physical and metaphysical. I am fascinated by the ambiguous and mysterious spatial depth it is possible to achieve with painting.” Her work reflects the intersection of her interest in physics and astronomy with principles of design and with achieving a sense of space and form in her paintings. One of the strengths of Plewe’s work is the dynamic tension in her compositions between the two-dimensional shapes and surface quality of the paintings and the sense of three-dimensional space that she achieves. The shapes and textures are not merely on the surface but appear to float in the depth of the field of color they inhabit. Emily gives great credit regarding her decision to pursue art to Ken Baxter from whom she took a plein air painting class in high school. It was he who planted the seed that one could pursue art as a career. More of Plewe’s work can be seen at www.umbergallery.com/emilyplewe/.

I [Bret Hanson] was born in Blackfoot, Idaho, and raised in a religious home. Both the physical and spiritual landscapes of my youth have an impact on my work. Stars in the night sky, flat farmland, and the Rocky Mountains nearby all helped shape the way I interpret my surroundings. I was fascinated with space and flight and wanted to be a pilot and transcend this world. There has always been a strong sense of striving to return to God’s presence and navigate through the trials of this life to achieve eternal life. Religious symbolism plays a prominent role in my thought process as a Mormon artist. I received a BFA in fine arts (printmaking) from Utah State University in 2004 and an MFA in fine arts (printmaking) from the University of New Mexico in 2008.