Mayor Erin Mendenhall's 1,000 Trees Initiative
As a part of showing our support to Salt Lake City’s Mayor Erin Mendenhall, for her 1,000 Trees Per Year Initiative, I was honored to present “Pave Paradise”, Mixed Media, Etching and Painting.
A little more than two years ago marks the Inauguration Ceremony for Salt Lake City’s Mayor Erin Mendenall where she professed her vision for not only a “better” city but a “thriving” city. Volunteers who helped to organize the celebration that evening also coordinated a fundraiser for Mayor Mendenhall’s 1,000 Trees Initiative including art from Utah artists, Karen Horne, Josh Scheureman, Bill Lewis and myself. Josh and Bill created wall murals beautifying our city, while Karen Horne and I had the honor of presenting the Mayor with our tree paintings in acknowledgement of a community coming together in support of our Mayor’s vision.
2022 marks the second year and the next 1,000 trees Mayor Erin Mendenhall is committed to planting on Salt Lake City’s West Side, partnering with the coordinated efforts of Tree Utah and their volunteers, helping make it all possible.
“Planting 1,000 extra trees in our city every year on our west side is one way we’re working to address environmental justice, air quality, livability and so many other inequities we find between the east and west side. It’s also a beautiful way to build community, not unlike art.”
Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Janell James, and Crystal Young
Crystal Young, Executive Director of the Utah Cultural Alliance, is an active volunteer with a huge love for the arts. Crystal, along with other volunteers, coordinated the 1,000 Trees Initiative Fundraiser including Utah Artists. Many thanks to Crystal for the honor to be a part of something so important!
Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Janell James
”Pave Paradise”, my painting after the refrain from Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi, is an interactive etching and painting of a tree with a target as a focal point. With a sharp spotlight or light from a handheld device, the image of the tree is projected onto the target and stretches along the wall behind. The tree and target equally vie for attention.
“Involving artists in this project is a testament to the love Salt Lake City has for the arts.”
Janell James, Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Karen Horne
"Looking Up" - Things Definitely Are!
Wow! What a couple of great weeks. Summer Solstice is almost upon us and things are definitely looking up. The gratitude I feel for the many art collectors and art lovers supporting visual arts, and my personal artwork, is both empowering and humbling as an artist. Thank you for taking your time to peruse my newsletter each week and for showing an interest in my creations!
“Looking Up” found a home here in Salt Lake City, UT this past week with thanks to Forsey’s Fine Furniture and their team of local designers. This lovely grouping of Aspen trees can be found on a hike at the top of Millcreek Canyon. I always love my time in the mountains among these gentle giants. Hearing their leaves jingle like a type of foliage currency fills my soul bank as the wind moves these trees unanimously to and fro. Nature is a source of meditation and calming peace for my mind.
I hope in the coming days you can find yourself amongst the trees, taking some time to listen to what they have to say as they jingle and sway.
Cheers and Happy Summer Solstice!
Janell
“Looking Up”, 30” x 24” Oil on Canvas
97th Annual Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art
It is always an honor to be included in the Spring Salon at the Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT! Out of more than 1,000 juried entries, 250 are chosen each year to be on exhibit.
The history of the museum began in 1903, becoming Utah’s first visual art’s museum. It is a beautiful space for contemplating art. Stop in to see the Spring Salon, April 21 to July 3, 2021, showcasing the diversity and quality of Utah Contemporary Art. Take this opportunity to see “Tracing Clouds” up close and peer into her multi-layered paint strokes and get lost in your own imagination.
“Tracing Clouds”, 23.5” x 23.5” Acrylic on Multi-Pane Acrylic Glass
(27.5” x 27.5” Framed)
Available
“I combine traditional and modern art styles, merging old-world traditions with contemporary techniques for endless possibilities.”
– Janell James