93rd annual Spring Salon exhibit opens at Springville Museum of Art
The 93rd annual Spring Salon, one of the longest-running art shows in the state of Utah, opened on April 26 at the Springville Museum of Art.
The Spring Salon is a juried exhibition showcasing pieces by Utah artists from many backgrounds and created using a variety of mediums. A total of 886 entries were received and judged and 242 pieces were accepted into this year’s exhibit.
The Spring Salon will be on exhibit through July 8 at the museum, located at 126 E. 400 South in Springville. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays. The museum is closed Sundays, Mondays and holidays (except for special events). For more information about the Spring Salon or other events and exhibits at the museum, visit smofa.org. Spring Salon award winners were announced at an artist’s reception on April 26 by Dr. Rita Wright, director of the museum, along with County Commissioner Greg Graves and Springville City Councilman Rick Child. The exhibition is sponsored by Springville City, Utah County and the George Q. Morris foundation.
The Spring Salon was first held in 1922. It was begun by students and teachers at Springville High School who wanted to exhibit and promote original artwork. The salon has been held annually since that time except during World War II when
fuel and other goods were rationed nationwide.
The salon is open to all Utah artists working in any media. Each artist may submit up to two works of art created within the last three years. Works over three years old are not eligible.
The entrants to the exhibit come from many backgrounds. There are many professional artists who enter their art for consideration, but many others are amateurs. There is a wide variety of art mediums including oil, acrylic and watercolor painting, traditional sculpture, mixed media and assemblage sculpture, photography and digital media.
One tradition of the Spring Salon is the Penny Vote. Early in the history of the show, contestants for Art Queen from the high school received votes as pennies were cast into a box. The contestant with the most pennies was selected as the Art Queen and the money went toward new art purchases for the museum. This Penny Vote has now evolved into a popular vote for selected pieces of art that are included in the show. This along with other activities for museum visitors makes attendance more of an interactive experience.