Pittsboro’s Finest

I just bought a painting—a watercolor titled “Pittsboro’s Finest.” The artist is one of my cousins, G.K. of Sandy, UT. She and her sister, who also paints, plus their husbands, were in San Diego last weekend to attend the 2009 Western Federation Art Show. I flew down from Seattle to visit my dad and sister in Del Mar and to attend the family reunion triggered by their trip. My cousin had some note cards displaying renditions of her work. After looking through them, I decided, on the spot, to buy one of her watercolors.

I think it’s great that my two Utah cousins paint as they seem to be rewarded by the creative process. But then I realized there are several other artists in the family. My oldest brother’s first wife is good at drawing, sculpture, and graphic arts. They divorced many years ago, but we still keep in touch with her. He is now married to a Japanese woman. She likes to write and illustrates her stories with colorful pencil drawings. My Texas brother is married to an artist. She has her own studio and is quite talented. Plus she knows the art world. It’s fun to go to galleries in Santa Fe with her and watch the interplay with gallery owners (she and my brother have a vacation place there). So five artists, and I haven’t yet inventoried the talents of every niece, nephew, and second cousin. That seems like a lot to me, but not too many.

Back to “Pittsboro’s Finest.” G.K. painted it in spring 2008 following a family trip to North Carolina. Here’s what the artist had to say about the painting’s subject: “Pittsboro is a funky little town in North Carolina. This place used to be a gas station and now is a general store and café. They sell all kinds of gifts and art. They sponsor a lot of art things and have a lot of live music as well.”

G.K. has been painting since 2004, the year she retired following a long dedicated career in education. She was a teacher, principal, and educational consultant. She has received many awards, including the Utah National Distinguished Principal award, the Utah Art Education Association Elementary Art Educator of the Year, and the National Art Education Association Pacific Region Administration and Supervision Award. She has authored several articles on community involvement in education and has a master’s and bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah. Judging by the watercolors I saw, she is putting the same dedication into her new career as an artist.