Ogden’s Eccles Community Art Center, a nonprofit organization committed to local art, is currently exhibiting the work of Charles R. Gilmore through Jan. 28.
Gilmore is a Layton-based artist who studied painting at Weber State in the 1960s. He found fulfillment in art, especially in the midst of the social changes occurring in the country.
“It was 1969. There was personal freedom in the air. There was change. And the USA was hungry for art,” Gilmore said.
Now, the place where he began his life’s work has become the place where he displays it, the Eccles Art Center being only a few miles from Weber State’s Campus.
After finding inspiration while serving with the U.S. Army in Europe through his discovery of the Art Center College of Design, Gilmore truly felt the desire and the motivation to share his work.
He chose to combine his love of painting with his affinity for the landscapes and scenes of Utah and now focuses his career on depictions of the state.
Dan Raabe, photographer and speaker who wrote about Gilmore’s work, said, “His paintings are his Utah. From his vantage points, there is a history that speaks to the heart and moves the soul. It inspires. Utah speaks to him like no other place on Earth.”
Emmelyn Redd, aspiring artist and high school senior, felt inspired by Gilmore’s passion as she viewed the paintings displayed.
“You can’t help but love each of his works because you can just imagine the smoke billowing around or the snow flying up into the air. The peaceful mood of his calmer nature depictions show that he has a true eye for the beauty of the world,” Redd said.
According to Travis Pates, the Saturday curator of the center, over 50 of Gilmore’s paintings are on display in the main gallery.
In addition to Gilmore’s work, the art center exhibits the works of 150 Utah artists who submitted 8×8 paintings for a “Petites” competition that takes place annually around the holidays. First, second and third place and honorable mentions are featured in the small gallery.
The Eccles Community Art Center is open weekdays 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Admission to the galleries is free, but donations are welcomed. The center also offers educational programs, tours and activities designed to help students foster an appreciation for the arts.
