Dixie State’s Sears Art Museum showcases female artists in ‘Rouge: Utah Women’s Voices’

Miriam Tribe is one of many Utah female artists whose work is featured in the exhibit “Rouge: Utah Women’s Voices” in the Dixie State University Sears Art Museum, June 11 through Sept. 17. The exhibit will open with an artist panel discussion at 6 p.m. immediately followed by an opening reception, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Dixie State University, St. George News

ST. GEORGE —Shining a light on what it’s like to be a female artist in Utah, the exhibit “Rouge: Utah Women’s Voices” will be on display in Dixie State University’s Sears Art Museum after opening Friday evening with an artist panel discussion.

Katie Rojas is one of many Utah female artists whose work is featured in the exhibit “Rouge: Utah Women’s Voices” in the Dixie State University Sears Art Museum, June 11 through Sept. 17. The exhibit will open with an artist panel discussion at 6 p.m. immediately followed by an opening reception on Friday, June 11, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Dixie State University, St. George News

The exhibit opens Friday with the artist panel discussion at 6 p.m. in the art museum, located in the Dolores Doré Eccles Fine Arts Center on the Dixie State University campus, according to a press release issued by the university. Immediately following the discussion, an opening reception will be held until 8:30 p.m. The exhibit will be on display through Sept. 17. The art museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and admission is free to the exhibit and opening events.

“‘Rouge: Utah Women’s Voices’ is a small representation of the large number of Utah women artists; however, it is a good representation of the diversity of Utah women artists,” Kathy Cieslewicz, DSU Sears Art Museum director and curator, said in the news release. “The exhibit reflects on the imbalance of art by women in museums and encourages patrons to contemplate what can be done to address this issue.”

Artists featured in “Rouge: Utah Women’s Voices” were asked to create artwork that expresses what it is like to be in their shoes as a female artist in Utah, where 60% of artists are female but 70% of the artists exhibited are male.

Nancy Audruk Olson, a Utah artist and curator of the exhibit, said in the release that the purpose of the ‘Rouge’ exhibit is to highlight the disparity in exhibition opportunities between men and women in the arts through discussing the many roles of women artists in Utah.

“This is a thought-provoking exhibit that brings attention to the many issues that women in the arts face today,” Olson said.

Miriam Tribe is one of many Utah female artists whose work is featured in the exhibit “Rouge: Utah Women’s Voices” in the Dixie State University Sears Art Museum, June 11 through Sept. 17. The exhibit will open with an artist panel discussion at 6 p.m. immediately followed by an opening reception, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Dixie State University, St. George News

A wide range of perspectives are represented in the exhibit, which points to the significance of Utah female artists’ work. With a nod to the contemporary women’s movement, each artist includes the common thread of something pink in her work.

“In pursuance of presenting interesting, educational and unique experiences, this exhibit keeps the tradition moving forward.

Cieslewicz said patrons will be impressed and intrigued by the artwork. For one piece of art, a Cessna 150 was brought into the museum.

“Come and sit in the cockpit and check out the QR codes to reveal the inner meanings of gauges and even bullet holes,” she said.

In addition to this exhibit, three women artists are featured in the Eccles Grand Foyer – “Landscapes on Yupo” by Mel Scott and Diane Asay and watercolors by Loretta Clayson.

To learn more about “Rouge: Utah Women’s Voices” and the Dixie State University Sears Art Museum, visit www.searsart.com.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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