AUGUST 2019 • WWW.SOUTHWESTART.COM 85Summer Days, oil, 32 x 36. Old Town, oil, 30 x 24.
What inspires you to paint? The beauty
and familiarity of my local surroundings and
the amazing places I fi nd in my travels. My
paintings represent my personal vision of
modern life.
How would you describe your style? Con-
temporary representational with a painterly
quality.
How did you fi rst get interested in art?
I spent a lot of time drawing animated char-
acters and skateboard graphics as a kid. I al-
ways knew I wanted to be an artist and had
encouraging art teachers along the way.
Where did you study art? I ea r n e d my b ach -
elor’s degree in fi ne art from the University
of Utah in Salt Lake City and my master’s in
fi ne art from the Academy of Art University
in San Francisco, CA. I continued my studies
while teaching at the Academy of Art Uni-
versity and at Savannah College of Art and
Design. I am always learning.
What is your creative process like? I paint
from life, photos, sketches, and my imagina-
tion. I lay in the painting directly and glaze
along the way, building the light and unifying
the color palette. I am interested in the linebetween abstraction and representation,
chaos and control. I like to respond to the
painting throughout the process. The fi nal
product is essential, but the process is what’s
most important to me.
When you’re not creating art, what else
do you enjoy doing? I enjoy hiking in the
Utah mountains with my girlfriend and my
dog, traveling, and cooking.
What galleries represent your work? Gal-
lery Mar, Park City, UT; 15th Street Gallery,
Salt Lake City, UT; Anne Jespersen Fine Arts,
Helper, UT; http://www.aaronmemmott.com.Aaron Memmott