Are you ready to experience the colors, shapes, and structures of Southern Utah's National Parks in a whole new way? Ready to be inspired by the way others see and interpret the beauty of the parks? The National Park Centennial celebration is bringing with it numerous opportunities to experience nature through art with exhibitions, art immersions, and of course, the opening of the much anticipated Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) in Cedar City.

Since the beginning of the National Parks, the National Park Service (NPS) has been looking for ways to share the beauty of the natural scenery and landscapes, through photography and other mediums. Today, artists from around the world travel to local parks to paint, photograph and learn about the unique spaces to expand their knowledge and talent. This summer, enjoy the works of both local and nonlocal artists at the following locations:

With 4-5 rotating special exhibits each year, the Frontier Homestead State Park Museum does an excellent job presenting and supporting local artists. Featured this summer will be the Kolob Plein Air Society (May 2nd – June 30th) and the Southern Utah Watercolor Society (July 3rd – August 30th). Both exhibits will showcase artwork depicting the national parks.

During the centennial Cedar Breaks National Monument will be highlighting the meaning of national parks and monuments through the creation of art. The Art Afire Plein Air Festival (July 11-16th) will give visitors that chance to participate in art activities, watch live professional Plein Air painting demonstrations and be a part of the art in the parks! The paintings created during the festival will be on display and for sale at Arts Afire Plein Air Art Invitational Exhibit and Sale (July 16th – September 1st) at SUMA.

End the week at SUMA with a private Wet Paint Sale and Artist Gala Reception (July 16th) with a public sale that evening. In addition to the plein air work, each artist will bring studio pieces for sale. If you would like information about the private events, please email sumafriends@suu.edu for details.

The opening of the Southern Utah Museum of Art will bring a dynamic teaching and learning center to Cedar City, as well as many opportunities for the public to appreciate the arts. This 20,500 square foot museum will include five galleries to host exhibitions from around the world and feature rotating exhibits from the permanent collections.

SUMA will be the new home to a special collection of work by Utah artist, Jim Jones. The exhibit, The Final Paintings, consists of 15 paintings considered to be the very best of Jones' work, with the exception of “Point Sublime.” Jones' paintings of Zion and the Grand Canyon have given him the title of southern Utah's premier landscape painter.

From roughly 1920 through 1960 tourists came by train to Cedar City to tour Zion National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and Cedar Breaks National Monument. The Grand Circle Tour - National Parks Historic Photography Exhibit (July 7th – September 1st) will take visitors on a black and white photographic tour of the route used by the Utah Parks Company. The exhibit will be enhanced by artifacts from the Utah Parks Company collection (located at the Frontier Homestead State Park), Ryan Paul's private collection, and SUMA.

Learn more about all these events and more National Park Centennial happenings at www.parks100.com and www.visitcedarcity.com.