MAUREEN O'HARA URE portrait
  • Professor (Lecturer), Art/Art History

Research Statement

In May, 2014, I had the opportunity to spend two weeks drawing on-site in central France. For this research, funded by the College of Fine Arts, my itinerary focused on the Romanesque frescoes and stonework in Burgundy's abbeys and churches. While medieval imagery has been a major influence on my paintings for over a decade, and for all of that time, travel sketchbooks have been essential to my painting practice, this project moved my sketchbooks to the forefront of a project. Back in the studio, I am refining twenty of the stronger pages in my Burgundy sketchbook to form a chapbook. I am collaborating with a designer (and with student assistants) to prepare this small volume for publication in 2016 under my imprint, The Hand in Glove Press. I am also at work on a series of paintings on panel which use some of this same Romanesque material. These paintings will make up my next solo show.

 

 

 

Research Keywords

  • Romanesque imagery
  • Poetry ( as stimulus)
  • Paintings on panel. Images derived from travel sketchbooks
  • Artist's Books

Creative Research

  • After URC funded lst Spain 2022 research trip, self-funded return trip May 2023. All this preparatory to solo show of paintings opening March 2024 , with work on book of travel sketchbook pages begun in 2023. (Tentative publication late 2024.) Exhibition, in progress 03/2024.
  • "Elsewhere", solo show of paintings, Phillips Gallery, Salt Lake City Exhibition, completed 04/2022.
  • Works-in-progress, painting series for solo show scheduled for 1/2024 Exhibition, in progress 03/2022.
  • University Faculty and Creative Research project, "Spain: Travel Sketchbooks, An Artist's Book, and A Series of Paintings" Other, refereed, in progress 12/2019.
  • "Art History", solo exhibit of 24 paintings, Phillips Gallery Exhibition, completed 03/15/2019.
  • Development with Red Butte Press for publication of bestiary, "Stranger and Stranger", a collaboration among the press's designers and printers, myself, and poet Katharine Coles. Project first proposed in 2004 only slowly neared completion by the press in 2019. Other, completed 02/01/2019.
  • "Love & Work", solo exhibition of over 20 paintings on panel, opened, Phillips Gallery, Salt Lake City Exhibition, completed 10/2016.
  • College of Fine Arts Creative Research project, Romanesque Burgundy: A Book and Series of Paintings in Response to Travel Other, completed 10/2016.
  • "Seeing and Believing: A Traveler's Sketchbook", images resolved for publication Other, completed 07/2016.
  • Invitational group show, curated by Alan Dodworth, "7 Women", Alta Club Exhibition, completed 02/2015.
  • Statewide Annual: Painting and Sculpture '14 Exhibition, refereed, completed 10/2014.
  • The Faculty Show, New Narratives, UMFA Exhibition, completed 10/2014.
  • 30 Years at Finch Lane: A Retrospective. Invitational Exhibition, refereed, completed 08/2014.
  • Retrospective, Town Club, Salt Lake City, Jan to March 2014 Exhibition, completed 01/2014.
  • "Here Be Monsters", solo exhibition of new work, Finch Lane Gallery, Fall 2012. Featured poems by Katharine Coles Exhibition, refereed, completed 11/2012.
  • Retrospective, coinciding with run of play "RED", Salt Lake Acting Company Green Room Exhibition, completed 03/2012.
  • The Faculty Show, UMFA Group show Exhibition, refereed, completed 02/2012.
  • University Research Committee-funded project, "Byzantine Cycle: Ravenna, Istanbul, and Venice, A Tale of Travel" project. Deadline extended to May 2011 to facilitate collaboration with writer Exhibition, refereed, completed 05/2011.
  • "Sightseeing", One-person exhibition of 23 paintings on panel, Phillips Gallery, Salt Lake City, the major outcome of URC project Exhibition, completed 10/2010.

Presentations

  • HEAL Utah. Invited keynote speaker on topic of artist's role in the climate crisis. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 08/02/2021.
  • Featured in Youtube series of interviews with artists, Our Global Climate Crisis. Presentation, Presented, 03/2020.
  • Conversation about creative process with Katharine Coles at Phillips Gallery. Red Butte Press launch of "Stranger and Stranger". Presentation, Presented, 02/19/2019.
  • College of Humanities, Awe and Attention Symposium, featured as one invited presenter. "On Travel", a narrative from pages of my sketchbooks of travel 2002-2016. Presentation, Presented, 02/17/2018.
  • Led introductory session, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, "The Art of Sketchbooking", new course taught by Bonnie Sucec. Took students through my various sketchbooks and described my methodology. Presentation, Presented, 09/18/2017.
  • Featured speaker, UMFA event with Friends of Contemporary Art and Friends of Western Art, Phillips Gallery. Group met to consider my solo show and hear my comments on process. Presentation, Presented, 10/22/2016.
  • Gallery Talk, UMFA Faculty Show. Other, Presented, 11/13/2014.
  • Respondent, symposium, Dept of English, Graduate Program in Creative Writing, 2-day visit of poet Brigit Pegeen Kelly. Other, Presented, 12/2013.
  • Presenter, slide talk, Monster Workshop, College of Humanities faculty event. Presentation, Presented, 04/2013.

Research Groups

  • Linnie Brown, Graduate Student. Art and Art History. 01/2014 - 05/2014.
  • Mary Sauer, Graduate Student. Art and Art History. 09/2013 - 07/2014. Awards/Scholarships/Stipends: TA.

Grants, Contracts & Research Gifts

  • Romanesque Burgundy: A Book and a Series of Paintings in Response to Travel. PI: Maureen O'Hara Ure. College of Fine Arts, 03/2014 - present. Total project budget to date: $6,671.00
  • Byzantine Cycle: Ravenna, Istanbul & Venice, A Tale of Travel. PI: Maureen O'Hara Ure. University Research Committee, 11/01/2008 - 05/01/2011. Total project budget to date: $6,000.00

Copyrights

  • Painting series, approximately 25 new works on panel, completed 2023 for solo show March 2024. Maureen O'Hara Ure, 12/31/2023.
  • Painting series, approx. 18 paintings resolved this year; 2 sketchbooks. Maureen O'Hara Ure, 12/2022. Website, www.maureenoharaure.com.
  • Paintings, assorted, approx. 22 from solo show in February and several after solo show. self, 02/2019.
  • Paintings on panel, assorted.Multiple copyrighted works of art, including 20 new paintings resolved this calendar year. Site (www.maureenoharaure.com) most recently updated 2018. Maureen O'Hara Ure, 12/31/2018.
  • Paintings on panel, assorted. 12/31/2017. Paintings through 12/2017. Multiple copyrighted works of art, including new paintings resolved this calendar year. Site (www.maureenoharaure.com) most recently updated 2017.
  • "Seeing and Believing: A Traveler's Sketchbook". 07/2016. Book of images published under imprint The Hand in Glove Press.
  • Paintings. 12/2015. Many copyrighted works of art, including new paintings on panel resolved for upcoming Fall 2016 show. Site (www.maureenoharaure.com) most recently updated 2014.
  • maureenoharaure.com. Maureen O'Hara Ure, 12/2014. Paintings, artist's books, sketchbooks can be viewed at this site.

2014 Applications for Exhibits

Several applications for solo shows and residencies, some still pending: University of Dallas Haggerty Gallery; University of Rochester, Hartnett Gallery; Soo Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis; SPACE Gallery, Portland, ME; Mount Mercy University, Hanson White Gallery; Blue Star Gallery, San Antonio Smelser Vallion Residency, Taos (and Oklahoma State University)

 

Geographical Regions of Interest

  • France
    Published, "Seeing and Believing", artist's book of images of Romanesque sites in Burgundy.
  • India
    Published, "The Sightseer: India", artist's book of images .
  • Ireland
    Completed, installation/ series of paintings in response to art and artifacts of Neolithic to medieval Irish sites.
  • Italy
    Published, "SWOON, From the Italy sketchbooks", artist's book of images with poem by Katharine Coles. Completed, several paintings in response to subsequent travel throughout Italy.
  • Turkey
    Completed, series of paintings in response to travel.

Publications

  • "Uni-verse", an anthology of works by invited artists and writers, which included several pieces by myself and Coles. In 2021 we will discuss our collaborations in 1 or more ZOOM events for public. Published, 12/2020.
  • Bestiary composed of my images and Coles's poems, a project designed and printed by Red Butte Press. Published, 12/01/2018.
  • "Seeing and Believing: A Traveler's Sketchbook", color offset chapbook of images from Romanesque sites of Burgundy and environs. Published under imprint, The Hand in Glove Press. Published, 07/2016.
  • The Sightseer: India A limited-edition, hand-colored letterpress concertina artist's book of images. The Hand in Glove Press. Published, 10/2006.
  • SWOON A limited-edition, hand-colored letterpress concertina artist's book of images. Poem by Katharine Coles The Hand in Glove Press. Published, 12/2002.