Trailside Galleries is pleased to announce Native Stories: Preserving Tradition, a two man show featuring Utah based artists Bruce Cheever and Jeremy Winborg.  Each artist has produced a new body of work with an emphasis on Native American culture. 

Born in 1958, Bruce Cheever credits his education at Brigham Young University and a professional career as an illustrator as prime training ground in both observation and discipline. Cheever’s newest body of work exemplifies his affinity for tonalism and luminism.  Regardless of subject matter, he strives to evoke emotion in the sense of place and endeavors to convey a rich feeling of nostalgia. Of his latest studio works, he observes, “I have always been profoundly intrigued by the cultures and traditions of Native American people and have loved learning about their history.  Ever since I was small, I loved going to rendezvous and pow wows, as well as traveling the wide-open spaces where much of their history has been created.  One of my first drawings as a child was of an Indian hunter chasing a buffalo, drawn on a slab of sandstone.  From the Plains Indians to the Pueblo people, their art and culture is recognized worldwide.”  He adds, “The paintings I have created for the “Native Stories” show are a selection of landscape, figurative, and still Life, all depicting various aspects of Indian life and culture.   From Lakota and Sioux, to Shoshone hunters, these paintings are a reflection of proud societies of unparalleled independence.  What has intrigued me most is the artistry of these peoples, and the efforts that went into making their existence more beautiful.  Creating my paintings for this show has made me appreciate even more the hours they must have spent adorning their dwellings, clothing, and tools.  It has also given me a small glimpse of their competency and skill.”

Jeremy Winborg is best known for his figurative work of Native American subjects that blend realism with abstract backgrounds. He has had a passion for creating art since he was a child. He grew up in Utah working in an art studio alongside his father who was an illustrator and began receiving awards and honors at a young age. Winborg notes, "Being an artist was the only profession I ever considered when I was growing up."

Winborg was first inspired to start painting Native American figures when his Navajo niece, Layla, was born. Since then, he has focused on creating Native American pieces that preserve a bit of history on each canvas. His paintings feature Native Americans dressed in traditional, authentic clothing with a focus on being historically accurate. Winborg is well-known for bold brushwork, pallet knife work and interesting, colorful backgrounds. He enjoys the juxtaposition of the realistic portraiture and abstract, loose backgrounds.  “The abstract backgrounds are exciting to look at,” says Winborg, “and there's a peacefulness about the figures and faces where your eye can rest. My artwork is a labor of love dedicated to honoring indigenous people- specifically women: their contributions, their resilience, their pride and their strengths. When I create a piece of art, I want the person viewing it to feel the emotion of the subject in each piece.”

EXHIBITION LINK