Save Bonanza Flat.
Protecting the heart of the Wasatch Mountains with art.
Saving open space with art.
Bonanza Flat is the heart of the Wasatch Mountains and literally my backyard. In 2016, the land was privately owned, but came up for sale, but was slated to become a luxury ski resort and development. Loosing this amazing parcel of alpine beauty to private houses would have been a travesty, so the community banded together to save it. I used my own art to raise awareness and funds to contribute to the cause. Bonanza Flat is now a beautiful public open space that sits at the border or Park City and Big Cottonwood Canyon. If you visit this land, please know that our whole community worked and donated to save this beautiful place.
In an effort to help raise funds to Save Bonanza Flat, in 2017 I auctioned off an original painting, entitled "Under Their Protection." In collaboration with Gallery MAR, my local gallery here in Park City, we donated the entire proceeds of the auction to help Save Bonanza Flats. From this auction, Solitude Mountain Resort commissioned me to recreate the same painting on a larger scale to live at the Round House with the full proceeds going to help save the property. This painting called “The Protectors” is on view to the public anytime the Round House at Solitude is open.
Gale Straub of the She Explores Podcast interviewed me about my art and work to save Bonanza Flats. The outdoors is critical for my life as is my backyard, Bonanza Flats. As a resident of Brighton Estates, a neighborhood located adjacent to the Bonanza Flats property, I am deeply connected to this land. Working to save this land and keep it wild was incredibly important to me.
“The Protectors” now lives at the Round House at Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah
Heart of the Wasatch TShirt
In addition to the two encaustic paintings auctioned off, I worked with outdoor gear company, Prival to create the “Heart of the Wasatch” tshirt. Proceeds from this tshirt fundraiser went support the Save Bonanza Flat fundraiser.
Working with Prival co-founder Tony Pavlantos and screen-printer extraordinaire Nick Jones, we converted my artwork into beautiful cause-based, organic tshirts. Tony had the vision, I created the artwork, and Nick turned it into a one-of-a-kind shirt. In fact each shirt is a piece of art in itself, because each screen print is totally unique.
