Why is the Harry Bertoia Foundation based in St George? Why would anyone go there? Is it hot?
To answer those questions and highlight the attractions of southern Utah, let me begin by saying that St George is not an international art hub, nor are there any famous museums or galleries here. But St George is in the middle of some of the most beautiful red rock country in the nation and perhaps the world. Yes, it does get over 100° Fahrenheit many days in the summer, but it’s a dry bearable heat. I moved here for the outdoor opportunities, to start fresh in my life, and to get away from Montana’s endless winters. Only later did I discover what a gem this town is in so many ways!
The Harry Bertoia Foundation headquarters are in St George, Utah. St George is 110 miles from Las Vegas, 40 miles from Zion National Park and minutes from refreshing reservoirs, stunning state parks, and hundreds of miles of slick rock adventuring. Cedar City’s Shakespeare Festival is nationally renowned and just 45 minutes away, along with SUMA (https://suma.org/), the best modern art museum in Utah. The Tuacahn Performing Arts Center amphitheater is an amazing venue set in the red rocks where top-notch concerts and plays are offered, all of 15 minutes away.
Once you have exhausted yourself biking, hiking, and sightseeing, stop in at the Foundation gallery (1449 N 1400 W, Ste 11, St George) for 45 minutes of a private tour and concert. Ten of the original Sonambient Barn tonal sculptures stand at attention awaiting touch, along with two small gongs and a pair of singing bars. A “petting zoo” of reproduction tonals is open to youngsters or adults alike. Dandelions, bushes, spillcasts, wire forms and many monotypes fill out the gallery. Celia Bertoia (Harry’s daughter) is usually present to answer your questions, address Harry’s beginnings, and tell stories from the good old days during Harry’s lifetime. There is a modest store with mementos and T shirts.
If you have specific Bertoia needs – appraisal, submitting to the Catalogue Raisonne’, discovering data in the archives – we can help you. Speak up. The Foundation also provides two art scholarships, student internships, local adult art education classes, various open house events, film showings, and student field trips.
Ten minutes east on Red Hills Parkway, stop at the Red Hills Desert Garden to bang a gong. A 5’ bronze Bertoia gong hangs in plain view with a rubber hammer next to it. Get there before school is out because the children wait in line to have their chance at creating wonderful noise. This gong stood on the Bertoia estate for decades, then hid in a storage locker for close to another decade, and is now on loan to the Garden indefinitely. There is no other public place where you can haul off and hit a Bertoia gong! The Garden itself is an educational landscape featuring low-water plants and cacti, and has holiday specialties at Halloween and Christmas. It is a quick lovely way to experience the desert environment in a concentrated venue.
Other noteworthy art areas of interest include a modernist shop in downtown St George, Okenhem (https://okenhem.com/) where you can speak with very knowledgeable Heather, peruse her modernist library, or buy clever clocks and home décor. The first Friday of most months brings the Art Walk through galleries and downtown treasures. Continue down Main Street to discover fun second hand shops, many good cafes, and Art Around the Corner (https://artaroundthecorner.org/) sculptural art on the sidewalks that is changed annually. Stop over at the Sears Art Museum (https://www.searsart.com/) on the Utah Tech University campus for a look at the best of Utah art. If you are interested in Latter Day Saints (Mormon) history, there are landmarks, temples and tabernacles spread throughout the region.
That is just a snippet of the art offerings of St George. It is not the sleepy little town it was twenty years ago. It is vibrant with art of all sorts, art fairs in every nearby town, and all kinds of cultural events of surprisingly high caliber. I haven’t even touched on the athletic opportunities and sporting events! Come find out for yourself! https://harrybertoia.org/
What Goes On in St George?
