Artist in Residence Gallery: Alison H. Spencer

Alison H. Spencer is wrapping up her residency at Tracy Aviary with a reception on Friday, October 30, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. The show is the closing exhibition of the paintings she's been working on since her residency began back in June, so this is the first time the full body of work comes together in one place.

Spencer spent the summer and fall drawing from the birds at the aviary and from Utah's wetlands, and the portraits she produced highlight the diversity and beauty of native bird species and the habitats they depend on. There's a specific local thread running through the work, too: she reflects on the future of the Great Salt Lake and the surrounding marshes in the face of ongoing development, and the paintings invite you to think about the wildlife that might be lost as the region changes. It's a look at the birds we have here and a question about what happens to them when the land around them shifts.

At the reception, you'll see the paintings and prints together, and Spencer will be there to talk about her work. There will be light refreshments, so it's as much a gathering as it is a gallery showing. The exhibition is free, and it's held at the Tracy Aviary, Chase Mill, Liberty Park, 589 E. 1300 S. in Salt Lake City.