EDITOR’S NOTE: For preview coverage of the 49th Utah Arts Festival, which runs June 19-22, The Utah Review is presenting individual or group profiles of artists, performers, entertainers and some newcomers to the event. Visitors will also see the first significant change of the last 15 years in the festival map. There are several new features this year: Voodoo Productions’ street theater will include roaming graffiti stilt walkers, contortionists and living master works of art. Salt Lake Acting Company will appear for the first time at the festival, offering a sample from its upcoming summer show, The Secret Lives of the Real Wives in the Salt Lake Hive. Urban Arts is offering its largest live graffiti mural installation, while a row of several other artists will be demonstrating their creative process in real time. For kids, as admission for those 12 and under will be free, there will be plenty of make-and-take art options in Frozen Spaces in the Art Yard. The City Library auditorium will be the home to the 22nd edition of the international Fear No Film program, with the strongest slate of narrative short films in the event’s history. Of course, dance, who wears the empress jewels in performing arts, will be represented by Repertory Dance Theatre, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Echoing Spirit Dancers and, of course, the ever-popular 1520 Arts, at The Round. For tickets and more information, see the Utah Arts Festival website.
COLLIN DELGADO
Collin Delgado of Salt Lake City works in pointillism, using ink pens to create detailed drawings exploring landscapes, creatures, and the unknown. His art pieces often take months to years to complete.
TUR: How have you used art media forms in helping to create an holistic body of artistic work that searches for a more complete expression of your own innermost and most powerful states of emotion, inspiration, contemplation, and self-identity?
CD: I work primarily in ink through a meticulous stippling technique that allows me to translate emotional and visionary experiences into a tangible, meditative process. This method mirrors the way I process contemplation and inspiration. Layer by layer, dot by dot.
My work is deeply rooted in nature, visions of the unknown, and old-world art. Reflecting a personal mythology I’ve been exploring for years. I want to create a world you don’t just see, but a world you remember through sensation. A feeling, that pulls you in. Like touching something holy that might also swallow you whole.
I call it “TRIPDOOM”
TUR: What is your training as an artist? Who do you consider your most significant influences and inspirations? Do these influences shift as you progress both in your work and life?
CD: I’m a self-taught artist with over a decade of experience in pointillism. While I didn’t come through a formal institution, I studied and practiced obsessively. Drawing everyday to create my style.
My inspirations have shifted as I’ve evolved in my art. Early on, I was focused on surrealism and geometry. M.C. Escher was a big influence. Then I moved on to landscapes and larger works, spending months to years on the same pieces. Now I find inspiration in classical etchers and artists: Gustave Doré, with his biblical interpretations and bold contrast; Salvator Rosa, with his romanticized landscapes; J.E. Ridinger, with his visually filled scenery; Rex Whistler, with his ornamental borders and storytelling.
TUR: Do you work full-time exclusively as an artist? Or, how do you augment your work as an artist?
CD: While art is central to my identity and long-term vision, I also co-own an upholstery business with my friends. I’ll draw after work in the afternoon and also on the weekends. I generally work on one large piece a year and lots of various pieces in between. Stippling has taught me patience so I don’t mind working on a piece for a long time.
During the spring, summer, and fall I participate in events and showcase. And during the winter I like to spend most of my time working on new material. But I’m always working on something. I also screen print my own prints of my artwork and that in itself is a new art form I love learning and have been enjoying.
TUR: Do you find it easy or difficult to start new work? And, typically, how do you prepare yourself to handle both the creative and physical demands of creating your art?
CD: Starting new work is both exhilarating and daunting. Each piece feels like entering a new world I have to shape. I usually begin by sketching loosely, allowing the concept to reveal itself. Physically, stippling for hours demands a lot, so I treat it like a meditation. I’ve learned to balance sessions, and take breaks to avoid strain. Emotionally, I need solitude to access the state I need for true inspiration to emerge.
TUR: With regard to participating in the Utah Arts Festival, please share your feelings about being a part of this enterprise? Have you been in other festivals and do you plan to explore other festival venues?
CD: I’m honored as a local to participate in the Utah Arts Festival. It’s a celebration of expression and community that aligns with my mission as an artist. This was the first festival I ever did and this will be my 4th year participating. Every year I learn more and get better at the promotional aspect of art.
Sharing work in person creates space for conversation and true connection that can’t happen online. I’m always grateful and inspired from the support I receive here and am proud to be a Salt Lake City artist. I’ve participated in local festivals, including more underground art shows. I have curated my own shows and group showings with SLC print collective, Copper Palate Press. I’m definitely interested in expanding to other festivals regionally and nationally.