Williams News Logo
Grand Canyon News Logo

Trusted local news leader for Williams AZ and the Grand Canyon

Dawson art exhibit<br>returns to Kolb Studio

GCNP — Paintings by acclaimed artist John Dawson returned to Kolb Studio this week and will remain on exhibit through April 1, the Grand Canyon Association's Pam Frazier announced.

"The Grand Canyon — An Artist's View" brings together original works created by Dawson for a book by the same name. Images range from panoramic vistas of the Canyon to closeup views of plants and animals that inhabit the Canyon’s varied ecosystems.

Parious scenes along the rim of the Grand Canyon are among the impressive collection of paintings by John Dawson.

The paintings were acquired by the Grand Canyon Association in 1997 for exhibition and to ensure that the collection of over 100 paintings remained intact.

"These works were a labor of love," Dawson said at the show’s first opening in July 1998. "I am honored that the Grand Canyon Association has purchased them. What better place for the paintings than here in the park that inspired them? I really wanted them to be here."

Dawson and the book’s author, Charles Craighead, have been friends since 1984, when they met on a river trip through Grand Canyon National Park. More than a decade later they decided to collaborate on a book that recorded their impressions of this extraordinary place.

In March 1995, the two hiked into remote areas of the Canyon to make the idea a reality. Craighead shot pictures and wrote a narrative of their experiences while Dawson sketched and painted.

"It was slow going," Craighead said in describing their hikes. "John gets focused on something and completely loses track of time. He could observe and draw for hours without moving more than a foot in any direction."

Craighead has written many books for both adult and child audiences, most of them on nature subjects. His roots are deep in the Jackson Hole, Wyo., region, where he grew up in a family of well-known nature photographers and filmmakers.

Both Craighead and Dawson started honing their art forms at an early age. "Ever since I could stand up I’ve wanted to draw," Dawson said.

And he has done just that. After art school Dawson worked in advertising for a short time, but has made his living as a painter for the past 25 years. Among his work are illustrations for several prestigious publications and organizations.

The "Grand Canyon — An Artist’s View" exhibition is open daily from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. through April 1, at Kolb Studio. Admission to the exhibit is free. Copies of the book can be obtained at any of the Grand Canyon Association bookstores in the park.


Donate Report a Typo Contact