Bill McMurrin

Bill McMurrin

Bill McMurrin

Bill is a practicing architect and has worked in Los Angeles before working in St. George for the past 30 years. He attended California State University, Northridge, where he received a BA degree and he holds a professional graduate degree in architecture from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is a principle in the firm MESA Consulting Architects in St. George. Bill has served on several committees for cities in Washington County tasked with development issues and community beautification. He also is a board member of two non-profit conservation organizations engaged in the protection of open lands in Southern Utah and in land conservation for wildlife in the West centered around Yellowstone National Park. Bill’s interest in the arts and how the arts can positively affect communities has brought him to Art Around the Corner.

Dad by Deveren Farley

Article: ‘Dad’ the dragon sculpture by Deveren Farley makes a permanent home in Bountiful, Utah

According to Fox 13, “‘Dad‘ was created by Utah artist Deveren Farley. His scales are made from about 1,100 Utah license plates, and his wings are made from street signs.

“’Dad’ is named after the artist’s father, and we’re honored to have him in our town square, which really was designed with family in mind,” said Hill.

Bountiful was leasing ‘Dad’ from St. George, but just last week, city councilors decided to purchase the dragon and make Bountiful Dad’s permanent home.

“I’ve been really surprised at how many people love it and how many people have come back to see it and posted about it,” said Kendalyn Harris, Mayor of Bountiful.

Recently, the city started bringing uplifting pieces of public art to the downtown area, said Harris.

“It really helps bring kind of a whimsical, fun nature and educational component,” she said. “It’s a fun way to get people to come out and to get talking.”

Dad by Deveren Farley
Dad by Deveren Farley

Source article: https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/dad-the-dragon-sculpture-makes-permanent-home-in-bountiful

Lysa McCarroll

Lysa McCarroll

Lysa McCarroll

Raised in Detroit, MI Lysa McCarroll graduated from Wayne State University, headed to Southern California and then moved to St. George. A serial entrepreneur she gets energized working to establish the foundational systems that help people, organizations and start-ups thrive. She currently runs River Road Publishing a content marketing enterprise that includes digital brand management and lifestyle publishing. 

Lysa’s unwavering dedication to establishing solid foundational structures has been instrumental in fostering growth and innovation within her endeavors. Her entrepreneurial spirit, coupled with a strategic vision, continues to propel individuals and organizations towards their fullest potential, making a lasting impact in both business and community spheres. Her dedication to building solid foundations has been a driving force behind the success stories of numerous individuals and start-ups, positioning her as a catalyst for growth and innovation.

From advisory roles to hands-on, down in the technical trenches Lysa has been privileged to work with a wide and varied range of non-profit organization, educators and businesses. Past clients include: Applied Development Economics, Autowriters.com, BoneSmart, Centers for Applied Competitive Technologies, Digital Healthcare Communities, Foundation for the Advancement of Research in Medicine, Los Angeles County Office of Education, Modi International, The School of Arts & Enterprise and Unite L.A. Currently she handles digital brand marketing and web development for AIPatHome.com, OldFocals.com and WolverineFurs.com.

As an advocate for community engagement, Lysa actively participates in various volunteer activities, contributing her time and expertise to initiatives focused on empowerment and education. Notably, she served as the president of the St. George Utah Branch of American Association of University Women (AAUW), demonstrating her commitment to advancing equity for women and girls through education, advocacy, and support. Lysa also served as the head “do whatever is needed to be done” person for the 2023 TedX St. George

Lysa, her husband C.V. and their two fur kids Minnie + Cooper live in Ivins, Utah where they enjoy the magnificent beauty of the area and the wonderful walking/hiking trails available.

 

Marianne Hamilton

Marianne Hamilton

Marianne Hamilton

A native of Sacramento, CA, and now a resident of St. George, UT, Marianne Hamilton is a lifelong journalist whose work has appeared in national and regional publications, covering the entertainment, food & wine, and high-tech industries, and more recently, arts/culture and active aging. She is also a fitness instructor and athlete who has earned more than 40 gold medals in Senior Olympics/Senior Games race-walking competitions across the US. Marianne and her husband Doug are the race directors for the race walks and the powers walks at Huntsman World Senior Games in St. George, and in 2021, they were inducted into the Huntsman World Senior Games Hall of Fame. Marianne now co-hosts a monthly show on news talk radio 890 KDXU, serving as the “Health & Fitness Guru” alongside popular morning personality Andy Griffin.

Following a 25-year stint as an artist’s model, and an extensive career in the film/video/TV production industry, Marianne now devotes much of her time to volunteer work, supporting the arts in all formats. She is Past Chair and Board Member of the Art Around the Corner Foundation, a former member of the St. George Arts Commission, and co-founder and co-director of the United States Power Walking Association. In August of 2022 Marianne was a TEDx St. George presenter, and later that year she received the St. George City Arts Commission’s prestigious Excellence in the Arts Award, presented annually in honor of outstanding support for the arts. 

In January of 2022 Marianne was crowned Ms. Senior Universe, and she has since become the Executive Director of the Senior Pageants Group, which presents the Ms. Senior Universe and Ms. Senior USA pageants each year. The Physical Fitness winner at the 2022 Global Beauty Awards, Marianne is a breast cancer survivor who credits her commitment to fitness as the key to her successful outcome. For the past two years she has served on the Intermountain Health System’s Oncology Patient Family Advisory Council, where she provides input on best practices for cancer care specialists.

Elizabeth EL Gunter 2023

Elizabeth Gunter

Elizabeth EL Gunter 2023

Elizabeth Gunter (EL) is an artist, graphic designer, and entrepreneur in search of creatives. Raised in New York City with one foot in New Jersey, her exposure to the fine arts began young. This grew into a deep appreciation for poetry, photography, and painting. An art scholarship drew her to Chicago, and then a fateful road trip carried her to Southern Utah, where she fell in love with the red rocks beneath stark blue skies.

EL’s greatest triumphs include her two adorably precocious children, working with national brands to make beneficial imprints on the world, and opening ART Provides, her very own studio, event space, and gallery in a stunning historic theater. Here she hopes to create connections through art, both inside the minds of individuals, between small groups, and within larger communities. Most Recently EL has co-founded Art Broker Utah where she helps elevate residential and commercial spaces with art.

In addition to her artistic endeavors, EL actively serves on the boards of several influential organizations. She is a dedicated member of the Utah Cultural Alliance (UCA) 501c3 board, where she contributes to promoting and supporting cultural initiatives in the community. As a passionate advocate for the arts, she also lends her marketing expertise and creativity to Art Around the Corner, helping to enrich the local cultural landscape. EL’s commitment to the arts extends further as a valued member of the Arts to Zion board, where she actively promotes and celebrates artistic expression in the region. Additionally, she is a proud member of the Women’s Influence Network (WIN), where she empowers and inspires women from diverse backgrounds.

Away from a canvas, EL enjoys travel, exploring the great outdoors, canyoneering, meditation, and meeting mindful, open, authentic people.

She swears in Spanish when surprised, breaks into solo dance parties to release stress, and obsesses over fancy inks. She can’t help it. Art supplies and those who use them have her heart.

Riki Eastmond

Riki Eastmond

Riki Eastmond

Riki is a Utah native whose career in the arts spans more than 25 years. A graduate of the University of Utah with a BFA in drawing and painting Riki headed east as Design Director for Northeast Magazine in Hartford Connecticut. Later, she changed locations and applied her skills as Art Director for the San Antonio Symphony. Today you can find her residing in Santa Clara, Utah where she continues to paint, photograph, and cycle among the red rocks.