June 24th - 27th
At the Compass Gallery in Provo, Utah
Join us for an opening social on the evening of the 24th followed by three full days of learning. Plan on making new friends and contacts during the event! Our goal is to present a broad range of demos and talks to give you information that will aid and inspire you in your own art journey. Topics will range from oil painting, conservation and best material practices, to photography and social media, working with galleries and some art history as well. We have a great range of experts in each area to help push you forward on your journey!
2026 Faculty
Heather Densley
Come and join us June 24th - 27th for the first annual Creative Arts Conference in Provo, Utah. The event will be hosted by the Compass Gallery
A limited number of scholarships are available, fill out this form to apply.
Working Agenda
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Artists from advanced student to professionals looking to level up their conceptualization, design, contemporary/imaginative realism, painting, and business skill set.
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The exact session and topic schedule is in the works but you can expect items such as, strategizing for strong compositions, creating professional photo reference images for complex figurative scenes, painting the figure in an indoor context, and how to think like an art collector.
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6-9pm: Opening social
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8-9:50am: Check - in
10-11am: Micah Christensen - Utah Art in Context
11-12pm: Thomas Blackshear Lecture
12-12:45pm: Lunch
1-5pm: Thomas Blackshear Demo
5-6:45pm: Dinner
7-9pm: Howard Lyon - Creating Strong Photo References
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8-9am: Check - in
9-12pm: Mike Malm - TBD
12-12:45pm: Lunch
1-3pm: Brandon Gonzales - Gouache
3-5pm: Heather Densley - Painting with Restoration and Conservation in Mind
5-6:30pm: Dinner
7-9pm: Mary Sauer - The Figure in an Interior Scene
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8-9am: Check - in
9-12pm: Crystal Despain - TBD
12-12:45pm: Lunch
1-2pm: Nicole Parish - Social Media Presence
2-3pm: Emily Larsen & Esther Candari - Framing Your Work for Success
3-4pm Scott Jones - Cultivating a Collector Mindset
4-6pm: Break
6-10pm: Lightweaver Foundation Live Paint Fundraiser (Additional ticket required. More info coming soon.)