Pointalism boomerangs on Artist of the Month

Sally Foti’s pointalism technique can be seen in this image of a rattlesnake. She uses the opposite end of a paintbrush to create a series of dots. Her work will be on display at the Powell Museum throughout the end of May.

PAGE — Sally Foti, an acrylic artist, is May’s Artist of the Month. Her work will be on display at the Powell Museum through May 31.

Foti has been painting the scenery in and around Lake Powell since 1985, according to her artist’s statement.

“Since my first visit here I knew I had found my favorite place on Earth,” Foti wrote. “I returned, year after year, exploring, taking photographs and drawing the scenery, taking in as much as I could. It was never enough.”

Foti is a California native, but wrote that she went “crazy” for Glen Canyon. The pieces on display in the museum feature scenery and wildlife that can be seen in and around the Glen Canyon area. For example, she enjoys painting petroglyphs and native wildlife.

Foti uses the opposite end of a paintbrush to form her images from several small dots instead of painting in strokes. This gives her acrylics a beaded look. The technique is called pointalism. This provides the viewer with an interesting texture as well as the feeling of a third dimension.

“It’s really hard to get any depth in a painting with these dots, or any perspective,” Foti said. “That’s why the petroglyphs work so well — they’re on a flat wall.”

Kim Keisling, curator of collections for Powell Museum, said Foti’s exhibit has been a huge success. This is the second time Foti’s painting will be displayed.

“She decided to focus the exhibit on her acrylic pointalism paintings, which have been very popular with both local residents as well as visitors from around the world,” Keisling wrote in an email.

She said she got the idea for pointalism when she visited Australia. She had purchased a boomerang that was decorated with Aboriginal art, which looked similar to her dot technique.

“I’ve blended the two cultures together,” Foti said.

Foti said she enjoys getting creative with her pieces, and though many of her images are realistic, she likes to add her own interpretation.

“Sometimes I like to make the natural colors of the stone and sand and sometimes I like to get creative and add a little more color to it,” Foti said.

The exhibit will contain about a dozen of Foti’s pieces, including some paintings she created specifically to honor the annular eclipse. Each painting will be available for purchase.

An opening reception will be held May 4 at Powell Museum from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The reception also coincides with the museum’s First Friday Artwalk. Call 928-645-9496 for more information.

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