Howard Lyon, "Garden Of The Gods"

Haven Gallery is pleased to present a collection of new paintings from Utah based artist Howard Lyon for his second solo show, "Garden of the Gods" opening at Haven Gallery. Artist Statement, Garden of the Gods This exhibit of paintings represents a lifelong interest in mythologies and beauty. My goal, through the paintings, is to describe or capture a moment of what it means to be human and experience this world, which was often the purpose of a myth. We witness curiosity, sorrow, creation, love, and the hope of a glimpse of the divine in these works. I view mythologies like a garden for philosophy and human expression. Writers like Ovid attempted to add poetry to the mysteries and magic of the natural world, giving explanations for the phenomena around us through story. The seeds of those stories and ideas have grown over time and become embedded in the fabric of Western culture. Let your mind fill with magical explanations next time you see a flower bloom or clouds form in the sky. Imagine the forces behind the movements of the stars and planets being dependent upon the whims of forces beyond our comprehension. That spark of mystery, based solely on imagination and observation, is fertile ground to grow your own divine garden. My hope is to do the same through these works, and I will be adding to them for the rest of my life. About Howard Lyon Howard Lyon is an artist that was born and raised in Mesa, Arizona. He is the youngest of five children. Howard had very supportive parents, who even when he was very young, made sure he had the materials and education to hone his talents. While attending high school Howard met his wife, Shari Lunt. They now have three children and reside in Utah. Howard began his career studying illustration at Brigham Young University working with artists such as Robert Barrett, Don Seegmiller, Richard Hull and Ralph Barksdale. Over the past 20 years he has worked in the video game industry as an Art Director, concept artist and freelance illustrator. For much of his career he has painted dragons and trolls or scenes from science fiction. His work can be found in products from Dungeons and Dragons books, World of Warcraft cards, Magic: the Gathering and Star Wars. He also writes for the Fantasy Art blog Muddy Colors and has recently been doing work for Brandon Sanderson's books including Mistborn, Warbreaker, The Stormlight Archive, and the covers for Dreamer and Snapshot.