Museum features new exhibition of oil paintings

The Museum of Moab announces the first exhibition of abstract oil paintings by Moab artist Helen Becker. The display, titled Dream Discoveries, comprises more than 20 recent works painted during 2015 and 2016. The exhibition is open now and will run through June 30.

Climb the central stairs to the Barnes Gallery on the second floor in the museum to see this exhibition.

Becker will be present during Moab Art Walk on Saturday, June 11, from 6 to 9 p.m. to meet and greet visitors.

A reception will be held at this time. Be sure to enter the drawing for the painting titled “White Evening

Wonder” any time during the month of June. The winner’s name will be drawn on June 30 and that person doesn’t have to be present to win.

The exhibit includes “Firecracker Surprise,” which has slender bars of color pointing upward on a large, three-foot-by-three-foot, blue field. “Gladiator’s Star,” a star burst, combines brilliant oranges, reds and greens on a two-foot-by-four-foot canvas.

A myriad collection of painting techniques creates a variety of stalks and leaves in many of her other paintings. Most of her paintings are derived from small, colorful drawings of ideas she entertains in her daydreams and nighttime dreams. These guide her in combining simple, yet striking elements of line, shape and color on her mid-sized to large-format paintings.

Prior to 2015, Becker painted with soft pastels, but her longtime dream to paint abstractions in oil became a reality 18 months ago. Her paintings have been selected into several national juried shows in Washington, Idaho and Colorado, with an award received at one venue.

Helen Becker’s work on display through June 30