Second Floor Artwork – A. Ray Olpin Student Union

Artwork Name: Accession 24 1971

Artist:Angelo Caravaglia

Year: 1971

Medium: Abstract metal sculpture

Artist Information: Angelo Caravaglia was an incredible local artist here in Utah who dedicated his life to sculpture, creating his works from materials including wood, bronze, stone, wire, terra cotta, and found objects. Caravaglia was a professor and chairman of the Department of Sculpture here at the University of Utah for 40 years. He passed away in 2008, leaving his legacy behind here in the Union and all around Utah including his famous piece in front of the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building located at 100 South State Street.

Artwork Name: A. Ray Olpin

Artist: Lee Greene Richards

Year: 1947

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Artist Information: Lee Greene Richards was born in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1878. He was a successful professional artist and teacher known for his portraits of prominent citizens, landscapes, and murals at the State Capitol. He died in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1950. Richards and his early colleagues, Mahonri Young and A. B. Wright, were part of the Twentieth Ward Group. J. T. Harwood was their teacher. Richards studied for three years (1901–4) in France, first at the Académie Julian and then, after passing the rigorous entrance exam, at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.

Although best known for portraiture, Richards also painted landscapes and murals. His mural depicting Utah pioneers is on the dome of the Utah State Capitol. His murals are also on the ceilings of several temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Biography adapted from Springville Museum of Art.

Artwork Name: Desert Buttes

Artist: Julie Dillman

Year: Unknown

Medium: Unknown

Artist Information: As a local artist here in Utah, Julie was a student of science and design and received a degree in Family Consumer Science. As a junior high teacher of Fashion Design, Interior Design, and Clothing Construction, she taught principles and elements of design. She was reintroduced to painting later in life. She is drawn to the vibrant color of light and abstract shapes found in the open skies and landscapes of Utah.

A year after Julie began painting, she was encouraged to enter a juried exhibit which resulted in her first sale. “Antelope Island Dawn” can be seen in the Davis County Utah Commission offices. “Desert Buttes” was selected and installed in the A. Ray Olpin Union Building on the University Utah campus. Other works are part of private collections throughout the United States.

Artwork Name: Simply Divine, That’s Phi

Artist: Anton Rasmussen

Year: 2007

Medium: Oil on Four Panels of Canvas on Board

Artist Information: Anton J. Rasmussen, a painter, created a captivating work titled “Simply Divine, That’s Phi.” This abstract expressionist piece represents the culmination of his artistic journey, emphasizing oneness and universality. Rasmussen’s evolution as a visual artist spans multiple stages, from influences in his master’s thesis to periods of experimentation and transformation. The painting, completed in 2007, now hangs in the Olpin Union Building at the University of Utah1.

Additionally, Anton Rasmussen, now 89, has shared his World War II experiences as a Marine with fellow residents at The Bridge assisted living facility in Post Falls, Idaho. His life and art continue to inspire and resonate with audiences.

Artwork Name: Ocean Floor

Artist: A. Dzigurski

Year: 2007

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Artist Information: A 1990 graduate of the American Academy of Art in Chicago, IL, Alex then studied under his father for five years painting from life and working in the studio directly. He learned the Dzigurski palette, brushwork, and technique. From his plein air experience and studies, the artist has traveled extensively, garnering his artistic knowledge and inspiration through experience. Alex has painted compositions of landscapes/seascapes along the coastline of California, New England, Oregon, the Sierra-Nevada Mountains, Rocky Mountains, the Alps, France, Italy, Napa, Sonoma, Yosemite, and Hawaii. A professional artist for thirty years, he has participated in numerous national exhibitions and has been represented by many galleries.