Phillips Gallery Solo Show
Watercolor paintings by Rebecca (Oliver) Livermore MFA 83 GD, which reflect her graphic design training at RISD, are presented in a solo exhibition at Phillips Gallery in Salt Lake City from October 18 to November 8, 2024. Phillips Gallery, which opened nearly 60 years ago, is the oldest commercial art gallery in the Intermountain West. The gallery represents artists working in a wide variety of media and styles and has represented Rebecca since 2009.
Livermore traces her first aspirations to paint "designerly" watercolors to attending a RISD lecture by Chris Pullman (at the time VP of Design at WGBH Boston) in which he wrapped up his presentation with images of his watercolor paintings. "Aha!" she thought, "That's what I want to do." Thus inspired, following her years at RISD and during her 20-year career in graphic design in both San Francisco and Salt Lake City, Rebecca made time to attend watercolor classes and workshops. Nourished by her schooling in both design and art, Rebecca developed a uniquely recognizable painting style and began showing her landscapes and cityscapes. Her work quickly earned acclaim, winning numerous awards in local, regional and national shows. In 2002, Livermore closed her graphic design firm to devote herself to painting full time. Her popular paintings, which blend rich hues and stylized compositions, may now be found in private, corporate and museum collections throughout the country.
Rebecca lives in Salt Lake City with her husband Dave Livermore, longtime Utah State Director for The Nature Conservancy. While Dave has protected Utah’s spectacular natural landscapes, Rebecca has painted them. Their daughter Jenn Livermore MFA 18 GD is a Lead Senior Designer at SFMOMA, The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
