“I met Paul [Reynolds] some years back at an art event that quickly passed from my memory. Paul never passed from my memory,” said U Film & Media Arts Professor Kevin Hanson. Hanson was remembering Paul Reynolds, a U alum and pillar in the local arts community. Reynolds passed away earlier this month, leaving a legacy amidst U faculty, staff, students, and alumni.
Reynolds graduated from the U in 1976 with a BS in Psychology. Though not a College of Fine Arts graduate, Reynolds consistently held an artistic practice throughout his life, from printmaking and photography to performance art and oil painting, eventually establishing himself as an Abstract Expressionist. Over the past few years, Reynolds had shows at Modern West and Finch Lane Gallery, and, along with his wife Gretchen (BFA 1998), made a stencil for Jann Haworth’s Utah Women 2020 mural on the Dinwoody Building in downtown Salt Lake.
Reynolds was a vibrant member of the local arts community and was particularly supportive of young and upcoming artists. This is best illustrated by his work as an Arts Programmer at the Salt Lake City Public Library, where he began a monthly series called “12 Minutes Max,” which featured short works by local artists from all disciplines. Hanson said this is where Paul could be seen “doing what he loved most: encouraging, supporting, and enthusiastically appreciating artists.”
"He reminded us that art is really about connection, listening, and being together. At the end of the day, Paul made the art community of Salt Lake feel abundant." - Rae Luebbert
Through his participation in 12 Minutes Max and his routine attendance to other arts events, Reynolds often encountered U students and alumni. When U Film & Media Arts alum Cayden Turnbow had a piece in 12 Minutes Max, he “was immediately struck by how much Paul truly cared about elevating local artists.” As Turnbow continued to attend the event regularly, he came to know Reynolds better. “His gentle demeanor made him very approachable and when you talked to him you could really tell that he cared about everything you were saying,” Turnbow said. “I think this world needs more people like Paul and I hope that his legacy will continue to inspire others because it's definitely inspired me.”
For Roxanne Gray, a U Dance MFA Candidate and director of 801 Salon, Reynolds was endlessly supportive of her own events. “He was one of the first people to recognize my work when I moved to Salt Lake City, and continuously supported my artistic and curational endeavors in this city,” she said. “It was always a pleasure to see his warm smile from across the room or see his name pop up on a ticketing list. Paul was everyone's brightest cheerleader.”
Rae Luebbert is an academic advisor for the College of Fine Arts. “When I think about Paul, I am filled with memories of a caring, gentle, compassionate, silly man who has been a staple of the Salt Lake community for more decades than I have been alive,” she said. Luebbert often performed in 12 Minutes Max and also loved to attend and see others’ new work. “Each and every time, Paul inspired me to be more connected to the artists around me and to invest in cross-disciplinary work. He reminded us that art is really about connection, listening, and being together,” she said. “At the end of the day, Paul made the art community of Salt Lake feel abundant.”
Hanson loved to share his own experimental filmmaking practice with Reynolds. “He found all art worth seeing, hearing, and thinking about and his zeal was contagious,” said Hanson. “The young, the otherwise unsupported, those with a difficult aesthetic found in Paul their best audience.”
Paul Reynolds’ influence throughout the Fine Arts community is immeasurable and unforgettable. “His presence will be missed in our community, but his legacy of support will continue to inspire artists in our community,” said Gray. Like Turnbow said, “the world needs more people like Paul.” Whether student, alumni, staff, or faculty, so many in the U community will remember Reynolds and his influence. “To be genuine and kind in all settings is extraordinary,” said Hanson. “To be all that and a very talented artist in your own right is more than extraordinary—that was Paul.”
Image of Paul Reynolds from Artist Profile | Artists of Utah 15 Bytes