Artist Spotlight - R. Geoffrey Blackburn
Biography
R. Geoffrey Blackburn (born 1947) is an American fine artist, inventor, and polymath known for his realistic oil paintings of Western landscapes, particularly the red rock desert vistas of Utah, as well as for inventing a user-interactive art form called "Multi-Dimensionalism," for which he received a U.S. patent in 1990[1][2][3].
Red Canyons, 1979, Oil on Linen, 61 x76.2 cm
Early Life and Education
R. Geoffrey Blackburn was born in 1947 in the United States. He showed an early aptitude for art, winning his first art award at the age of eight in 1956 at the annual exhibit at the Old Mission in San Juan Capistrano, California[1][4][3]. Although largely self-taught, Blackburn studied art privately and at the University of Utah, where he also pursued journalism from 1965 to 1970[1][5][4]. His education was interrupted by service in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1969, during which he advanced to the rank of company commander, an experience he credits with instilling discipline that later benefited his creative endeavors[2][3].
Twilight on the Colorado, 2013, Oil on Panel, 35.6 x 61 cm
Career
Blackburn began his professional fine arts career in 1970 and has since worked as an artist for over five decades, operating out of Blackburn Studios in the Greater Salt Lake City Area[5]. Early in his career, during the 1970s, he served as the principal artist for an international magazine based in England and worked in various art-related roles, including as chief artist and designer for Advance Magazine, copywriter and layout artist for Sears Roebuck, and co-owner of Overnight Graphics, a commercial graphics company[2][3].
His artistic focus shifted to red rock landscapes during the 1970s while he was involved in the uranium boom in Moab, Utah. As president of North American Resources Corporation, a mineral exploration company he co-founded, Blackburn worked extensively in the region, contracting over 163,000 acres by 1979. This immersion in the desert environment inspired his signature style of realistic Western landscapes, noted for their geographical accuracy[1][2][3].
Blackburn’s artwork has been widely exhibited and collected, with pieces displayed in private collections of notable figures, including actors, corporate executives, and American politicians such as President Ronald Reagan. His work has also appeared in the White House and on national television, including an episode of "Murder, She Wrote"[1][3]. One of his most recognized works, "Red Canyons," an oil-on-linen painting that took over 850 hours to complete, has been reproduced as hand-done serigraph prints[3].
In 1987, Blackburn invented a new art form he named "Multi-Dimensionalism," a user-interactive medium combining light manipulation and engineering. He was granted a U.S. patent for this innovation in 1990. Vern Swanson, Director of the Springville Museum, praised the invention for its beauty and potential to bring art back to the public[1][4][3].
Beyond visual arts, Blackburn has contributed to other creative fields. He is an internationally published poet and playwright, having authored a four-act play in Shakespearean sonnets choreographed for modern dance, which was distributed on educational television and featured in a high school textbook[2][3].
Indian Summer, 2008/2012, Oil on Linen, 71 x 91.4 cm
Awards and Recognition
Blackburn has received numerous accolades for his contributions to the arts. He was recognized as a top featured artist by ArtTour International in 2023 and for artistic excellence by the Circle Foundation for the Arts in the same year. Other honors include a Certificate of Excellence from the 34th Artavita Online Art Exhibition in 2020, a Gamblin Artists Colors Materials Award for Landscape in Oil by the Salmagundi Club in 2018, and multiple Palm Art Awards in Germany. His work has been featured in publications such as Contemporary Art Magazine, Circle Quarterly Art Review, American Art Collector Magazine, and volumes of Who's Who in Visual Art for masters of realistic imagery[3].
Canyon Jewel, 1982, Oil on Linen,127 x 96.5 cm
Personal Life
Blackburn approaches his work and life from the perspective of a creator, drawing inspiration from diverse experiences, including his time as an athlete in alpine ski racing, baseball, football, soccer, and martial arts. He views these activities as enhancing his artistic output[2].
1. https://www.artavita.com/artists/3683-r-geoffrey-blackburn
2. https://www.contemporary-art-collectors.com/interviews/geoffrey-blackburn
3. https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/502485/r-geoffrey-blackburn-celebrated-for-dedication-to-the-arts
4. https://rgeoffreyblackburn.com/artist_bio-blackburn.html
5. https://www.linkedin.com/in/r-geoffrey-blackburn-b0055a16
Red Canyon, Lander, 2006/12, Oil on Linen, 66 x 91.4 cm
Exhibitions
• 2024 Exhibition - An International Group Exhibition by Exhibizone | Contemporary Art at Smart Online Exhibitions by Exhibizone | Vancouver, BC | Art Week
• 2023 Exhibitzone Grand Prize Vancouver, Canada
• 2023 Top Featured Artist - ARTtour International -
• 2023 Award: Honorable Mention, Artist of the Year Award - Circle Foundation For the Arts - Lyon, France
• 2022 Finalist: Butterfly Effect Online Exhibition - Contemporary Art Curator Magazine
• 2021 Featured Artist Contemporary Art Magazine 23 Circle Foundation For the Arts - Lyon, France
• 2020 Finalist: International Realism Guild 2020 Spring Salon
• 2020 Award: Honorable Mention, Artist of the Year Award - Circle Foundation For the Arts - Lyon, France
• 2020 34th International Artivita Online Art Exhibition Art Expo New York - Certificate of Excellence
• 2019 Honorable Mention, Artist of the Year Award Circle Foundation For the Arts - Lyon, France
• 2018 WINNER - Gamblin Artist Colors Material Award for Landscape in Oil Award - Salmagundi Open Painting Sculpture & Graphics Exhibition, The Salmagundi Club, NYC, NY
• 2018 13th Annual International Guild of Realism Juried Exhibition - Sugarman-Peterson Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
• 2018 NOAPS Finalist - Spring International On-Line Exhibition
• 2017-2018 ARC Salon Finalist USA - 3,750 entries from 69 countries Two Hawks
• 2017 Finalist 12th Annual International Guild of Realism Juried Exhibition, Winfield Gallery, Carmel-by-The_Sea, CA
• 2017 PALM ART AWARD - 1st Prize Winner, Quedlinburg, Germany
• 2017 Finalist- ARC 13th International Salon
• 2016-2017 First Place Special Recognition - "New Beginnings" Exhibition - Manhattan Arts International - NYC, NY
• 2016 Close to Home-Our Own Spectacular National Parks - St. George Museum, St. George, UT
• 2015 Masterworks Museum Tour - International Guild of Realism
• 2015 Finalist Art Kudos International Juried Art Competition and Exhibition
• 2014 Palm Art Award , Quedlinburg, Germany
• 2014 9th Annual International Guild of Realism Juried Exhibition - Awarded "Best Landscape",Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC
• 2014 Finalist Art Kudos International Juried Art Competition and Exhibition
• 2013 7th Annual Paint the Parks Juried Competition, The Coutts Museum of Art, El Dorado, KS
• 2013 8th Annual International Guild of Realism Juried Exhibition - Awarded "Best of Landscape", Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe, AZ
• 2013 Finalist Art Kudos International Juried Art Competition and Exhibition
• 2013 Western Artists of American Miniature Show, Heritage Museum, Billings, MT
• 2012-2013 Finalist Art Renewal Center International Salon - 9th Annual Juried Competition
• 2012-2013 Who's Who in Visual Art - 42 Masters of Realistic Imagery, English & German, Leipzig, Germany
• 2012 American Society of Traditional Artists, Open Range Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
Desert Rules, 2008, Oil on Panel, 22.9 x 39.4 cm
• 2012 Artavita 3rd Art Contest Juried Show-Honorable Mention, Santa Barbara, CA
• 2012 Western Artists of America 8th Annual Sale and Exhibition, Pearce Museum, Corsicana, TX., USA
• 2012 6th Annual PaintAmerica, Top 100 Competition, Juried show
• 2012 6th Annual PaintAmerica, Mini Top 50 Competition, Juried show
• 2012 Finalist Art Kudos International Juried Art Competition and Exhibition
• 2011 Finalist Art Kudos International Juried Art Competition and Exhibition
• 2010 PaintAmerica, Top100 Competition, Juried show
• 2010 PaintAmerica, Mini Top50 Competition, Juried show
• 2010 Springville Museum of Art, 84th Annual Spring Salon, Juried Exhibition, UT
• 2010 Finalist Art Kudos International Juried Art Competition and Exhibition
• 2010 5th Annual International Guild of Realism Juried Show - .Awarded: "Best Landscape", Palm Desert, CA
• 2009 PaintAmerica,Mini Top50 Competition, Juried show
• 2009 Finalist Art Kudos International Juried Art Competition and Exhibition
• 2009 Paint the Parks, PaintAmerica Juried show
• 2009 Springville Museum of Art, 85th Annual Spring Salon
• 2009 International Art Show Part I: Realism' Guests Gallery
• 2008-09 iBiennial of Contemporary Art
• 2008-09 Saatchi Online Gallery, UK
• 2008-12 Artbreak
• 2008 Guests Gallery Work of the New Year
• 2008 “Small Works North America” Greenwich Workshop, Fairfield, CT
• 2008 Finalist Art Kudos International Juried Art Competitions and Exhibition
• 2008 Springville Museum of Art, 84th Annual Spring Salon, Juried Exhibition, Springville, UT
• 2008 The President's Art Show, SLC, UT
• 2007 “Small Works North America” Greenwich Workshop, Fairfield, CT
• 2007 Red Rock in Detail, one-man-show, Moab, UT
• 2007 Art Expo Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
• 2007 The West in Detail, Horizon Fine Art, Jackson, WY
• 2007-Finalist Art Kudos International Juried Art Competition and Exhibition
• 2007 9th Annual New Horizons Academy Art Show and Auction, Las Vegas, NV
• 2006 63rd Annual National Art Exhibit, Cedar City, UT
• 2006 Freedom Festival Fine Art Exhibit, Provo, UT
• 2006 The President's Art Show (the Museum of Utah Art & History)
• 1997 Springville Museum of Art, 73rd Annual Spring Salon
• 1996 Springville Museum of Art, 72nd Annual Spring Salon
• 1995 Springville Museum of Art, 7lst Annual Spring Salon
• 1995 1994 Springville Museum of Art: Art with a Religious Theme
• 1975 Springville Museum of Art, 5lst Annual Art Exhibit (Painting reproduced in Catalogue)
• 1975 Associated Utah Artists Invitational Exhibit
• 1974 Hilton Hotel Invitational
• 1974 Deseret News Heritage Art Show
• 1974 All Utah Art Exhibit (Springville Museum of Art & Utah State Institute of Fine Art)
• 1960 Art at the Abyss 1960
• 1956 Old Mission School Art Festival, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Dead Horse Autumn - Approaching Storm Oil, 2006/10, Oil on Linen, 66 x 91.4 cm
Galleries
• 2012 Open Range Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
• 2010 J. Willot Gallery, Palm Desert, CA• 2009 Kolb Gallery, Grand Canyon, AZ
• 2008-09 Pinetop Contemporary Gallery, Pinetop, AZ
• 2008 Old Church Gallery, Springdale, UT
• 2007-08 Marshall Arts Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
• 2007 Greenwich Workshop Gallery, Fairfield, CT
• 2007-08 Moab Art Works, Moab UT
• 2006-09 Horizon Fine Art, Jackson, WY
• 2006-08 Art Encounter, Las Vegas NV
• 2005-2006 Stanfield Fine Art, Park City, UT
• 1989-1997 C-Gallery, SLC, UT
• 1996,1986 Old Town Gallery, Park City, UT
• 1990 Liebenson Gallery, SLC, UT
• 1990 Brushworks Gallery, SLC, UT
• 1986 J. Christensen Gallery, SLC, UT
• 1983-84 Fine Arts Gallery, Ardmore, PA
• 1983-84 Windrush Gallery, Sedona, AZ
• 1983-84 Hawkeye, Galleries, Ltd., Aspen, CO
• 1983-84 Aldridge Fine Arts Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
• 1980-90 Winn Galleries, Seattle, WA
• 1974-1975 Old Jailhouse Gallery, Taos, NM#
• 1975 Jamaica Bay Inn, Marina Del Rey, CA
• 1973 Tivoli Gallery, SLC, UT
• 1973 C'est Bon Hotel, Park City
• 1971-74 Old House Gallery, SLC, UT
• 1971-72 Jail House Gallery, Taos, NM
• 1960 The Abyss, SLC, UT
Two Hawks, 2017, Oil on Panel, 45.7 x 61cm
Institution Collections
• Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
• Allstate Insurance Company
• North West Pipeline Company
• LDS Museum of Church History and Art
• Rancher Exploration &Development Corp.
• Hecla Mining Company
• First Security Bank Corporation
Two in the Bush, 2006, Oil on Linen, 71.1 x 50.8 cm
Private Collections
• President Ronald Reagan
• Dr. Armand Hammer
• Secretary of State Alexander Haig, Jr.
• Secretary of the Interior, William Clark
• United States Senator, Paul Laxalt
• United States Senator Orrin Hatch
• United States Senator, Jake Garn
• Utah Governor Norman Bangerter
• Balloonist, Maxie L. Anderson
• Actor/ Director, Robert Redford
• Ray Buck
Stalking Cougar, 2009, Oil on Panel, 38.1 x 27.9 cm
TV Appearance
• 2019 – Colour in Your Life -TV Series interview -on 300 plus international TV stations
• 2019 - AERA on TV and Online- TV special on German language TV
• 1985 "Red Canyons" serigraph featured in a Murder, She Wrote episode
Road to Sedona, 2007, Oil on Panel, 15.2 x 54 cm
Publications
• 2023 Circle Spotlight Contemporary Art Magazine
• 2023 Contemporary Art Collectors Barcelona, Spain
• 2023 Artistonish Magazine - Issue #39 October
• 2023 The Wall Street Journal - Who’s Who of Distinguished Leaders: 2023 Honorees
• 2023 24-7PressRelease
• 2021 Featured Artist Contemporary Art Magazine 23 - Circle Arts Foundation For the Arts - Lyon, France
• 2019 Fall -Featured Artist- Circle Quarterlyartreview - Circle Foundation For the Arts - Lyon, France
• 2019 Excellent Art - Enter into Art 2019 English and German
• 2019 Circle Foundation for the Arts-Artist of the Year Award 2019 - Honorable Mention Award
• 2018 Western Art Collector, featured - Canyons & Deserts
• 2018 Fine Art Connoisseur
• 2017 Professional Artist (magazine)
• 2015-2016 Who's Who in Visual Art-50 Masters of Realistic Imagery
• 2014 American Art Collector, featured, IGOR show
• 2013 Southwest Art, Preview IGOR Show,featured artist
• 2013 American Art Collector, featured, IGOR show
• 2012-2013 Who's Who in Visual Art-42 Masters of Realistic Imagery
• 2012 Best of America Landscape Artists, Vol.I
• 2012 American Art Collector, featured ASTA show
• 2012 Western Art Collector, featured - State of the Art: Utah
• 2012 Western Art Collector, featured - Western Artist of America Show: Texas
• 2010 American Art Collector, featured artist, IGOR show
• 2009 Western Art Collector, featured artist- State of the Art: Utah
• 2008 Western Art Collector
• 2008 "Utah Painters of the Red Rock"
Awards
• 2023 Selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who in America
• 2023 Top Featured Artist - ARTtour International -
• 2023 Honorable Mention, Artist of the Year Award - Circle Foundation For the Arts - Lyon, France
• 2021 Featured Artist Contemporary Art Magazine 23 Circle Foundation For the Arts - Lyon, France
• 2021 International Jury Member 6th "Enter into Art" International Contest 2020-21 in Germany for the book "Art Retreat-Living with pictures" (miniprint and mixed media)
• 2020 Award: Honorable Mention, Artist of the Year Award - Circle Foundation For the Arts - Lyon, France
• 2020 34th International Artivita Online Art Exhibition Art Expo New York - Certificate of Excellence
• 2019 Honorable Mention, Artist of the Year Award Circle Foundation For the Arts - Lyon, France
• 2018 WINNER - Gamblin Artist Colors Material Award for Landscape in Oil Award - Salmagundi Open Painting Sculpture & Graphics Exhibition, The Salmagundi Club, NYC, NY
• 2017 Palm Art Award 1st Prize Winner, Art Domain Group, Quedlinburg, Germany
• 2016-2017 First Place Special Recognition - "New Beginnings" Exhibition - Manhattan Arts International - NYC, NY
• 2014 Palm Art Merit Award, Art Domain Group, Quedlinburg, Germany
• 2014 "Best of Landscape", 9th Annual International Guild of Realism Juried Exhibition, Charleston, SC
• 2013 "Best of Landscape", 8th Annual International Guild of Realism Juried Exhibition, Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe, AZ
• 2012-2013 Palm Art Merit Award, Art Domain in Verlag, Leipzig, Germany
• 2012 Honorable Mention, Artavita 3rd Art Contest Juried Exhibition- Santa Barbara, CA
• 2010 "Best of Landscape", 5th Annual International Guild of Realism Juried Exhibition, Palm Desert, CA
• 1990 United States Patent described by Springville Museum Director, Dr. Vern G. Swanson as a "new art form".
• 1956 Gold Medal - Blue Ribbon Old Mission School Art Festival, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Pelicans Rising, 2008/12, Oil on Panel, 20.3 x 47 cm
Artist Statement
I have done art my entire life. It is my "magnetic north" - no matter what else I do, it always tacks back to art, one way or another. My grandfather was an artist, so it's in the genes. When I was very young (2nd-3rd grade) and lived in Laguna Beach, CA, I painted sea creatures, underwater scenes, sailing ships, and various scenes of a giant squid attacking the submarine Nautilus. (Disney had just released the movie "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea").
My mind was aflame! Later, when we moved inland, I drew and painted landscapes, cityscapes, and various figurative pieces. In 1966, I hitchhiked to New York City, en route to Nova Scotia, where I had intended to sign on to a freighter and work my way to Le Havre, France, jump ship, and hitchhike to Paris and do art on the Left Bank. For various reasons, I ended up building swimming pools in upstate New York. I almost ended up immigrating to Australia instead – but that's another story… (19-year-old brain at work here…) I never left the States. Still, I did get to see an astonishing Salvador Dali exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum, which blew my mind, as we used to say in the '60s.
Walking Wild, 2011, Oil on Linen, 45.7 x 55.9 cm
I reaffirmed that I was a Surrealist and subsequently painted several very strange paintings, including a psychedelic skier series. During the 1970s, I was fortunate to have lived and worked in the canyon country around Moab, UT, which was how I came to cherish and thus focus on red rock landscapes. The whole area is surreal. Although I have had some formal training, I am essentially self-taught. My art has been displayed in the White House and appeared on national television. In 1987, I invented a new, user-interactive art form for which I received a U.S. patent in 1990.
My inner Surrealist survives in this new artwork. In 1988, I created and subsequently patented in 1990, an entirely new user-interactive art form. Sadly, due to its myriad technical complexities and the fact that it involves several different technologies and disciplines, I have not yet been able to pursue this invention as I had hoped. Stay tuned. I first have to clone myself… What I am seeking to do with my paintings is to create a doorway that allows you to step through the surface of the painting and into the scene, have you explore its spaces, and feel like you are actually there. I want you to smell the desert flora and feel the crunch of the sand under your boots - everywhere you look, there's something new to discover.
WalkiCastle Tower, 2005/12, Oil on Linen, 61 x 91.4 cmng Wild, 2011, Oil on Linen, 45.7 x 55.9 cm
