Returning April 11th

UBTech’s Fine Art Auction returns to our Vernal campus on April 11th 2025. RSVP below, or click the donate button if you cannot attend but would still like to make a contribution.

It’s your community. Your Uintah Basin. You made all the difference in the world for artists and students alike.

Art Available for Auction

Artist Bios

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Art Available For Auction

Lori Burchinal

Utah based artist Lori D. Burchinal, is deeply dedicated to her art. Through her artistic journey, she has had the chance to learn from professional artists and fellow art enthusiasts. One of her experiences took her to the Florence Classical Academy of Art in Italy, where her nine-month stay was unfortunately shortened by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Lori’s artwork has been showcased in various exhibitions, earning her accolades and awards such as the prestigious David Gale award from the Western Federation of Watercolor Society and First place Landscape in oils at AAUW. She has also achieved Signature Member Status with the Utah Watercolor Society.

Her greatest joy is to share her appreciation for the beauty of our world with you.

Jeanne E. Newman

My first love is to draw and paint animals, especially pet portraits. The main focus of my current work consists of the western landscape.

Gallery representation includes Stephen Sandau’s Gallery In Vernal, UBTech, Innovation Hub, and Gallery 25 in Ogden, and Red Cliff Gallery in St. George, Utah; and the Upstairs Gallery in Meeker, Colorado. I am one of two curators for UBVA of our ongoing exhibits at Uintah County Heritage Museum.

Trista Merrell

Trista Merrell is a vivid color artist. Born and raised here in the beautiful Uintah Basin. She enjoys spending time with her family outdoors. Her artwork primarily focuses on animals and nature. Trista’s medium of choice is acrylic, but she appreciates learning new and old techniques of all art styles and mediums. She is inspired by the natural world and all of its living things. Trista loves color and textures and takes joy in creating vibrant compositions with bold contrast. She holds the belief that we are all born with the ability to be the creator of something. She hopes to inspire others to explore their creativity and share their art.

Vanessa Barboza

I was born in Moab UT, which I’m sure contributed to my inner artist! I’ve always loved photos and taking photos, even as a kid.

My husband and I have been in Vernal almost 9 years and I love it! The variety of landscapes and wildlife is a constant inspiration.

Some of my favorite wildlife photo opportunities have come from the backroads around town.

Stephen Sandau

Stephen Sandau is a photographer residing in the Uintah Basin, Utah. He is the owner of Sandau Fine Art Gallery located at 461 W. 200 S., in Vernal. He enjoys chasing the early morning light which brings life and depth to photography. He loves hiking with his wife, spending time with his four children and their spouses and playing with the grandchildren.

Robin O’Crowley

The Uintah Basin is my home and has been for over 30 years – we love it here. I have been painting in different mediums over the years while our children were growing up. Time spent came and went as things do when you are raising a family. About 6 years ago I started taking watercolor classes online – learning botanical art – which is my favorite. I keep on learning and challenging myself to try new things in the world of art. I have recently painted with textures, and work on glass art. I love serving others and love being part of the UBVA team. I am a painter and board member

Jim Atherton

Currently based in northeastern Utah in a little town named Lapoint. He has been involved in illustration, publishing and art professionally since 1996. He specializes in digital art creation and is an expert in Adobe Illustrator. He also loves to travel with his watercolor kit and often documents his trip by painting landscape scenes wherever he goes. He loves to experiment with different mediums such as pen and ink and even with oil paints. His inspiration is in the beauty of nature as he loves to capture the emotion of a scene as he paints and hopes that others viewing his artwork feel the same connection. Some of his greatest achievements in this field have been the 9 children’s books he has illustrated and most recently his invitation to show at a local art gallery. He created a series of paintings based on local landmarks near Vernal, UT that was very well received and continues to gather attention in the community. He has been creating art professionally since 1996.

Deena Millecam

Deena Millecam, along with her husband John Millecam, lived and raised their family in Vernal. She now lives in St George. Deena has had the opportunity to know and learn from artists such as David Arnsbrach, Chris Manwaring, Lori Burchinal and many other great artists the technique of watercolor and oil. Deena graduated in education and was involved in the Uintah School District for many years. She now exhibits her watercolor and oil paintings in several galleries. Her love of teaching art gives her the opportunity to share what she has learned with others.

A.D. Shaw

Over forty years of involvement in the production of art makes A.D. one of Utah’s veteran artists. In 1984, after a nearly twenty-year career in graphics, printing and photography, he left his job to join the world of fine art to become a full-time painter. The change was a wise decision, for not only was it profitable monetarily, but more importantly it allowed him to do what he loves to do most. Paint.

Director of the Springville Museum of Art labeled him a neo-regionalist, which means he draws upon his agrarian upbringing as inspiration for his work. Not only does he paint scenes from his youth when they farmed with horses, but he also likes to include antique cars and an occasional old airplane in his art. Any subject depicting the goodness of mankind is fair game for his brushes. He and his wife Ina Lee have a home and studio on a hilltop with a magnificent view of the Uinta mountains overlooking the old family farm. They are the parents of 6 children, 14 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren.

Lynn Mecham

Lynn Mecham has always been interested in art. Ever since high school he took every art class he possibly could. He went into Construction as a career and applied his creativity when solving problems and building curved stairways using geometry to calculate the curve of the handrail and the rise of each stair tread, Lynn has always returned to his love of landscape painting and continues to paint Plein Air to this day. Lynn had gallery representation in the states of Colorado, Utah and Arizona, winning several awards for his work.

Jennifer Bell

Jennifer Bell was born in Logan, Utah, and raised in Benson, a small farming community in Cache Valley. Jennifer attended USU in Logan, where she met her future husband, Rick. Shortly after their marriage, they moved to Vernal, where they eventually purchased some acreage in the Glines area. As years passed, their family created a small farm, where their six children learned to work and share farm chores. In the meantime, Jennifer went back to school. She was accepted at Utah State University (then called the educational extension program). She completed a Bachelor of Science and masters degrees in Elementary Education. Jennifer worked for Uintah School District for 31 years, teaching first, second and third grades. As children left home, and retirement began, she had more time to pursue artistic endeavors. With the help of a mentor, Lori Burchinal, she began practicing and developing artistic skills.

Garth Harrison

Born in 1928 near Provo, Utah, I grew up on an eleven-acre farm surrounded by orchards and mountains, where my industrious parents instilled a strong work ethic in me and my siblings. At seven, my father encouraged me to draw daily, sparking my lifelong passion for capturing the intricate details of nature—from the camouflaged spiders in sego lilies to the delicate transitions in fruit tree blossoms. My keen eye for detail and mastery of perspective led to early recognition in school, and I later pursued art studies at the Universities of Utah, Utah State, and Brigham Young. Over the years, I’ve earned numerous awards, with the “people’s choice” being the most meaningful. My work continues to reflect my deep appreciation for the landscapes of Utah and the intermountain states, where I find constant inspiration. As a teacher and judge, I emphasize the importance of seeing and interpreting light and shadow to create depth and form in art.

Laci Mitchell

Laci is the owner of Tarnished Treasures, a jewelry-making business where she upcycles and repurposes silverware into exquisite, one-of-a-kind pieces. She has called Vernal home for the past 18 years, where she lives with her four children, two of whom she homeschools. After the passing of her father, Laci inherited his jewelry-making tools, sparking the beginning of her creative journey. Crafting these treasures allows her to feel a deep connection to her father, who she is certain would be incredibly proud of her work.

Michael Cook

I am a 74-year-old retired carpenter. I have always enjoyed working with wood. In the winter when it is cold, I work in my wood shop. Bowls are one of the things I like to make. You can make them out of wood that’s not much good except for firewood and they are quite pretty.

Brent Evans

Brent is an Utah native. He studied under various painters at all of the major universities on the Wasatch Front. He has exhibited in many shows in Utah, Colorado, and Arkansas. He has won several prizes and recognitions for his work. His work has been featured in multiple one man shows in several galleries and museums. He is currently an artist in residence at Sandau Gallery in Vernal. He has been on the faculty of the university of Arkansas, and has guest lectured at various schools.

Chris Manwaring

A Vernal, UT, artist, grew up in a Seattle suburb during the 1980s, where he would bike off on daily adventures, a spirit that now fuels his approach to expressive painting with curiosity and a fascination for the unknown. His journey into art began at age 12 when his grandmother gave him a set of oils, and without a canvas, he painted on an old vinyl window shade. After moving to Utah, his talent flourished, earning him a spot in Utah’s all-state art show and the mentorship of renowned landscape painter VaLoy Eaton, who inspired him to pursue a life in art. Manwaring spent five years painting exclusively from life, which shaped his creative path, and his education at Utah State University furthered his career. While he has explored various mediums, oil painting remains his favorite due to its texture, fluidity, and the magical results of broken color.

Chris Casanova

Chris Casanova is a wildlife and nature photographer based out of Vernal, Utah. He’s been in the Uintah Basin for over 20 years and spends his free time exploring and photographing the mountains and wildlife Utah has to offer. Grish is a graduate of the New York Institute of Photography and although he loves all types of photography, wildlife and landscapes are his passion.

Bonnie Jensen

Bonnie Jensen is an American Contemporary Artist, born and raised in Buffalo, NY where she spent her career as a Fine Art Restorer and Gallery owner, restoring pieces for Collectors, Antique Dealers and Museums. This taught her many styles and techniques. During this time, she was also working on her own personal style. Most of her pieces were commissions of horses and or figurative works.

Her originals are admired and collected widely by Equine Professionals, Business Leaders, Entertainers and Art Collectors.

Her work can be found in Private Collections, Corporate Offices, and Fine Dining Establishments. Her work has influenced and inspired many artists today.

Creating art that shines a light on the human heart.

Janeal Wilson

An artist since the age of eight, I have taken numerous workshops and classes, later pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Dixie College and Weber State College. Endorsed by the Utah Division of Arts and Museums as a Creative Aging Arts program instructor, I teach private art lessons and led a Creative Aging program for senior citizens at the Uintah County Library in 2022. I also taught an online Beginning Acrylic Painting class through the Creative Aging Program in partnership with the Jewish Center in Salt Lake City. Additionally, I’ve served as a Visual Arts judge for Davis High School and Naples Elementary’s Reflections contest and co-taught Art at Hillcrest High School for two years. I work in a wide range of art forms, including tactile art, pen and ink, acrylics, watercolors, sculpture, jewelry making, Steampunk, prop weaponry, masks, FX makeup, and more. Specializing in tactile art, I create pieces that engage viewers through touch, offering a unique experience for those with low vision or blindness. Teaching and creating art are my true passions.

Lisa Labrum

Lisa Labrum was raised in Lyman, Wyoming, and relocated to Vernal in 1987, where she has embraced life in the Uintah basin. About four years ago, she started exploring watercolor painting in classes and has since developed a deep passion for this art form. She keeps few pieces for herself and mainly enjoys creating paintings for her loved ones, or to contribute to charitable organizations and fundraising auctions.

Brady Coleman

Brady Coleman, a Uintah Basin resident since 2012, began his career in the oilfield as a water truck driver before transitioning to full-time dispatching with JN Trucking in 2013. In 2023, he founded Dinosaur Diamond Industries, specializing in customized knives and branding unique items like keychains, tumblers, bottle openers, and more. Alongside his business, Brady manages The Coal Men, a professional country music band, and is exploring audio and video production. Married with six children, he remains dedicated to his family and community. For custom pieces, visit www.dinosaurdiamondindustries.com or contact him through the website.