Gaell William Lindstrom was born in Salt Lake City in 1919. He paints landscapes and cityscapes that are impressive for their shape, tone, and fluidity. He lives in Logan, Utah.

Lindstrom earned a BS in art from the University of Utah in 1952 where George Dibble and LeConte Stewart were his instructors. He also earned an MFA from the California College of Arts and Crafts in 1962.

Lindstrom's paintings feature forceful browns, blues, and whites. Park Across Market(1954) is an example of his work.  Park City (1959) and Remembering Butte (1991) are part of the Springville Museum of Art permanent collection.

Biography adapted from Artists of Utah and material supplied by the artist.

Gaell William Lindstrom was born in Salt Lake City on July 4, 1919. During his life he became a master artist of both watercolors and ceramics. Lindstrom views his pieces as experimental and expressive and depends upon his elusive application of paint to convey a message through the finished image.

Lindstrom is not sure when his interest in art really began; it may have always been there. His father, William Lindstrom, was a painter and decorator of churches and houses as Gaell was growing up. William had a slight interest in watercolors, which may have had an influence upon Gaell. However, Gaell was able to take art classes in his public grade school in Salt Lake City, which nurtured his young talent.

At the time he entered the University of Utah, Lindstrom believed a degree in painting to be superficial. So after three and a half years at the University, the young artist graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Art. From this point on, he dedicated his life to the arts and to art education. His first position was as a high school art teacher in Cedar City in 1953. While in this position, his involvement in watercolors began and grew. Not much later, Lindstrom was hired by the College of Southern Utah.

Lindstrom went back to school at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, where he received his Master of Fine Arts in painting. During his graduate studies, Gaell had the opportunity to train personally with many great watercolorists. Among them was Roy Wilhelm, who was living in Ohio when Lindstrom studied with him for the summer. Because Wilhelm was a better painter than a teacher, Lindstrom had to learn by observing Wilhelm at work and by examining his completed paintings.

Lindstrom notes the revival of ceramics after World War II as a partial influence on his involvement in ceramics. After teaching in Cedar City, Utah State University hired him. During his years there, Lindstrom began the school's first ceramic institute and became a leader in his field. His pieces were often made from Utah's native clays, using natural slips and glazes and emulating the state's Native American tradition. His work at the University inspired other ceramists to begin pottery guilds with the artist's experienced help. At the same time, another strong influence upon Lindstrom was J. A. F. Everett.

When Lindstrom was hired by the University of Utah Department of Art in 1957, he came under the influence of the master painter. Everett was a poet with paints, according to Lindstrom. However, Gaell wished to experiment with the medium of watercolors and go beyond the typical pastel palette. Lindstrom refused to obey the stringent rules and regulations connected with watercolor painting, which were then generally accepted. Instead, his works, such as Remembering Butte, use dark pigments and multiple layers of paint. Time he spent in China also had an impact on his style, producing a more elusive brush and the use of symbols. The end result is not only an image that conveys its content but also a manipulated application of medium that carries the message and mood of the content.

Gaell Lindstrom says that good art should speak for itself. A well-executed painting should be able to convey its meaning without explanation. The artist has continued to create such expressive pieces even after his retirement from the University of Utah in 1984. He currently lives in St. George, Utah.

Biography courtesy of artist.

Newspaper Articles

"Art Canvass." The Deseret News, February 21, 1993.

"Art Canvass." The Deseret News, January 14, 1990.

"Art Canvass." The Deseret News, July 9, 1989.

"Art Canvass." The Deseret News, March 26, 1989.

"Art Show At Capitol." The Deseret News, September 14, 2003.

"Coming Up: Visual Art." The Salt Lake Tribune, November 5, 2000.

"Dixie Show Provides Quality Artwork And Lots Of Southern (Utah) Hospitality." The Deseret News, February 25, 1990.

"Galleries." The Deseret News, August 22, 1999.

"Galleries." The Deseret News, September 27, 1998.

"Galleries." The Deseret News, September 20, 1998.

"Galleries." The Deseret News, October 17, 1993.

"Galleries." The Deseret News, November 17, 1991.

"Gallery Strollers Left Lots Of Great Local Art." The Deseret News, May 26, 1991.

"People In The Arts." The Deseret News, September 3, 1989.

"Showing At Local Galleries." The Deseret News, April 20, 2003.

"Showing At Local Galleries." The Deseret News, May 27, 2001.

"Showing At Local Galleries." The Deseret News, October 3, 1999.

"Spring Salon Award Winners" The Deseret News, May 7, 2000.

"The Image Of The West In Contemporary Lds Art: Bronze And Canvas Speak Of Ruggedness And Beauty In Centennial Exhibit."The Deseret News, June 30, 1996.

"Utah Painters Are Awarded Fellowships By The Arts." The Deseret News, July 15, 1990.

Books

American Federation of Arts. Who's Who in American Art. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1986.

American Federation of Arts. Who's Who in American Art. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1976.

Bowker, R. R. Who's Who in American Art. New York, NY: R. R. Bowker, 1993.

Davenport, Ray. Davenport's Art Reference. Ventura, CA: Davenport's Art Reference, 2001.

Dunbier, Roger. North American Artists: The Artists Bluebook. Scottsdale, AZ: AskART.com, 2000.

Olpin, Robert S., William C. Seifrit, and Vern G. Swanson. Artists of Utah. Salt Lake City, UT: Gibbs Smith Publisher, 1999.

Swanson, Vern G., Robert S. Olpin, and William C. Seifrit. Utah Paintings and Sculpture. Salt Lake City, UT: Gibbs Smith Publishers, 1991.

Washington County Statehood Centennial Committee. St. George Art Museum. Legacy: Art and History of Utah's Dixie. St. George, UT: St. George Art Museum, 1996.