Seth, Simon, and Adam Winegar

By Gussie Fauntleroy

Simon Winegar, Through the Other Side, oil, 24 x 30.

Brothers Seth, Simon, and Adam Winegar were taught young to “play well together,” and they still do. For the brothers—all three Utah-based landscape painters—playing well together today means, among other things, cheering each other’s accomplishments and not nosing in on each other’s gallery scene. “We don’t want to step on each other’s toes, so for each of us to find galleries and our own niche is a little more difficult,” observes 32-year-old Simon, the middle of the three. Still, sharing a passion for art with close family members has clear benefits, the brothers say.

As boys, Simon and Seth (the latter now 37) were the most art-oriented of the Winegar family’s six kids growing up in the Salt Lake City suburb of Bountiful. Seth led the way into the art world at age 19 when his work was accepted by a gallery—which sold seven of his paintings within the first month. Observing his brother’s success, Simon turned to painting full-time in 2001, while also teaching art. Adam, the youngest, held back. “I didn’t want to be ‘another Winegar.’ I didn’t want to be in my brothers’ shadow,” he relates.

But Adam’s obvious artistic talent was encouraged by Simon and by their mother, a weekend painter herself. He took classes from Simon and soon began to see painting as a satisfying and natural expression of his deep love of the outdoors. Now 27, Adam has gained gallery representation and is setting his sights on art as a full-time career.

The Winegar brothers still live within an hour of each other near Salt Lake City, and the family gets together often. Yet art is not the conversational focal point one might expect. The brothers share news about painting competitions and occasionally paint together en plein air, but, for the most part, they rarely critique each other’s work or engage in brotherly competitiveness related to art. Instead they fish, hunt, and camp together, and all three are serious about collecting coins.

Still, there’s no question the brothers have had an impact on each other in the realm of art. “I’ve had the benefit of learning from their mistakes—so I can make my own,” Adam laughs. Adds Simon, “I can’t imagine growing up without other artists in the family.” And Seth smiles at the thought of having played a part in his younger brothers’ art pursuits. “I think I just showed them it was possible,” he says.

representation
Seth Winegar
Meyer Gallery, Santa Fe, NM; Meyer Gallery, Park City, UT; Kneeland Gallery, Ketchum, ID; Scottsdale Fine Art, Scottsdale, AZ; Split Rock Gallery, St. George, UT.

Simon Winegar
Ann Korologos Gallery, Basalt, CO; Authentique Gallery, St. George, UT; Joe Wade Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM; Mountain Trails Gallery, Park City, UT, Jackson, WY, and Sedona, AZ; Williams Fine Art, Salt Lake City, UT; www.winegarfineart.com.

Adam Winegar
Gallery MAR, Park City, UT; www.adamwinegarart.blogspot.com.

Featured in November 2011.