Opening the 2026 Art Season: Connie McCormick Borup at City Hall
The January 15, 2026 opening event hosted by the Kaysville–Fruit Heights Museum of History & Art was truly unforgettable. The venue reached full capacity as the public gathered to celebrate the work of Utah artist and Kaysville native, Connie McCormick Borup. Residents, art enthusiasts, friends, family members, and former students enjoyed refreshments while examining the exhibited pieces of art.
Reception guests were treated to a remarkable collection of original artwork, including several pieces unveiled to the public for the first
time. The evening was filled with warm reunions and the elegant sound of live harp music, creating a welcoming and memorable atmosphere. Borup’s artwork will remain on display through March 31, 2026, in the north foyer of Kaysville City Hall.
This exhibition marks the first in a series of 2026 art events honoring America’s 250th birthday under the theme America the Beautiful. During the nation’s celebratory year, this series highlights Western perspectives on the beauties of the natural world and the environmental concerns shaping our shared future. Here in Kaysville, the focus is on the local landscapes that help to define the West—beautiful, resilient, and increasingly at risk.
Viewing the show invites one into the contemplative world of Borup whose paintings explore the beauty and vulnerability of the Western landscape. Many of Borup’s pieces focus on water—its beauty, its symbolism, and its increasing scarcity in the American West. The first three pieces are of pastel chalk that capture the open spaces reminiscent of the agricultural spaces of its past.
The main body of paintings are intimate studies of water, reflections and plant life. They invite viewers to slow down, look closely, and consider the fragile ecosystems that sustain life. The surfaces of water become mirrors—reflecting not only the sky above, but our choices, our stewardship, and our hopes for the next 250 years of American life. Her work reminds us that celebrating America includes caring for the land that sustains us.
