“I was always drawing, always creating. My friends and I did it constantly. It was what we knew.” Brad Slaugh grew up in Salt Lake City, the son of parents who, as he puts it, “tolerated” his artistic obsession more than they encouraged it. Still, he carried that passion forward through his undergraduate years in Utah and graduate school at Boston University. After a brief time living elsewhere, including a year in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Salt Lake called him back. It was here that he eventually established Poor Yorick Studios, a creative home that would grow into one of the city’s most vibrant artistic communities.

“I hope that in some small way, I am keeping alive the memory of the men who wore those helmets during WWII - giving them a fun second run.” Fred Conlon, owner of Sugarpost, did not plan to be a welder. He did not even plan to be a potter. But he always had an openness to life’s unexpected turns and a deep appreciation for pursuing what felt right, even if it did not make perfect sense at the time.

“I’ve always felt that art should tell a story,” says Lucia Heffernan, reflecting on her journey as we sat in her Salt Lake City studio. Born in Taiwan and inspired by her mother, a watercolor artist, Lucia’s passion for drawing began at an early age. After her mom passed away when Lucia was only thirteen, her family moved to the United States, settling in upstate New York. Despite the challenges of adapting to a new language and culture, Lucia’s love for art remained a constant in her life.