Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah:  Michael Melik has played many roles in his life as an artist, musician, songwriter, poet, designer, teacher, black-market art dealer, and gallery owner. The career path that Melik has forged for himself is as interesting and compelling as his painting and wood sculptures. He will present on his understanding of contemporary art styles and his own art philosophy. He will also share about his Salt Lake City gallery and the local art market that he works in, during his presentation as part of SUU’s Department of Art and Design’s weekly lecture series, Art Insights, on Thursday, February 16, 2012. The lecture begins at 7pm at Centrum Arena, Section K, admission is free and the general public is encouraged to attend.

Michael Melik was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, in the former Soviet Union. His family immigrated to Moscow in 1988 as refugees from the ethnic conflict in Azerbaijan. He received his masters in art history. Due to the repressive cultural atmosphere in Moscow, he started to develop the dream of having his own gallery where he and other artists could share their diverse works. In 1989, sponsored by the Tolstoy Foundation, were relocated to Utah. Since then he has gone from selling his own work to opening his Contemporary Design and Art Gallery, which showcases a diverse range of artists whose work represents a wide variety of ideas and concepts. Melik has realized his dream and he will share what he has learned and the work he strives to do on a daily basis at the lecture.

Art Insights is a weekly program hosted during the fall and spring semesters by SUU’s Art and Design faculty. Students and community members meet weekly to experience presentations and discussions by visiting artists and art educators from around the nation who share their work and insights and attend gallery openings. Admission is free, and the general public is invited to attend.

Learn more about Michael Melik’s unique perspective on art and artists by attending his appearance at Southern Utah University. For more information on the SUU College of Performing and Visual Arts events, please call the Arts Hotline at (435) 865-8800, or visit www.suu.edu/arts.

 ABOUT THE COLLEGE
The Southern Utah University College of Performing and Visual Arts is comprised of nationally accredited departments of Art and Design, Music, Theatre Arts and Dance, as well as a graduate program in Arts Administration. The College offers 16 different degree areas, including liberal arts Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees; professional Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Fine Arts in art and theatre degrees; and a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration degree. More than 60 full- and part-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 550 majors in the College. Over 1100 students enroll each year in over 195 arts classes on the SUU campus. The College presents 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year. The College’s affiliate organizations include the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, American Folk Ballet, Utah Shakespeare Festival and the SUU Ballroom Dance Company. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, contact the Office of the Dean at (435) 865-8561, or by e-mail at cpvamktg@suu.edu.