'Local watering hole': BYU students pay tribute to gas stations in 'Rest Stop' art show

OREM — Throughout history, there has always been some type of rest stop where people could pause and recuperate on their journeys. Today, that idea takes the form of gas stations, and a group of BYU students wanted to highlight just that in a gas station art exhibit.

"Even if it wasn't a gas station, those kinds of areas have always existed throughout time. In medieval Europe, there would be some sort of inn or a tavern or a random cabin to stop by and rest while traveling," art major Ron Rosario said. "As we progressed technologically wise as a society, it's been more streamlined to gas stations and hotels, but in essence and in purpose, they are all pretty much the same."

Art professor Madeline Rupard said she first got the idea for a summer intensive project while visiting Will's Canyon Stop at the base of Provo Canyon. She frequents the establishment because she loves grabbing a drink there before walking the Provo River Trail with her dog, and over the years, she has become friends with the owners.

"I just really liked the feeling. I feel like there aren't a lot of spaces besides a public library or community center where people are crossing spaces like that every day from different backgrounds. We're often in our cars, but there people get out, get a snack ... coming through on their way to a destination. I feel like it has a local watering hole feel," she said.

She had the idea to create an art show at the gas station, and the owners said "yes." So she pitched it to BYU and was able to get grant money to create a summer project course.

As part of this affectionately termed "study abroad on I-15," the 10 students traveled up to Boise and down to Vegas, studying art theorists Jean Baudrillard and Dave Hickey's writings on the American West. They visited ancient petroglyph sites in Idaho, artworks found along the road such as Michael Heizer's "Double Negative," the Neon Museum in Vegas and more.

Rosario said he loved getting to see artwork from both ancient and modern times and learning how differently people turned to art throughout history.

After the students took their own road trip, they had to hit the ground running on creating, designing, marketing and producing an entire art show in just a few weeks. While they had guidance from Rupad and fellow professor Christopher Lynn, the artworks, exhibition branding, engaging with visitors, and getting the word out was all left up to the students.

Working with BYU alum and architect Eric Edvalson, a small structure was constructed to house the art in the parking lot of Will's Canyon Stop.

"Rest Stop" had two themes, one based on the commodities and products you typically see in gas stations, and the other based on just the concept of a rest stop and how that impacts travelers. The art inside was multidisciplinary, with many of the students choosing to play with the concept of incorporating ordinary materials into their pieces.

Rosario created a miniature diorama of a gas station in the middle of a large canyon scene, showing how gas stations always tend to pop up in the middle of nowhere when you need them.

Julie Bielefeldt created three charcoal drawings based off a friend's experience entering a gas station in Montana and smelling motor oil that brought him back to his grandpa's station that he used to work in.

"It's a piece about how ordinary places can hold our memories of people that we love," Bielefeldt said. "It was really cool to make a piece of a gas station and show it at a gas station."

For the first week of August, the art exhibit was on display at Will's Canyon Stop. Based on how many free souvenirs they gave away, more than 600 people visited the rest stop experience.

"We had a really big opening the first day, and that was a really good turnout, and we expected it to taper off before the second show, but a lot of people still kept showing up. Having it right next to the gas station helped because there's always people coming in and out," Rosario said.

Most people would go through the little building and spend a few minutes looking at the art before moving on.

"It was a fun experience for a lot of people who I think wouldn't have gone to an art show if it wasn't at a gas station," Rosario said. They even had many people on road trips stop by the gas station and art show, which he joked was "oddly on theme."

Rosario said he learned art doesn't have to always a serious thing. As long as connection is made between the art and the viewer, then it's successful.

Bielefeldt said it was neat to present art in such a unique way instead of having it at a gallery. The experience taught her that art can have an impact wherever it is, and she shouldn't shy away from that.

"It was fun to see people wander in that weren't expecting it and seeing their genuine reactions," she said. "Ironically, I ran into people I knew from Phoenix that just happened to be in town. So just really fun surprises along the way."

As a nontraditional student who is 44 years old, Bielefeldt was touched seeing her professor take something she was passionate about and making a dream come true. Even if the passion was a unique niche of the impact of gas stations.

There really was a sense of adventure and risk with this art show, Rupard said, as it was impossible to guess who would show up and what stories they'd bring with them.

"That's the draw to me, is they feel like they have an electrical charge," she said. "Even though it was so dang hot, it was 100 degrees at the asphalt parking lot and we were all just melting, at the same time, it had this energy to it. It was exciting as a teacher to see them activate outside of the university. I saw their work pushed to a different level because strangers were seeing it."

Rupard said she is hoping the students will get the chance to rebuild their art show again at a different gas station in the future.

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