But that, she says, "is the great thing about having my own gallery," which she operates with her husband, Michael Rowley. "It can be a dynamic, rather than a fixed, show."

This project arose out of another one Horne did, focusing on scenes of Salt Lake City in day and night settings. "I was so attracted to the arts venues."

But she realized it was the people there that captivated her the most. "I've always been interested in working with figures. Most of my paintings are peopled in some way.

She hopes that this collection of paintings and pastels will help viewers see the people involved in the arts in a new light. Performance is a very complex process. "It doesn't just happen — fait accompli — on stage. There are so many preparations, so many hours and weeks and months go into it. Going backstage renewed my appreciation of that. Dancers, especially, are amazing professionals."

She hopes her art work will also help viewers realize the benefits we all derive from our arts organizations. "We have such phenomenal arts companies here. For a medium-size city, we have an abundance of arts organizations," she says.

She likes to think her family can take some credit for that. Horne's paternal great-grandmother, Alice Merrill Horne, founded what has become the Utah Arts Council in 1898. "She also established a Shakespeare society and wrote plays and poetry," her great-granddaughter explains. "She was a very cultured woman."

Other artistic genes flow in the family. Horne's mother, Phyllis, was a couture designer and is also an artist in her own right. In fact, she shares space at the gallery. The two are the only parent/child duo to be included on the Olympic Committee's list of "100 Honored Artists in Utah."

Yet Horne did not exactly set out to be an artist. "I started sketching at an early age. But in high school, I was into academics. I was going into science or medicine."

It wasn't until she got to Yale that her ideas changed. "Yale had such a strong art department. I decided to take a sculpture class just for fun, but I was so engaged."

She had to have more, until she finally "ended up making the leap of faith" to art.

Even then, Horne was also fascinated by musicians. She was invited to attend the prestigious Yale Summer School of Music and Art, which is held on a rural estate in upstate Connecticut. "I spent a lot of time sketching musicians as they rehearsed in the practice barn."

She views the act of painting as something of a performance, using bold strokes and dramatic sweeps across the canvas. "Painting is more of a physical act than many people realize." She also loves to paint to dance music to get her energy going.

So, it is not surprising that she sees the connections between the arts — and how they can connect us all.

If you go

What: Art of Performance by Karen Horne

Where: Horne Fine Art, 142 E. 800 South, Salt Lake City

When: Through March 14; Wednesday-Friday, noon-6 p.m.; Saturday, noon-4 p.m.; other times by appointment.

Web site: www.hornefineart.com

E-mail: carma@desnews.com