Utah artist hoping to regain life

At 32, Seth Winegar of Kaysville is entering his prime as one of Utah's premier artists. But Seth isn't painting at the moment, and he sure isn't feeling in his prime. He is at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, in Pennsylvania, awaiting transplant surgery that will give him two new lungs and a new liver.

In addition to a talent that Susan Meyer of the Park City Meyer Gallery calls "awe inspiring," Seth also has cystic fibrosis, a hereditary lung disease.

After years of juggling the disease's complications with his work as an artist, it became apparent this past year that new organs are imperative if Seth is to carry on.

The cost of the surgery — which will happen as soon as suitable lung and liver matches are found — is $650,000, a formidable amount that Seth, his parents and some tiny insurance policies have nonetheless managed to raise. The Winegars drained their savings and borrowed as much as possible, in addition to mortgaging their houses to the maximum and beyond.

"We've hocked it all," Seth said this week from Pittsburgh. "It's hard to risk everything when you've worked really hard, but there's no alternative. I didn't qualify for Medicare, and since I work for myself, it's hard to get much insurance, especially with a pre-existing condition.

"All I want is to be healthy," he added, "I just want to be normal."

The surgery could buy him another five to 15 years of enhanced quality of life.

One of the few pluses that has emerged out of the current downswing is the strong outpouring of support coming Seth's way. The artistic community, in particular, has stepped up, hoping to help alleviate the catastrophic surgical costs by raffling off a Seth Winegar original.

The painting, valued at $5,000, is called "Through the Hay Field" and is on display at the Meyer Gallery at 305 Main St. in Park City. It can also be seen at www.meyergallery.com.

Donations to enter the raffle, beginning at a $25 minimum, can be made until Sunday, July 30, when a drawing will determine the winner. For more information or to donate, call 1-800-649-8180 or e-mail Susan.Meyer@comcast.net.

Park City's Meyer Gallery has been the main home to Seth's paintings for nearly 15 years. The gallery began showing his work when he was 18. "He's the youngest we've ever shown and the best," said Susan Meyer. "He's truly a museum-quality artist. We've probably sold 500 of his paintings."