Emily King's family sometimes calls her Edward Scissorhands.
She doesn't have sharp blades and scissors in place of hands, but she does often have them in her hands.
"I have really sharp scissors, and an X-Acto knife," she said. "I use both a lot."
King is becoming known for her cut-paper creations, which she's showing and selling this weekend at the Park City Kimball Arts Festival.
Artists from around the country submit applications for the festival, and have to be approved by a jury.
"I tried out for it the first time last year, and was kind of shocked I got in," said King, of Kaysville. "I've heard it's one of the most competitive arts festivals in the country."
Last year, she showed only her cut-paper images at the festival. This year, she's also selling drawings and paintings.
"My drawings and watercolors are very similar in subject matter, and style, to my cut-paper works," she said.
There are a few landscapes, but mostly images of snowboarders, kids and family.
"I like capturing those moments that create really great memories for us, that we all can relate to," King said. "I think that's also what draws people to my work. A lot of it is uplifting, and everyone can relate to it -- everyone has family, in one way or another, or was a kid."
Appealing art
King grew up in Salt Lake City, with an interest in art.
"It was something I always did, and I won a lot of PTA Reflections contests," she said.
But in high school, she was busy and art fell by the wayside.
"At the University of Utah, when I was trying to decide what to major in, the only thing really appealing to me was art, but I was a little nervous because I hadn't done it in so long," King said. "Once I began the program, I fell in love with art all over again."
The emphasis for her art degree was in painting and drawing, but painting isn't easy when you're raising children.
"I have two little kids, and it's really hard to oil paint with them around because of all the chemicals," she said. "I needed something I could pick up and leave, so I started playing around with other mediums."
She tried acrylic paints, but the love wasn't there.
"I got into paper, and loved how I could still incorporate a lot of drawing, and also a lot of color," she said. "Everything is hand-cut out of paper, and assembled together."
Cut paper was a match for her preference for modern, simplified forms.
"It's a medium that spoke to me, that I kept evolving," she said.
King says people feel comfortable buying oil paintings.
"The tradition is there, and they know what they're getting," she said.
But she's found an audience for her cut-paper images, drawings and watercolors.
"A few people really like my work, and have bought a lot of pieces," she said, adding that a new generation of collectors is showing an interest in modern, contemporary art.
"They're a little more open to different mediums," she said.
Buying art as an investment is always risky, she said, even with oil paintings.
"So I think the most important thing is just to buy what you like," King said.
Artists from far and near show at fest
The Park City Kimball Arts Festival opens today, with 220 visual artists, 17 musical performances on two stages, and meal deals at some of the city’s most popular restaurants.
The festival has been held every year for 42 years, and is still drawing crowds by bringing in artists from across the continent.
This year, the Park City Kimball Arts Festival received 860 artist applications, which a panel of judges whittled down to 220. The artists are coming from 35 states and Canada, but there are a few locals. Weber County father and son artists Karl and Craig Haaser were invited to show their ceramic pieces, while Emily King of Kaysville displays drawings and cut-paper art.
Fans of visual art will also find watercolor landscapes by Sandra Cooney of Roy; and photos by Joel Addams of Centerville, Hal Allen of Brigham City, and Jim and Britney Stettler of Pleasant View. Judson Jennings, of North Salt Lake, is selling whimsical sculptures made from eating utensils.
Last year’s Best of Show artists will be at the intersection of Main Street and Heber Avenue.
Kids art activities include free face painting and a scavenger hunt. For $9, children can make an artistic hat, or they can dye a T-shirt for $10.
Music sets the vibe for the festival, with live performances on two stages. Listeners will find everything from reggae and folk to inspirational and soul music. Highlights include Fat Soul at 7 p.m. today; The Get Down Boys, an L.A.-based bluegrass group, at 1 p.m. Saturday; and blues rock by St. Louis band Honeytribe at 5 p.m. Saturday. The concerts end Sunday, with a 5 p.m. performance by singer-songwriter Joshua Johnson.
Many of Park City’s restaurants are participating in the festival by offering demonstrations and presentations, as well as specials on meals.
Festival-goers also are invited to check out Festival After Dark, a series of free events in the area, including a concert by the Infamous String Dusters at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Canyons, and the Sundance Institute screening of “Exit Through the Gift Shop” at dusk Saturday in City Park.
Park City’s downtown streets are narrow, but there is free festival parking at Deer Valley and Park City Mountain Resort, served by free shuttles.