Architectural rendition of the 25-foot stained glass skylight at the North Capitol Building Museum, designed by Dallin Orr and produced by Holdman Studios.

Today marks a milestone in Dallin Orr’s career: the installation of a 25-foot domed stained glass skylight in the new North Capitol Building Museum at the Utah State Capitol. Designed by Orr and produced in collaboration with Holdman Studios, where he serves as Lead Artist, the piece is a radiant, kaleidoscopic depiction of Utah’s diverse ecosystems.

“The skylight depicts the four major ecosystems of Utah surrounding a blazing sun in the center,” Orr explains. “The state animals and plants are all featured, with plenty of fun details and easter eggs to discover.” Suspended high above the building’s atrium, the glasswork is a sweeping tribute to the state’s natural grandeur—and the culmination of months of intensive design and coordination.

Orr’s design for the North Capitol skylight, depicting Utah’s four major ecosystems with intricate botanical and wildlife details.

While the skylight reaches skyward, Orr’s studio practice stays grounded in the quiet, observational rhythm of everyday life. In his Salt Lake City studio, Orr is currently working on a new series of oil paintings, rooted in the landscapes of his local surroundings and rendered entirely from his own analog film photography. “This gives me a way to generate references and inspiration for myself that is entirely offline,” he says. “I’m finding I’m maintaining a higher quality of attention and deeper passion throughout the whole process.”

Armed with a camera and an eye for spring blossoms and evening light, Orr gathers reference material on evening walks around his neighborhood or during painting trips around the Great Salt Lake. “Even just a walk around the block can provide stunning moments,” he says. One such moment—a view of his neighbor’s willow tree—became “Twilight Willow,” which was recently accepted into the 101st Springville Museum of Art Spring Salon, marking his first inclusion in the long-running exhibition.

A graduate of Utah Valley University and the University of Hartford, Orr’s practice balances commercial work, public art, and personal expression. His illustration series Golden Hour, created for THE BLOCKS downtown alliance, recently swept multiple top illustration competitions, including Communication Arts and the Society of Illustrators. “As an illustrator, this feels extremely validating,” he says. “The Society of Illustrators has always been my most sought after accolade.”

In painting, Orr is drawn to questions of aesthetic sensitivity. “What quality of paint evokes the deepest sense of painterly sensitivity? What’s the ideal mixture of traditional colors with contemporary artificial pigments?” As he works, he feels his approach becoming more abstract. “By building my foundation firmly on how I see, how I paint, and what I like about painting, I can feel my intentions shifting. Ten years from now, I might even be painting completely non-objective images.”

Whether casting sunlight in glass or chasing it in oil, Orr continues to chase—and share—the beauty that surrounds him. “After being graced by this beauty during a time of uncertainty,” he says, “I feel a burning urge to translate those sights and feelings into painting. I want to give back what I’ve received.”

Orr with his Golden Hour series, commissioned by THE BLOCKS and recently recognized by top illustration annuals.

Follow his work at dallinorr.com and on Instagram at @dallinorrart.

In 2024, Orr was chosen by Artists of Utah’s Board of Directors to participate in our 35×35 exhibition at Finch Lane Gallery. The show features 35 Utah artists 35 years old and younger. All Spring we’ll be checking in with these artists to see what they’re up to lately.

Work in Progress

This 15 Bytes feature talks with artists about what is on their “easel” right now.