This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
This week's Utah Crowd-Funding project aims to put some art on your wrist.
Salt Lake City watchmaker Lee Dowell is the guy behind Schmutz Watches, which uses one-of-a-kind artwork as the backing for a wristwatch.
"When I first envisioned the concept of Schmutz, I imagined a hand-painted timepiece that was distinctive, aesthetically pleasing, and affordable," wrote Dowell on his Kickstarter page.
Dowell has enlisted several artists to create the designs for his company's watches, from the traditional Maori designs of Ruatoto to the colorful work of Salt Lake City painter Trent Call.
Dowell — who named the company for his great-grandmother, Rosetta Schmutz (pronounced sh-moots)— is seeking $25,000 on a Kickstarter campaign to buy Swiss movements that will allow more room for the textured designs. The money would also pay for cases, straps and the other components of the watches.
Benefits for donors range from an artist's print (for $20) to an original Erin Berrett-designed watch (for $500).
So far, the campaign has drawn $15,144 in pledges, or 61 percent of the goal. The deadline is Jan. 12.
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