Trees At The Gallery

August First Thursday continues my showing at the Lisk/Rowe Gallery of paintings of mine that feature trees.  Done over several years, these paintings have rarely been exhibited.   

Trees  often take on a personality, not a human personality, but a distinct character as seen by humans.  That old phrase; "You can't see the forest for the trees" can be reversed; "You can't see the trees for the forest".  Just as we as individuals get lost in crowds and statistics, the forms, shapes and idiosyncrasies of singular trees or small groups of trees get lost in great swathes of forest.  

I hope you will come down to the gallery at 850 Main Street to see these paintings.

Juried Art Show in Joseph, Oregon

This weekend I will participate in a juried art show in Joseph, Oregon.  Joseph is a small town near the Wallowa Mountains that has distinguished itself as an arts town.  Home to bronze foundries and a lovely town atmosphere, people come from all over to enjoy this quiet yet stimulating community.

Friday evening will be the reception for the exhibit form 7 - 10 p.m. at the Joseph Community Center.  The competitive show will feature artists from all over the Pacific Northwest.

Kneeland Gallery Idaho Exhibition Reception

The Kneeland Gallery in Ketchum, ID will host a reception for its Idaho artists Saturday May 28 from 5 -8 p.m.  I will be there, so if you are in the area, come to the gallery to see a lot of very wonderful artwork.

Snake River Valley

The Snake River runs through southwestern Idaho's wine country just a short drive from Boise.  This agricultural valley is the grape and fruit region of the state, plus mint, onions, and several other crops.  It also is one of Idaho's several scenic valleys that make the state such a wonderful place in which to live.  As a landscape painter, it is an abundant source of material, both grand and intimate.  

This painting pulls in both the river and the Owyhee Mountains that create one side of the valley, along with the agriculture of the area.  I find the organic and flowing lines of the mountains, the linear river, and the geometric patterns of the fields all a delightful mosaic of shapes and lines.  

This painting can be seen at the Lisk/Rowe Gallery in downtown Boise at 850 Main Street.

IDAHO VINEYARD AND THE OWYHEES

The Snake River Appellation is Idaho's first official wine region designation. Stretching for miles along the Snake River, this fantastic valley is rich in agriculture and is home to much of the State's fruit orchards and vineyards. To celebrate this burgeoning industry, I painted this image for a proposed poster to market the area.

Idaho wineries are small, family businesses and have labored in obscurity for years until the recent designation. Wines of all varietals are produced in small lots and touring the valley for wine tasting excursions has become a favorite activity of Boiseans.

The valley itself is wide and lush, with the muscular Owyhee Mountains forming its southern and western borders. Opposite those sit the gentle hillsides with vineyards and orchards. For beauty and impressive vistas, I think it has few rivals. The wines will impress you and the valley will make you linger. I tried to get in this painting the feeling I have when I go there .

The painting, 24 x 36, is presently in the Rowe/Lisk Gallery in downtown Boise.

More Than A Pretty Face

The Boise Art Museum selected 30 artists in the Treasure Valley to participate in the second year of their newest fundraiser.

Museum patrons and collectors will attend salons throughout the fall and contract with these artists for commissions or to purchase artworks from their inventories. Half the sales price will go to the museum and half to the artist. It's a good way to involve artists in fundraising, since most non-profits want artists to donate their work with no return.

On Thursday, September 30th, all 30 artists will be at the museum from 5:30-7:30 showing their work. This is open to the public free of charge and all works will be available for purchase there, with half the proceeds going to the museum.

Boise Art Museum - Idaho Triennial

The Idaho Triennial is up at the Boise Art Museum and I'm happy to announce that one of my paintings was juried into the show. The exhibit will be up into December, so there's lots of time to check out the best work done in Idaho during the last three years.