State of the Art: Idaho
Nicknamed the “Gem State,” Idaho is one of the Northwest’s best-kept secrets. Full of hidden gems, Idaho’s natural beauty is an inspiration to locals, artists and lovers of the outdoors alike. From world-class ski resorts to crystal-clear lakes, adventure is just around the corner.
Mountain communities like Mccall are home to plenty of charming, local galleries and celebrations of art, including the Payette Lakes Art Fair, which takes place annually during the third weekend of August.
Or, for a bigger city vibe with small-town charm, Idaho’s capital city Boise—aka “The City of Trees”—is a must-see. Located in the heart of downtown, the Boise Art Museum offers educational exhibitions as well as programs, classes, workshops and tours. Summer brings the weekly Capital City Public Market—referred to as simply the “Saturday market” by locals—to the blocks between Idaho Street and Eighth Street.
The only market of its kind in Boise, the bustling event features more than 130 local vendors including a wide variety of skilled artisans.
Boise is also home to the annual Art in the Park event, recognized as one of the premier cultural events in the Northwest. The threeday, open-air festival at Julia Davis Park is sponsored by Boise Art Museum and gives visitors the chance to shop for a variety of contemporary arts and crafts while enjoying food and beverages from local vendors and family-friendly crafts and activities.
Also taking place in the summer is the
Sun Valley Arts & Crafts Festival. The annual event, which is now in its 51st year, features shoppable artwork as well as demonstrations from dozens of local artists in a variety of mediums—including ceramics, drawing, fiber, glass, jewelry, metalwork, mixed media, painting, photography and more.
Throughout the year, visitors and Idaho residents alike can learn more about the state’s galleries thanks to the Idaho Falls Gallery Walk and the Sun Valley Gallery Walk.
In this special section, readers will gain insight into some of the leading artists, galleries, arts organizations and events across the state.
“Collectors are more informed than ever, so not only are they focusing on the highest quality of works, but they also want them for fair prices.” —Buddy Le, owner, Coeur d’alene Galleries
Coeur d’alene Galleries
213 E. Sherman Avenue, Coeur d’alene, ID 83814, (208) 667-7732 www.cdagalleries.com
Since 1986, Coeur d’alene Galleries has specialized in 19th- and 20th-century American Western, wildlife and sporting art. For 33 years, the gallery has created a tradition of premium artwork and unparalleled personal service. Whether collectors are seeking a rare work by a historical master, or want that hard-tofind piece by today’s leading contemporary artists, Coeur d’alene Galleries has helped collectors build valuable collections for more than three decades. Coeur d’alene Galleries has always featured both historical Western artists and today’s leading contemporary artists, working with a variety of artists from Martin Grelle, Andy Thomas, C. Michael Dudash, Logan Maxwell Hagege, Luke Frazier and Brent Cotton to Chad Poppleton, Jeremy Winborg, Abigail Gutting and Kenneth Yarus. The galley has also placed rare historical works by Thomas Moran, Charles M. Russell, Edgar Paxson, Philip R. Goodwin, O.C. Seltzer, John Fery, William Standing and Stephen Lyman— to name just a few. The gallery also recently had a sold-out one-man show for landscape painter Yarus. Coeur d’alene Galleries will be participating in the March in Montana auction in Great Falls, Montana, during Western Art Week. The Saturday after Thanksgiving, the gallery will also host a neighborhood paint-out featuring popular artists such as Dudash, Joe Kronenberg, Abigail Gutting and Kyle Paliotto.
Mark Kashino
400 S. Main Street, Suite 203, Hailey, ID 83333, (208) 788-4500 email@kashino.com www.mkashinoart.com
Mark Kashino lives in Hailey, Idaho, near Sun Valley. Like many commercial artists he is now applying many years of graphic knowledge to fine art. His medium is oil on linen using some brushwork with applications of large and very small palette knives creating an effect similar to pointillism wherein the eye blends the colors rather than the brush. These impressionistic paintings are loose and roughly textured. He currently enjoys painting portraits of our remarkable turn-of-the-century Native Americans. New work includes images of classic authors, poets, composers and eminent historical figures.
Kashino worked as an artist for Los Angeles County and attended classes at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and Otis Art Institute. He has won numerous Idaho graphic awards including an Idaho Advertising Federation “Best of Show” award. The heart of his winning piece was his own painting.
Mary Ann Cherry
maryanncherry@icloud.com www.maryanncherry.com
Mary Ann Cherry is a wildlife and Western painter who finds abundant subject matter in and around Yellowstone and Teton national parks in Wyoming, as well as in her home state of Idaho.
Painting animals in their natural habitat—and during the various seasons—are what she likes doing best. She paints in both oil and pastel and is a Master Signature Member and current president of the Women Artists of the West and a signature member of the Pastel Society of America. Her work garnered a bronze medal in the Western Regional OPA exhibition in 2017 and has been included in numerous juried national shows as an invited master. She exhibits at the Eagle Rock Art Gallery in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
In her elusive spare time, Cherry teaches workshops and writes an award-winning art mystery series. Currently, she is working on a series of Native American dancers and illustrating a children’s book on Sacajawea for author Carol Curtis Stilz, a granddaughter of famous photographer Edward S. Curtis.
“Capturing a subject in paint is easier when the subject has first captured the painter.” —Mark Kashino
Eagle Rock Gallery
804 Pancheri Drive, Idaho Falls, ID 83402 (208) 604-8112 www.eaglerockgalleryfineart.com
Eagle Rock Gallery is a collective of fine artists whose talent and dedication to their work brings a diverse flavor of art to the gallery. Many of the artists in the gallery have received national and international recognition in their respective mediums. The owners of the gallery are Kathi and Gary Jensen. Kathi has participated in several of the top five juried fine art shows in the nation—including the prestigious Sausalito Art Festival in California; the La Jolla Art and Wine Festival in San Diego, California; and the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to name a few. She currently participates in five shows in Arizona, including the number-two ranked fine art show in the nation in Carefree. Kathi has also had her work featured in a national juried exhibit in Washington, D.C. She recently finished an exhibit with the Art Museum of Eastern Idaho. Eagle Rock Gallery contains the same quality of art that can be found in Yellowstone and Jackson Hole and prides itself on its quality and diversity for both collectors and all who love art. The gallery is veteran owned—both Kathi and Gary served their country and were deployed. They belong to Post 56 of the American Legion and have benefited the Military Affairs Committee and veterans in the area using their art and soul.
Virgia West
21wildwest@gmail.com www.rainbowart-online.com
Virgia West is an award-winning oil painter. The self-taught artist focuses on the beauty of the landscapes that surround her in Idaho. These often tend to include old trucks, cars and wildlife. Always looking for new and different ways to capture the scenery she is trying to recreate on canvas, West has incorporated new techniques in her paintings which she feels keeps her art fresh and exciting. Her work and that of her husband, Robert, a fellow artist, are on display at Stoecker Jewelers in Mountain Home, Idaho. They also participate in many local shows throughout the area and hope to participate again next year. West’s work can also be purchased at Kelly’s Collectibles and Online Art Gallery (www.kellyscollectiblesmt.com).