NEWS/ARTS ARTS/VISUAL
John Killmaster, Sunday Afternoon on the Payette
ART, PLEIN AND SIMPLE Listen up ladies: Applications are currently being accepted for the “We Art Women” exhibition, an annual benefit for the Women’s and Children’s Alliance shelter. Now in its 19th year, WAW has steadily
LAU R IE PEAR M AN
IDAHO SECURES TWO ARTS NW SPOTS Organization works to connect artists, venues and the public TRAVIS ESTVOLD
outgrown both Humpin’ Hannah’s, where it went by the name “A Celebration of Women in the Ar ts” for 15 years, and the Esther Simplot Per forming Ar ts Academy, where it has been for the last three years. This time around, the juried exhibition will take over the Visual Ar ts Collective in Garden City. The night of “We Ar t Women,” Thursday, April 8, 20 percent of ar t sales will go to WCA, and a number of pieces will also remain on display at VAC for a two-month run. If you want to par ticipate, but are unsure of what exactly the judges expect from entrants, pop into the Ar t Source Galler y on Sunday, Feb. 17, from 6-9 p.m. for a free workshop on the rules and procedures of entering a juried show. Barbara Robinson from the Idaho Commission on the Ar ts will join WAW juror and Boise State ar t faculty member Sue Latta to shed light on what can often be a confusing process. All submissions are due with a $20 entr y fee by Friday, March 5. For more information or to download an entr y form, visit wear twomen.org. Now for news on another local arts group with a fun-to-say acronym—the PleinAir Painters of Idaho, or PAPI. This group of artsy outdoorsmen and women have been invited to participate in the opening exhibit at the newly restored Idaho State Capitol. Titled “Landscapes of Idaho,” the exhibition features work by Meridian watercolorist Naomi Elton, Boise oil artist Wendy Blickenstaff, Meridian watercolor/ oil artist Ann Winslow and Twin Falls oil painter Jane Hulsey, among many others. If you haven’t made it out to the revamped Capitol yet, we recommend taking a quick lunch-time jaunt to wander the air y corridors and glimpse some soothing plein-air landscapes. Ah, what stately majesty.
What Tony Harrison types on his computer The curtains have opened on act one of Tony Harrison’s Arts Northwest tenure. reads like a raised voice. He doesn’t shout or use excessive capitalization, but his phraseology always finds a way to exclaim, “Hey, I’m in Idaho. Johnson says though it doesn’t ofand Idaho (typically in Boise). The 2009 excited. And I’m not quitting until you’re ficially attempt to regulate where its leaderconference was held in Boise. excited, too.” The conference consists of workshops, an ship hails from, the organization strives to Harrison is a Nampa-based businessmaintain a balance of the states from which man, public relations gun-for-hire and artist exhibit hall (described by Arts Northwest Arts Northwest pulls its leadership. Harrison President Brian Johnson as a “talent tradedevelopment guru, all of which keep him acknowledges he’s never seen Idaho receive plenty busy, but the newest hat he’s donned show”) and artist showcases, among other anything less than fantastic service from things. Hundreds of performing artists— is that of a board member for Arts NorthArts Northwest. But given his background from classical, jazz and folk musicians to west. The group describes itself as a “nonin public relations and years of experience dance and theater troupes—submit online profit membership organization facilitating with the organization, he’s downright excited professional interaction between performing applications to take part in the annual about the potential doors that might now be arts presenters, performing artists, manage- conference. An Arts Northwest committee selects 25 of these acts to perform in juried ment and performing arts service providers showcases and another 25 to feature in an throughout the Western U.S. and Canada.” after-hours format. The fact that the name and description Securing a 12-minute set in an artist don’t ring a bell probably doesn’t surprise showcase can run entrants several hundred Michael Faison, executive director of the Idaho Commission on the Arts whose job it dollars in entry and booth fees, and even a is to help keep the arts alive and well in the well-received performance doesn’t lock up a schedule full of gigs. But with a quality Gem State. performance and a bit of leg work after“Idaho audiences probably will never ward, a successfully executed showcase know how much Arts Northwest benefits can lead to loads of exposure, especially their performing arts experience,” Faison during conference block-booking meetings says. “They’ll just know that they enjoyed a great performance at a reasonable price. Both in which typically non-colluding venues and artists team up to fill schedules—and lower are quietly facilitated by Arts Northwest.” opened given the appointments of additional the end prices of admission for audiences. Turns out, plenty of artists have heard of board members from Idaho. In fact, without this block-booking, many Arts Northwest—and if Harrison gets his “It is exciting to have them on the Arts Idaho venues would not be able to afford way, every Idahoan will be familiar with the Northwest board,” Faison agrees. “This some of the artists Arts Northwest has sent organization when his tenure is through. partly is because both of them are so expetheir way. “Historically, I don’t think the organization rienced, bringing their skill to an already In 2009, three local dance entities were has pursued many publicity opportunities, well-run organization to keep up that high involved with the conferand I plan to rectify that durstandard. But it also benefits Idaho … More ence in Boise: Trey McIntyre ing my tenure on the board,” ARTS NORTHWEST Project, Idaho Dance Theatre Idaho performing artists should be Idaho he said. “Arts Northwest is BOOKING CONFERENCE touring artists.” With Harrison on the prowl, and Basque music and dance entering its 30th year, and rest assured, more of them will be. troupe Amuma Says No. what we’re doing now will October 14-17 The 30th Annual Northwest BookPast Idaho artists who’ve help ensure the organization Held in Seattle, Washington. ing Conference will be held in October in participated in Arts Northcontinues to thrive for another Submissions are due by Monday, March 8. Bellevue, Wash., and submissions for artist west showcases include Steve three decades and beyond.” For more information, visit showcases—which can be a bit lengthy to Fulton, Curtis Stigers and From the outset, Arts artsnw.org. compile—are due by Monday, March 8. High Street. Northwest was built to One of Harrison’s first orders of busiHarrison thinks the elecstreamline the process of ness is to launch a “PR blitzkrieg” to get tion of himself and Dyno Wahl, executive connecting artists and presenters. In fact, Idaho artists up to speed on the value of Arts director of The Festival at Sandpoint, to the body’s primary task is annually staging Northwest. With the ferocity he intends to the Arts Northwest board—meaning Idaho the Northwest Booking Conference, which devote to the process, Idaho’s arts scene will residents now occupy one-third of the board rotates yearly among Washington (usually in have a new voice. seats—will only help bolster the arts scene the Seattle area), Oregon (often in Eugene)
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IDAHO AUDIENC ES PR OB AB LY WILL NEVER K NOW HOW MUC H ANW B ENEFITS THEIR PER FOR MING ARTS EXPERIENCE.”
—Tara Morgan
24 | JANUARY 27 – FEBRUARY 2, 2010 | BOISEweekly
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