Boise, ID June 2023

MEN’S ISSUE

The First Federal Foundation is committed to supporting local efforts that enhance the wellbeing and quality of life of the people who live and work in our communities.

Twice a year, the Foundation accepts applications and awards grants to fund local non-profits. Since 2003, the First Federal Foundation has awarded more than $1.3 million to organizations serving our communities.

Often each of these grants will touch the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of people through the years.

Summer 2023 applications are being accepted until June 30.

For more information or to submit your application visit BankFirstFed.com/foundation.

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Spotlighting Treasure Valley Men

As we prepare to embark on the summer season, we are excited to present a special issue of Boise Lifestyle magazine that shines a spotlight on some of the remarkable men in our community. These individuals serve as inspirational leaders for their peers and future leaders, and we are honored to share their stories with you.

One of our featured articles takes you on a fascinating journey through the history of The Sun Valley Film Festival. From its humble beginnings of setting up a pop-up ticket office and renting a little theater to becoming a significant event in the film industry, we explore the challenges and triumphs that have shaped this festival into the successful event it is today.

Following on from our May issue where we celebrated a series of inspirational female leaders, we now turn our attention to the remarkable men in our community who are making a difference. Through their dedication and hard work, they are shaping the future of our valley, and we are excited to showcase their accomplishments and contributions.

In addition to our feature articles, we also delve into the world of “Idaho Rock,” a unique style of music that is associated with our state. We explore its origins and evolution and introduce you to a talented band that has contributed to its growth.

We also take you on a journey through the fascinating world of James Castle, an artist who used a unique “soot-and-spit” technique to create direct transcriptions of print materials found in daily life. His unconventional approach to art has left a lasting legacy in the art world and we invite you to explore his work with us.

Finally, for all the golf enthusiasts out there, we bring you an article on Boise’s year-round golf options. Whether you want to practice your swing or play a round of Angry Birds golf, we have something for everyone.

We are excited to present this special issue of Boise Lifestyle magazine, which celebrates the remarkable men in our community and showcases the unique and fascinating aspects of Idaho. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together.

June 2023

PUBLISHER

Vince Gewalt | vince.gewalt@citylifestyle.com

STAFF WRITER

Jordan Gray | editorial@boisecitylifestyle.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Pamela Kleibrink Thompson, Rob Lanterman, Jordan Gray, Stephen Singson, Kurt Orzeck, Gerald Adamson, Ashley Loeb

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Gerald Adamson, Ashley Loeb, James Castle Collection and Archive, Lance Thompson, Chelsea Lauren,

Corporate Team

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt

CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Mindy Hargesheimer

ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson

WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

AD DESIGNER Rachel Chrisman

LAYOUT DESIGNER Kirstan Lanier

If you are new to the industry or a seasoned real estate agent, a firsttime homebuyer, or a property owner looking to sell, our advisors at Engel & Voelkers are dedicated to providing you with the luxury service you should expect.

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city scene

Where neighbors can see and be seen.

Want to be seen in the magazine? Tag your Instagram photos with @BoiseLifestyle

1: Stanley Ward, once an international student, now cybersecurity and volunteer competitive soccer coach for Real EC 2: After 27 years of service to City of Boise, Donnie Caple retired from Boise Fire 3: Evan Izett, co-owner of an intimate speakeasy, located the historic Heritage building in downtown Meridian 4: Sean Hancock with a purpose to leave a positive impact on the world 5: After working in marketing and sales, Nick Coe jumped at the opportunity to open his own business

Newsworthy in Idaho

A Roundup of Exciting News from Local Businesses

ARTICLE BY STEPHEN SINGSON

HISTORIC EL KORAH SHRINE BUILDING AS NEW MUSIC VENUE

The Duck Club has acquired the century-old El Korah Shrine at the heart of Boise. The plan is to continue the building’s history of community event hosting by making it a permanent home for Shriners’ events, scheduling additional concerts there every year, and making the venue accessible to other local promoters and independent artists. Scoggins Capital Investment CEO Andy Scoggin believes that the city’s investment in creative venues and businesses will increase the worth of the company’s other businesses and properties by attracting entrepreneurs and knowledge workers. This summer, when work is finally completed on Treefort Music Hall and Duck Club, there will be a big opening party.  DuckClubBoise.com

THE CITY UNVEILS “VISIT BOISE”

On April 12, the Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau underwent a brand transformation that culminated with the launch of Visit Boise. The new brand and logo are intended to reflect the city’s vibrancy and its attractions, such as its miles of trails and the Boise River.

The new Visit Boise logo features a custom typeface with painterly lettering that pays tribute to Boise’s artistic community. The free-form lettering illustrates the city’s laid-back vibe and its “come as you are” attitude. The Duft Waterson design features deep curves that symbolize Boise’s trails, river and beautiful outdoors, and the blue color represents the water and blue sky in Boise. VisitBoise.com

DOWNTOWN BOISE SUMMER GETAWAY

Supersized First Thursday, DBA will partner with performing artists and NGOs to create an enhanced experience for community members visiting downtown between 5pm – 9pm on the first Thursday of each month in April to October. The Annual Downtown Boise Father’s Day Car Show is free to the public and will feature a variety of cars, both classic and electric, dating back to the 1940s on June 18 from 9am to 3:30pm. Alive After 5 is coming back to Grove Plaza in Downtown Boise this June 21. The event will feature a lineup of local and national bands, and will take place on select Wednesdays during June to August.  DowntownBoise.org

NEWS RELEASE AND STORY IDEAS: We’re always interested to hear about new business openings, upcoming events, local news items, and community members contributing in new and exciting ways. Email: EDITORIAL@BOISECITYLIFESTYLE.COM | @BOISELIFESTYLE

Photo: Student team, the Spudniks from Eagle’s Galileo STEM will compete in the American Rocketry Challenge National Finals in Virginia for $100,000 in prizes, as well as a chance to be invited to NASA’s Student Launch workshop. RocketContest.org

Sun Valley Film Festival

Idaho’s Peak Film Experience

ARTICLE BY PAMELA KLEIBRINK THOMPSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY LANCE THOMPSON, CHELSEA LAUREN, GINA POOLE

“If you build it they will come,” from 1989’s Field of Dreams, could have been railroad magnate W. Averell Harriman’s motto for developing the country’s first destination winter resort in Sun Valley, Idaho.  Stars like Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, and Errol Flynn enjoyed visiting Sun Valley, and the appeal to filmmakers remains strong, thanks to the annual Sun Valley Film Festival.

Teddy Grennan created the Sun Valley Film Festival in 2012 with his wife Emily Granville, funding the first year’s event with the family’s Amex card. “Emily and I thought it was money well spent,” stated co-founder and executive director Grennan. Others would agree as the festival’s economic impact to the Wood River Valley has grown ever since. Ketchum has a population of less than 3,500, but more than 5,000 people attend the festival. SVFF has several year-round employees. “It brings jobs to Idaho through storytelling,” noted Grennan. “It’s also a lot of fun.”

A banner draped across Ketchum’s Main Street welcomes you to the SVFF. Ketchum is a

small town imbued with a sense of sophistication and character, which lends to the casual and accessible atmosphere maintained by the staff of the SVFF.  The intimacy of the film festival is evident with Grennan’s favorite event —the Awards Bash at Whiskey’s.

After receiving the inaugural Lifetime Vision Award in 2015, Clint Eastwood stated, “So much of this business is hard work and a lot of good luck. I can only wish you the best of luck to keep this great film festival going for many years to come.”

The SVFF has thrived from its beginnings when it set up a pop-up ticket office, rented a little theater, and hosted Coffee Talks, which featured Jim Burke, who won an Oscar for producing Green Book; Howard Owens, founder and Co-CEO of Propagate; Jack Sullivan, CEO of Broadway Video; and producer/director Heather Rae. Still mainstays of the festival, the Coffee Talks are held in the Argyros Performing Arts Center, which opened November 2018, and can seat around 500 people. Last year’s coffee talkers included Woody Harrelson and

Amy Poehler. In previous years, the Coffee Talks were held in tiny spaces with festival goers seated on the ground, and around the room, which lent a collegiate air to the event.

In 2023, Coffee Talkers included Pioneer Award honoree Emilio Estevez and Vision Award honoree Josh Brolin who wowed the crowds with stories of their careers in cinema.

Estevez screened his 2011 feature The Way, which he directed, produced, wrote and also acted in with his father Martin Sheen. Re-released in May, The Way depicts a father traveling the El Camino de Santiago, retracing the path his deceased son took. During the Coffee Talk, Estevez revealed that his girlfriend Jacqueline Henretta suggested adding bonus content to the release and reaching out to travel writer Rick Steves. The added value “ended up being a conversation about faith, family, the Spanish culture and why we travel and food and wine. It’s a conversation I don’t think people will expect,” stated Estevez. “Ever since...  Repo Man Emilio has shown a dedication to telling emotional and important stories, making him a true trailblazer,” observed Grennan.

Josh Brolin offered advice to aspiring actors. “Be yourself. Say no to what might be a massive success because that’s not necessarily the goal, to be in the most successful thing.” He reflected on his career, “I’ve learned that when you have great directors, that’s everything. It’s really fun to experiment. I’m an old school guy, and I come prepared, I do my work, and then we get to do what we really enjoy doing and that’s telling stories about the human condition.”

Brolin and his wife Kathryn were entertained at the Vision Dinner where he was recognized as an industry game changer. The  Oscar-nominated actor received the Vision Award, given to those whose contributions to cinema have changed the industry for the better. Brolin earned an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor in 2009 for portraying American politician Dan White in Milk . He’s played other politicians too—his performance as the U.S. president George W. Bush in the film W earned him kudos.

The SVFF emphasizes independent filmmaking and encourages newcomers to the medium. Variety, the trade publication for the entertainment industry, partnered with the SVFF for the first time on a panel of Ten Producers to Watch

Emilio Estevez receives the Pioneer Award at the Coffee Talk at the Sun Valley Film Festival on April 1, 2023. PC: Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock

Rishi Rajani, CEO of Hillman Grad, one of Variety's 10 Producers to Watch PC: Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock

(L-R) Nikkia Moulterie, Karina Manashil, Karl Hartman, Margot Hand, Jamie Gonçalves and Rachael Fung PC: Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock

Heather Rae, Josh Brolin, Kathryn Boyd Brolin & Chris Albert at the Vision Dinner PC: Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock

which recognizes rising filmmakers making an impact. Panelist Karl Hartman, who runs Big Indie Pictures, stated, “My interest is in trying to make independent movies...that’s where really amazing storytelling exists, and most affects and impacts people.” Panelist Rishi Rajani, CEO of Hillman Grad (founded by Lena Waithe), noted, “Storytelling was an incredibly important aspect of my upbringing.” Jamie Goncalves, who formed Sin Sitio Cine, a production company focused on socially conscious projects, observed: “Making art is vulnerable and challenging, and one thing that I’ve learned to prioritize is setting expectations and managing conflict. Relationships are easy when things are going great, but how do we function when it’s not? Proactively addressing...conflict...has led to a consistent thread of repeat collaborators.”

Grennan has had a team of repeat collaborators in mounting the SVFF over the years and is looking forward to expanding its offerings and involvement with the community, such as the Future Filmmakers Forum, the high school short film competition, as well as other events.  Sharing his experience as a producer, writer and director with attending filmmakers Grennan advised, “Get a day job. Do something you’re excited about and that provides for yourself so you

can make decisions when you are not desperate. If you want to work in film you have to love it.”

“Hosting this event is a ton of fun,” Grennan said.  He advised festival attendees, “Read the program. Try to get an idea of what to see in advance. We don’t screen the same movie twice. There are so many fun free things we do. Pace yourself. Filmmakers get to meet each other and make connections while there. One of our filmmakers, Daniel Roher, a Canadian documentary film director, met his bride at the film festival.”

Grennan does not guarantee that you will meet your soul mate, but he does encourage all who have an interest in film to attend. “We as a team have worked to make this an all inclusive film festival with amazing accessibility. What we provide is terribly unique to most film festivals. We work hard making the price points work. We try to be accommodating and Sun Valley is reasonably priced at this time of year. The Coffee Talks are free to the public. There’s nothing like it.”

Save the dates. February 28 - March 3, 2024 SunvalleyFilmFestival.org

Bruce Dern, Clint Eastwood, Bill Paxton

PC: Mark Davis/Getty Images North American Valley Film Festival

“Making art is vulnerable and challenging, and one thing that I’ve learned to prioritize is setting expectations and managing conflict.”

INSPIRATIONAL MEN OF IDAHO

WHAT DRIVES MEN SUCH AS A HIGH-RANKING BANK EXECUTIVE? AN AMBITIOUS YOUNG ARCHITECT? A LOCAL MEDIA LEGEND?

Ask someone what makes the Treasure Valley a special place, and you’ll likely get a range of answers — many of them the same. The foothills. The Greenbelt. The river. Some might even cite the neighborliness of the residents or small-town feel despite tremendous growth.

And yet, as with any city that shares the special size that Boise and Meridian do — not too big, not too small — it is the people who keep the City of Trees verdant, lush and so appealing. From high-ranking bank executives like Scott Schlange to local heroes such as Tom Scott to up-and-coming business owners including Chancellor Werner, hard-working residents of every stripe keep the city operational — and, yes, kind too.

After profiling a series of inspirational female leaders for the May issues of Boise Lifestyle and Meridian Lifestyle, we turned our focus to some of the gentlemen who serve as the backbone for the valley — and also serve as inspirational leaders for their peers and future leaders. Here are just a few of the valley’s key players of note.

ARTICLE BY KURT ORZECK

TOM SCOTT

TOM SCOTT AGENCY

For the past 23 years, Tom Scott has captained the Tom Scott Agency, a shop that helps media companies of all shapes and sizes with their advertising, web design and public relations efforts. But despite that impressive tenure, most Boise residents know Scott as the voice of sports coverage in Boise for KTVB Sports.

“Staying involved with providing sports segments keeps me engaged,” the revered color commentary for Boise State University football said. “My constant task is keeping up with technology and the changing world of advertising.”

That’s a tall order for anyone, even a decorated TV and radio vet who gradated with a BA in Communications and Media Studies from Boise State University in 1975. But even after decades of working in media, Scott believes personal care for clients and attention to detail continue to be the winning formula.

“Owners of small businesses in Boise are very hands-on, so they have to handle everything under their own roofs and often don’t have time to deal with advertising and marketing,” he noted. “That’s where my agency comes in: We essentially become part of their companies.”

Scott points to his agency’s recent collaboration with Optimist Youth Football & Cheer as an especially fulfilling example of his work.

“We changed their messaging and branding to focus on all the good things about youth football, like team-building,” he said. “The result was incredible forward movement.”

As someone who has witnessed Boise’s growth firsthand, Scott said his agency has changed organically along with the city. What hasn’t changed, regardless of population increase and technology, is his approach to not just business but people in general. He says neighborliness continues to stand as Boise’s strongest shared community trait.

“Calling people by name. Being ‘Boise kind.’ That’s helped me over the years,” noted the eternally optimistic Scott.

Even for a veteran professional with decades of experience, Scott added, “First impressions are really important.”

CHANCELLOR WERNER

BASSETT FURNITURE

Ancestry tests may be all the rage these days, but Chancellor Werner already knows what’s in his DNA: how to craft furniture. Working for a company whose lineage of furniture makers traces back to at least 1902, Bassett and Werner are as natural a match as a chair and a table.

“I’m a third-generation furniture owner, so it’s in my blood. My grandma owned a really small furniture store, and they had to work really hard,” he recalled. “I lived in the same building as the furniture store we had, running up and down the stairs in my diapers.”

Starting with Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc., in May 2011 in Salt Lake City, he’s worked up the ranks from the warehouse to customer service manager to sales manager to operations manager to, as of September 2018, store manager.

Devoting so many years to Bassett, it’s no surprise that Werner takes such pride in his roles with the company — especially his latest one. He also found an opening in which he could help people: While working at the SLC location, he often encountered customers who would drive up to five hours from Idaho because they trusted Bassett, which at that point didn’t have a Boise location.

With interactions with those devoted clients still in mind, Werner kept community at the forefront of his mind — and his store’s operations — when he opened the Meridian location with his wife four years ago.

“When the opportunity came for us, future generations and the community, we couldn’t pass it up,” he said. “There’s a lot of work that goes into it — but a lot of pride too.”

All the while, he continues keeping his parents’ model and the hard work they put into their business at the forefront of his mind.

“They wanted the best for their family and envisioned generations of our family being successful,” he reflected. “I want to continue that legacy.”

CHRIS DWYER

POSS ARCHITECTURE + PLANNING AND INTERIOR DESIGN

It’s always a testament to an employee’s success in achieving strong results, and diligent work ethic, when a company hires them back years after they’ve parted ways with the company. It’s an even more decorated accomplishment when that rehiring comes with a superior title.

Seven years elapsed between the time Chris Dwyer left Poss Architecture + Planning in Aspen, Colorado, as a project manager/designer/job captain/associate — and when the company brought him back as project manager and senior associate for its Boise office in February 2022.

Having worked as a project architect at multiple firms in Boise in between those two stints, Dwyer said returning to Poss was like slipping back into an old glove. Even greater was the sense of satisfaction that came with opening the new location in his Boise hometown for an out-of-state company that he also held dear.

It’s no understatement to say that Dwyer feels like he’s giving back to Boise by leading a cutting-edge architectural firm here.

“At Bishop Kelly [High School], when we were freshmen, we had to present in front of our peers and our professors,” he said. “We had to do that so often over five years that it became second nature — which is the ultimate goal, because you’re always going to have to be presenting to somebody: a client, an engineer, a building official. You’re always having to present your ideas verbally as well as graphically.”

The challenges Dwyer overcame in opening Poss’ Boise office included securing space in high-demand downtown Boise and adding a storefront presence to add a retail component, he said.

Equally important was ensuring that the office had “an inclusive vibe, which allows us all to feel comfortable with each other and exchange our thoughts about design concepts,” Dwyer added. “I want to make sure that, even if we’re on deadlines, we can work together in a professional and collaborative manner.”

SCOTT SCHLANGE KEYBANK

As the Idaho Market President of KeyBank, Scott Schlange holds a hefty title with one of the biggest banks in the United States. But Schlange, who leads KeyBank’s Commercial Banking efforts in the state, prefers to consider himself a “shepherd” between the institution and the Treasure Valley.

“My role is to keep my eyes focused on Ada County to make sure we’re helping the right organizations, keeping in touch with our retail teams and stay connected with community stakeholders,” he said.

Schlange collaborates with the Boise Chamber of Commerce, Idaho Technology Council, Northwest Association for Blind Athletes and Idaho Business for Education — to name just a few.

Indeed, a central focus of Schlange’s role at KeyBank is to work with clients to optimize their cash management, equipment finance, and other banking products and services. But as someone who has volunteered his entire life — from teaching literacy in prisons to serving on the Board of Advisors for the Salvation Army — Schlange says philanthropic efforts molded his career.

“From a values standpoint, listening, compassion, action and inspiration are things I’m trying to be good at,” the father of three humbly stated.

He noted that, over the past three to four years, KeyBank’s contributions to impact grants have increased by 25 percent.

Fortunately for Schlange, he doesn’t have to pick between his commercial dealings and philanthropic endeavors: His duties include teaming closely with KeyBank’s Corporate Responsibility Group to work on spending and strategy for outreach efforts.

Even in new capacity as Idaho Market President, a title he assumed in October, Schlange strives to make sure employees of the corporate behemoth feel appreciated on a human level.

“In the president role, I’ve been able to meet with more employees” than in his previous five years at KeyBank, he said. “On work anniversaries, I make a concerted effort to call and thank them — whether it’s someone who’s been here 40 years or six months.”

Photo: @cottoncashmerecathair

DONELL MCNEAL KIDOKINETICS

Donell McNeal knows a thing or two about education. After serving as Principal for the West Ada School District in Meridian for eight years and Assistant Principal for Meridian School District #2 for four years prior to that, McNeal — a father of three — is devoted to enriching the lives of children in his community.

He also knows a thing or two about sports: football in particular. As a former football player for Idaho State University, McNeal also sees values like teamwork, tenacity, celebrating victory and coping with loss as fundamental to childhood development. He also acquired a master’s degree from the same school, in Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services, in 2004.

So it was a shoe-in — or a boot-in, to continue the football metaphor — when the opportunity arose in November for McNeal to begin leading a franchise for Kidokinetics, a sports fitness program for kids of all ages.

“My goal is to help kids who are young — typically between 12 months to 6 years — to have fun, play confidently and leverage their skills with learning and being supportive,” he said. “And I always wanted to have my own franchise and feel like I was leading my own ship.”

As for why he decided to leverage his own experience working in education to Kidokinetics, he candidly stated, “I resigned at end of the year [from West Ada] to transition into social entrepreneurship, and coupling sports with my passion and my purpose of inspiring and motivating young people,” shared McNeal, who lives with his wife in Boise.

More specifically, McNeal is planning to introduce Kidokinetics to daycares, physical-education programs, and even camps and birthday parties, as a way to sway kids into putting technology away and drawing our their active spirit.

“I am manifesting my vision and the vision inside of me that I find when I wake up every day, to partner with families in the community and help the kids,” he said.

ARTICLE BY ROB LANTERMAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE AARON BALL BAND

What’s Idaho Rock?

“Idaho Rock” isn’t a common term, despite the legacies of artists like Paul Revere & The Raiders or Built to Spill. However, internationally recognized Pocatello-born singer/ songwriter Aaron Ball and his band — aka The Aaron Ball Band — have been described as such, and embrace the term. “We have a unique genre of music here,” Ball says. “Every musician I know from Idaho has a unique sound. Reckless Kelly, Micky & the Motor Cars... We have this unique country rock feel.”

Being part of this sound’s legacy, Ball and his bandmates refuse to keep Idaho Rock confined to the Gem State. Since first playing outof-state at Seattle’s Hempfest in 2012, The Aaron Ball Band has toured Australia, New Zealand (where Ball lived for a time), Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and several Caribbean countries. Regardless, Ball can’t shake his roots from his output. “I thought I was a rock and roll musician. Being an American in New Zealand, I was a country guy, no matter what I did or said.” Thus, he became somewhat of an Idahoan musical ambassador, boasting over 23,000 Spotify listeners and sharing the stage with everyone from Nick Jonas to Smash

Mouth. “When we tour, people are curious,” he says. “‘There’s music in Idaho? I thought there [were] just potatoes.’”

In the last decade, The Aaron Ball band put out several releases and earned multiple awards. Their song “Omaha” won them recognition at the Academia Music Awards in Los Angeles in April 2017. Ball also received a vocalist award for the song, “This Road.” Though they recorded their last album in Aukland, they are turning locally to Steve Fulton at Audio Lab for the next release. “Phenomenal stuff comes out of here. We decided to stay home for this one.”

Almost completely independent, The Aaron Ball Band has turned to GoFundMe to cover the cost of their upcoming release. “Crowdfunding’s a unique thing. I think people are skeptical about it anymore,” he says, although he’s optimistic. “People are pretty supportive of music and arts.”

You can find The Aaron Ball Band on all streaming platforms and social media. And to come full circle, the band just played in Boise with future dates on their Facebook Page: @aaronballband .

THE AARON BALL BAND IS TAKING OUR HOMEGROWN SOUND INTERNATIONAL!

Hearth & Home

The quiet power and lasting appeal of James Castle’s quintessential soot-and-spit artworks

ARTICLE BY BOISE CITY DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & HISTORY PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF JAMES CASTLE COLLECTION AND ARCHIVE

James Castle (1899-1977) was a prolific artist and entirely self-taught. He worked with a broad range of found materials and subject matter, making it difficult to align him with any one particular art movement.

Castle’s artwork is often grouped into 5 categories: Soot-and-Spit, Colorworks, Books, Text Works, and Constructions. Many of his works span more than one of these categories and introduce elements that are difficult to categorize at all.

Castle is probably best for his soot-and-spit drawings and was incredibly adept in this technique. He achieved a remarkable range in tones by carefully controlling the ratio of soot to saliva, and using specific application tools, ranging from hand-sharpened sticks to wads of fabric.

While many of these monochromatic works depict his home and daily views, others offer a glimpse into his imagination through abstracted and invented

imagery. From these works a material autobiography emerges, capturing the very essence of the world and time in which Castle lived.

Interestingly, Castle worked with at least two distinct types of soot that would have been used to create different effects.

One type of soot was a very fine, slightly greasy powder that was mixed with saliva to create a viscous ink. This ink could be applied either as a wash or with a sharpened stick, akin to a feather quill, to create precise lines. The other soot type was much coarser and could not be mixed down with saliva effectively, making it a more appropriate material for dry application.

While saliva might seem like a strange material to work with, it actually is much more effective, and archival, than water in bonding the soot to whatever substrate Castle was working on.

The Castle family took part in gathering soot for Castle’s art, banging out the stovepipe whenever the home stove was cleaned and setting aside the gathered soot for use. These stockpiles of soot would be kept in large mason jars or coffee cans.

His sister Peggy was known to gather any materials she thought he could use into a small pile on the kitchen counter, which Castle collected daily. When the family modernized their heating system to a gas furnace, Castle’s brother-in-law Guy Wade began collecting soot from the Boise Veteran’s Hospital where he worked, to ensure Castle had access to his chosen medium.

As well as developing incredible mastery over his materials, Castle also taught himself advanced techniques, such as linear perspective. This drawing of the Eugene Street house is an excellent example of Castle’s technical skill as an artist.

Castle frequently made double-sided drawings to show different views of the same subject. He used this technique to explore the rooms of his home, the landscapes around him, and the buildings on his family’s property.

This artwork offers a unique glimpse into the interior of the Castle family home. The living room depicted is the same space as the gallery; suggestions of the original interior remain visible in the ceiling and walls today.

There is a square patch in the ceiling on the south side of the gallery which covers a stovepipe hole indicating the former location of a wood-burning stove. The two original doors shown in the drawing are still in place on the north wall.

This moody drawing depicts the Shed’s interior. The Shed served as Castle’s primary living space and studio for over 30 years. Compared to the contemporary photograph below, we can see the ways the Shed has, and hasn’t, changed since Castle’s time on site.

Although ice cream cartons were typically reserved for Castle’s more colorful artworks, they proved to be a perfect substrate for his soot-and-spit drawings too. The Castle family must have been particularly fond of vanilla ice cream, as it is the most common flavor represented on the reverse side of these artworks.

With their square heads, boxy bodies, and blank faces, James Castle’s depictions of the human figure are as striking as they are mysterious.

This soot work, drawn on a piece of discarded mail, is of Castle’s Cozy Cottage Trailer. Castle’s sister and brother-in-law purchased the Trailer in 1963. As with the Shed, the Trailer stood just outside the family home, allowing Castle to remain close to his family while giving him a much-desired space of his own. He lived and worked in the Trailer for the last 15 years of his life.

Calendars likely influenced Castle’s frequent use of grid structures. Rather than housing numbers, these grids contained an assortment of images and patterns.

The imagery in this grid is challenging to recognize because its orientation is perpendicular to the rest of the piece.

By reimagining the orientation, you can discern two panels from a comic-style scene with figures speaking to each other in voice bubbles.

The back of this work reveals a doctor’s bill from 1956 for Castle’s brother-in-law, Guy Wade. The Route #3 address was the mailing address for this neighborhood through the 1940s. The street name Castle Drive was then used interchangeably with Route #3 until the late 1950s when the name change became permanent. Rural delivery service was a standard for this area up through the 1950s.

Although Castle did not communicate through speech or writing, he was clearly fascinated with how written language functioned. He represents text in a variety of complex ways which seems to evidence an understanding far greater than often assumed.

Most often drawn with soot, these works use text, and suggestions of text, to imply paragraphs, sentences, mailing addresses, captions, and names. It seems as if Castle also created a cast of “authors” to whom he attributed various works of text.

Shown above is a piece by one of these imaginary authors, Sed, whose name appears like a byline in a magazine under a paragraph of letter pairings. Sed also appears on the back of the work; its orientation changed to better align with the text “Spoon & Napkin Inside.”

It is possible that the two-letter pairings on the front of the work were influenced by the vowel charts Castle encountered during his time at the Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind.

Bound in a Lucky Strike cigarette carton, the pages of this book are filled with a mesmerizing diamond pattern rendered in soot. Dynamic and playful,  this spread shows some of the ways Castle used patterns to create figures, objects, and landscapes.

Castle’s practice of bookmaking likely came from his time at the School for the Deaf and Blind. After the school, originally located in Boise, burned down, limited

supplies required teachers and students to make their own books.

Throughout his life, Castle used his soot-and-spit technique to create direct transcriptions of print materials found in daily life. These recreations of cartoons, advertisements, labels, and even political pamphlets are evidence of his appreciation of form, composition, and contrast.

These political cartoons by illustrator John Fischetti were published in the Idaho Statesman in the early 1950s. They feature recognizable symbols such as the GOP’s Elephant, the White House, and the Soviet Hammer and Sickle.

The “Spy-Paper” cartoon is from another newspaper illustrator, Reg Manning. Castle would have likely seen both Fischetti and Manning’s work regularly, if not daily, over the course of his life. Although Castle often transcribed the content of these cartoons, he never adopted these other artists’ styles as his own.

Castle regularly drew simplified lines and boxes to indicate text in familiar formatting styles. Titles and names are often represented as a series of blocks, while sentences and captions are indicated as light wavy lines or heavy straight strokes, respectively.

According to his family, Castle would rush to be the first to peruse the daily newspaper and collect the discarded print and reading materials of the other members of the household, so this presentation of text is not entirely surprising!

James Castle did not leave behind a diary. We do not have a written record of his thoughts and actions.

But what we do have, through his vast body of artwork, can tell us as much, if not more, about Castle’s life and innermost world if we choose to look closely.

This exhibition, exclusively on view at the  James Castle House through July 29, features nearly 30 original artworks from the City of Boise’s collection. These works are part of a generous gift from the James Castle Collection and Archive and includes a never-before displayed artwork donated by James W. Gilles in 2021.

Teeing Off in Boise

As the Treasure Valley continues to welcome new faces to the community, there has been an influx of individuals swinging for the green. Once thought of as a “stuffy” sport primarily for the well-established gentleman, the golf reputation has been gradually shifting. According to local teaching professional Phil Pollacia from Galaxy 365, as the population of golfers grows, it has become a “more welcoming environment for beginners than ever before, especially here in Boise.”

WHO CAN PLAY GOLF

One of the best things about golf is that it’s a sport for the lifespan. “Even as a kid, I knew I could do it my whole life,” shared Phil, who started swinging a club in his backyard and he slowly grew into the sport that now consumes most of his day. Whether you start as a child, adult or at retirement, it can be a family sport, or one you take up to spend some extra time with friends, your spouse, or business partners. It’s also a sport that does not require

BRINGING GOLF TO THE TREASURE VALLEY FOR ALL AGES AND STAGES

GET ACTIVE | SPORTS + RECREATION

ARTICLE

AND PHOTOGRAPHY

BY ASHLEY LOEB

Bank of Idaho Golf Tournament at Banbury GC

excessive physical exertion. With the option to walk or ride many courses, you get to choose how many steps you’d like to add to your game.

WHY PLAY GOLF

There are many reasons for getting out on the course and taking on the challenge of hitting a small ball into a seemingly smaller hole. For Phil, in addition to being able to take this sport with him across his lifespan, he said, initially, “it was something I could do alone.” Many sports require teams or partners, whereas golf gives you the freedom to play alone or with others.

Golf also allows one to access and enjoy nature. Some of the most beautiful scenery and views can only be accessed on the golf course across the U.S. and several other countries. It’s also one of the few sports that can provide a relaxing way to enjoy the outdoors. How many sports can you partake in where you can also enjoy a cocktail while cruising across scenic landscapes in a cart?

Phil pointed out that golf can also help teach some valuable life lessons and it’s important to go into golf expecting frustration to arise during the game.  “There are a lot of parables you can draw from golf that relate to life. For instance, there’s a lot of things that can stress you out such as bunkers and there are small margins for error. Because of having that mindset that golf gives me, it helps with perseverance in other areas of life.”

Although working through those life lessons solo is an option, comradery can be another benefit for golf-goers. “You meet people from different businesses” which helps professionals like Phil network with others. It’s also just fun to meet people from different walks of life. You might even find yourself like we did on the golf course playing a round with the owner of Wetzel’s Pretzels or a world champion high diver. There are also many events that bring people together on the course.

Companies like Bank of Idaho throw charity event golf tournaments, people celebrate birthdays

and weddings on the golf course, and it’s a place the whole family can spend time together. Other times, it’s just a nice way to enjoy the afternoon with a friend or spouse.

HOW TO PLAY GOLF

“Equipment matters,” Phil emphasized. If you’re really wanting to improve your game and develop good golf habits, investing in a proper set of clubs, which includes irons and wedges, is key for a good golf swing. Among other local club fitters, Golf 365 is one that provides access to Henry Griffitts, the world’s premiere custom fit golf clubs based right here in Idaho. If you’re not sure if you’re ready to fully commit, used clubs can also be purchased at local sporting goods stores. Two of the most important things to consider when picking out clubs are shaft flexibility and the lie angle, or how the club sits on the ground when you hold it in a proper stance. For instance, if the club is too short or long, the lie angle will be off, adversely affecting accuracy and consistency of the golf swing.

Once you’ve got proper clubs, balls, glove, tees, and maybe even a handy range finder to track your distance, it’s good to brush up on golf etiquette before heading out onto the course. One of the most important aspects when being on the course is being aware of your surroundings to avoid hitting others that may be ahead of you. Pace of play is another key aspect to be aware of in the game. Many courses set an average round time and if too much time is spent taking practice shots, or spending several minutes searching for a ball, it slows down the game for everyone.

When beginning to learn the game, Phil recommends starting slow.  If you don’t have access to an executive course, which is shorter than a standard golf course, you can simply start closer to the green. Phil advised, “It’s better to learn the game from the green back.” In other words, work on the short game, like putting and chipping, and slowly work back to the tees. And as a novice, picking up the ball

Treasure Valley also offers year-round golf options in indoor and outdoor venues, some of which provide clubs or allow your own.

OUTDOOR VENUES

Beginner-Friendly Public Courses

BOISE: Pierce Park Greens; Indian Lakes; Warm Springs

STAR: River Birch

WILDER: River Bend

Additional Local Public Golf Courses

BOISE: Quail Hollow; Boise Ranch

NAMPA: Red Hawk

CALDWELL: Timberstone

EAGLE: Banbury

GARDEN CITY: Shadow Valley

KUNA: Falcon Crest

Greater Idaho Public Courses

Sun Valley Golf Resort

Coeur d’Alene Resort

Circling Raven

The Idaho Club

INDOOR VENUES

BOISE: Golf 365; Golf Galaxy ; X-Golf ; GolfTec

MERIDIAN: PGA Golf Store; TopGolf (Indoor/Outdoor)

EAGLE: Golf Your Way

Phil Pollacia Golf 365

on occasion allows for practice without getting overly frustrated or trying to take shots that are difficult even for the professional.

During time away from the course, taking a lesson or two, or more, is never a bad idea. Golf is a never ending learning process. “There’s always room for improvement,” shared Phil, even for the professional. And of course, as with any skill you want to improve, practice is key. Finding someone who’s more seasoned or taking lessons from a professional can ignite excitement for the game, and it’s also helpful to continue lessons to maintain or improve if you want to take things to the next level.

After spending more time on the course, you’re also likely to start picking up on some of the lingo or golf jargon that comes along with the game. For the novice player, mulligans give you a second chance to swing. You may also need to yell “Fore!” to warn others of your shanked shot! When someone seems excited about getting a “birdie” or “eagle,” it’s because they got the ball into the hole under par, not because they hit an unsuspecting feathered friend! If you decide to up your golf game to a more competitive status, signing up for a handicap through USGA will be critical because it represents your ability based on prior rounds played.

WHERE TO PLAY GOLF

“There’s definitely a market for golf courses,” Phil speculated, as there does not seem to be enough golf courses for the growing population of golfers in Boise. Nevertheless, there are several courses currently to choose from that include ranges and putting greens.

Thankfully, Boise also offers year-round golf options. Top Golf brings golfers and non-golfers together in an indoor/outdoor facility that provides clubs or allows you to bring your own clubs to practice to improve your game or play a round of Angry Birds golf. Several venues offer lessons or simulator rental time on indoor golf simulators with virtual golf ranges or courses in addition to club fittings and swing analysis. For instance, Galaxy 365 has an About Golf simulator that gives you access to 70 different courses, all from the comfort of indoors, and also has one of the most accurate ball tracking technologies available. Be sure to check out my golf photos from around the state on CityLifestyle.com . No matter where you choose to play, remember to have fun!

CDA Golf Resort Range Bank of Idaho Golf Tournament at Banbury GC

BUILDING A BETTER BOISE

Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Bill Connors Reflects on Career

The Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce’s longest-serving CEO will retire in 2023, leaving behind a legacy that will shape Boise for years to come.

Bill Connors serves as the Chamber’s President and CEO, having taken the role in 2009.

“I think our downtown is one of the most robust downtowns in all of the United States,” Connors said. “I interact with lots of my counterparts around the country. Many of them are envious of what we have in our downtown: a rich diversity of housing and commercial and government and unique kinds of properties, whether they be restaurants or pubs or independent hotels. It’s got everything you want in a city.”

Connors said Boise has benefitted greatly from the Chamber’s collaboration with the Boise Valley Economic Partnership and the Boise Convention & Visitors Bureau. He gave an example from four years ago, when the Economic Partnership came to him about Idaho’s potential as home for datacenters.

“There’s a lot to be proud of, but I’m mostly proud of building a great staff and a really good board. I think we have the most influential board in Idaho.”

“Idaho’s kind of perfect. It’s got affordable electricity, we’ve got lots of water, and we don’t have lots of natural disasters. And that’s what they want.”

But they weren’t coming. As it turned out, Idaho didn’t have a tax exemption on equipment, which datacenters are hugely reliant on. The partnership went to work, supporting legislation, bringing in a large datacenter convention, and advocating for Boise and the Treasure Valley’s potential.

“Now we’ve got a huge datacenter going in at Kuna,” Connors said. “That’s how [the partnership] works here, and it works well.”

Connors’ leadership has also seen increased nonstop air routes. Regarding additional travel options, Connor said he plans to keep working until retirement on the goal of bringing Amtrak back into the area.

The search is on for Connors’ replacement, and he already has some wisdom prepared (gleaned from a bumper sticker he saw).

“It very much applied to my own life: ‘Don’t try to change Boise. Let Boise change you.’ You have certainly changed me and my wife, and we feel healthier. We live a nicer life. We as people have become nicer. You know, the whole ‘Boise nice’ thing, there’s a reality to that that’s instantly noticeable to outsiders. We desperately need to keep that alive.”

As for Connors himself, he’s not sure what his retirement will bring yet.

“My immediate plan is to relax and enjoy the beautiful city that we have collectively built together. It’s a time-consuming job, so I’m going to enjoy it. We moved here 15 years ago from D.C. This is where we plan to retire. But I’ll go nuts if I don’t do something, so we’ll see what rolls around.”

Photo: @knowlesgallery

THE TREEFORT EXPERIENCE

Capturing the essence of artistic expression at the 11th annual Treefort Music Festival

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY GERALD ADAMSON

As a photographer, my passion lies in capturing the essence of a moment where emotions and energy intertwine to create something truly magical. The annual Treefort Music Festival offers the perfect platform to capture these moments of enchantment. This vibrant event showcases over 500 artists from around the world, celebrating the diversity of artistic expression and creativity. Set against the backdrop of the dynamic downtown Boise, this festival offers a unique experience that transcends beyond just music. Whether you’re into alt-country or synth-pop electronica, the festival promises something for everyone to enjoy. @gkadamson

Causeway

Causeway

Angel Abaya

Big Joanie

Causeway

Meltt Meltt

Dinosaur Jr.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Boise + Eagle Events

JUNE 2023

1 — DESIGN YOUR HOME AS A PRESENT!

The Grove, 12:30 PM: Find out how Outlive Design is helping to democratize interior design. outlivedesign.com

2 — ART AND APPETIZERS FIRST FRIDAY

The Riverside Hotel, 5:30 PM: The breathtaking photos created by Heather Rae for her “Flavors of the West” show capture the true spirit of the west and the people that flourish there. eventbrite.com

3 — IDC 100 RELIABILITY ENDURO

Idaho City Visitors Center, 9:00 AM: The purpose of this is to advance the sport of off-road motorcycling. boiseridgeriders.org

3 — WALKABOUT BOISE

Basque Museum and Cultural Center, 10:00 AM: Participate in a walking tour that covers 150 years of Boise’s history and architecture. preservationidaho.org

3 — THE URBAN CULTURAL FASHION SHOW

TRICA Preschool of the Arts, 3:00 PM: Come see culture and high fashion at their finest and help us celebrate them! c ultureforchangefoundation.org

6 — ROLL ON - A TRIBUTE TO ALABAMA

The Riverside Hotel, 7:00 PM: They deliver the lively mix of classic country and rock and roll that defines the Alabama style. sapphiresocietyboise.com

9 — EVENING IN THE GARDEN

FarWest Landscape & Garden Center, 5:30 PM: Bid on unique Idaho experiences, including weekend getaways, paintings from Boise artists, and more. eveninginthegarden.afrogs.org

7 — 2023 BAF KICKBALL LEAGUE

Ivywild Park, 6:00 PM: What could be better than a summertime kickball league, complete with sunshine, cold beer, and friendly competition? Recruit your squad right away and get ready to have a blast! boiseadfed.org

8 — TREE CITY TANGO

Ochos, 7:30 PM: It aspires to provide the finest environment for social dancing and learning by bringing leading instructors. tangoboise.com

10 — GET OUTDOORS DAY

Ram Restaurant & Brewery, 10:00 AM: Participate in IBO’s Boise Greenbelt clean-up to show your appreciation for our lands. idahobo.org

11 — PARKTACULAR HOPEFEST ‘23

Expo Idaho, 1:00 PM: A variety of musical acts will perform at a free outdoor community concert as part of this one-day festival of hope.  895ktsy.org

15 — KASHD OUT

The Olympic Venue, 7:00 PM: Kash’d Out, a reggae/rock band from Florida, will perform at The Olympic on June 15th. kashdout.com

18 — SWADALL DAY

Boise Hawks, 12:30 PM: A catch on the field will follow the game, so don’t forget your mitts! The Hawks are only giving away tickets to this game. fundraising@swadall.com

20 — DISNEY’S ALADDIN

The Morrison Center, 7:30 PM: Experience a magical adventure like no other with Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway. morrisoncenter.com

24 — GOOD GRIEF WORKSHOP: LIVE YOUR GRIEF

True North Yoga, 1:00 PM: If you need a place to talk about your feelings without fear of judgment, please come to us. iyengaryogaboise.com

24 — AN EVENING WITH FLEETWOOD MASK

Knitting Factory Boise, 8:30 PM: Featuring Fleetwood Mac’s greatest live performances, hit songs, and fan-favorite deep cuts. fleetwoodmask.com

26 — THE LIFE BENEATH OUR FEET

Idaho Botanical Garden, 8:30 AM:  Learners will study the Garden, learn about different types of soil, observe the germination of seeds, and understand the significance of maintaining a healthy soil ecosystem.  idahobotanicalgarden.org