Getting artsy in Wallace
Photos courtesy of SALLY UTLEY/ Lorna Barrowman enjoys demonstrating her painting methods during the day in Bazja’s garden.
Artists Karen Conrad (front center) displays her work while guests visit with other artists in the background.
Corki Mattila stands with her original creative printing wares at home, which is surrounded with the garden plantings her husband Elmer designs and cares for.
Rebecca and Skye O’Briant’s tent full of mixed-media creations on Bank St. in front of Susan Walker’s next door house.
A display rack of Lorna Barrowman’s paintings set in Charles and Jan Bazja’s yard by his huge vegetable garden and possibly the only Silver Valley vineyard.
Art ’n Garden Tour a success
By CHANSE WATSON
Managing Editor
WALLACE – Only 2 years in and the Arts Wallace “Art ’n Garden Tour” looks to be building a strong following.
The most recent tour was held on July 21 across Wallace and saw 21 artists, 12 homeowners and numerous patrons of the arts show up to make the young event a memorable one.
Those who attended picked up a map showing where each participating home/garden/artist was located in town, then traveled to a participating spot to see what they had to offer. Upon arriving at their destinations, art lovers then had the opportunity to get out and admire what was presented first hand. Home owners were available to chat with and even some of the artists could found demonstrating their talents, selling their works, and answering questions.
Arts Wallace treasurer and garden tour committee member Sally Utley said that early feedback from participants was very positive and the 2019 3rd annual event will build upon this year’s success by including more new gardens and artists.
“I’d say everything cooperated, including the weather!” she said. “Our gracious Wallace home owners made their gardens or studios a wonderful showcase for our members to sell their art in...artists and patrons alike commented on the wonderful quality of the variety of works for sale and the friendliness of the garden hosts.”
15 of this years 21 participating artists were from the Silver Valley and Coeur d’Alene areas.
Arts Wallace is a non-profit volunteer group that strives to foster cooperation between all types of the arts and to encourage the growth of the arts in this area. Utley explained that the group started the Art ’n Garden Tour in 2017 to “encourage people to visit Wallace and get to know the beauty of our residential area as a showcase for a variety of regional art.”
“Of course, we hope the visitors will stay around for dinner, chocolate dessert treats, and a melodrama show too!” she added.
In preparation for the tour, Arts Wallace members started getting things together in January. Between assigning artists to locations, advertising and designing the tour guide/map; a lot of work went into getting everything ready for July.
A neat aspect of these guides is that they included the original renderings of the local homes, drawn by 506 Bank Street artist Fulton Gadbois.
This year’s tour also ran concurrently with the Art Wallace Members group show held through the month of July at the Wallace Coffee House and in The EurekaSally Gallery of Art & Chocolate.
For more information on Arts Wallace or the event, visit ArtsWallace.org, email info@artswallace.org, or call/text 406-212-5936.
-