Traffic Box Art

When I say "traffic control box," what comes to mind? Does a boring gray metal box--occasionally tagged with graffiti--sound about right? In our fair city of Boise, a resident may describe a traffic control box as a vibrant piece of public art. Idaho artists have decorated 145 traffic boxes throughout the city, thanks to funding by the Boise City Department of Arts & History. I cannot offer enough praise for the valuable public art projects created by this organization.

I earned a traffic box artwork commission last summer at the intersection of Goddard and Glenwood, near Capital High School. A neighborhood council selected my oil painting depicting the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic as the subject. I had only to create a digital file to share with Traffic Wrapz, the company who installed the vinyl wrap around the box. It's weather proof, resistant to graffiti, and cut precisely to fit. I am very impressed with the installation.

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Maggie & Betsy - Portraits in Still Life

I recently accepted a painting commission with a concept I utterly adore. The patron, Ashley, asked me to create two paintings inspired by her two daughters' personalities using their favorite foods as a vehicle of expression. The painting with a pea and French macaroons represents Betsy, a two year-old as described by Ashley as thus:

• Betsy is our clever, gregarious little clown
• She loves to make people laugh and loves to laugh
• She is feisty and rather demanding, but quick to pull a funny face
• Her favorite foods are honey, cookies, frozen peas, and baby oranges

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"Betsy" | oil on linen | 4x6"

Here is Ashley's description of her older daughter, a four year-old named Maggie:

• Maggie is very empathetic, articulate, creative and insightful
• She is a little bit serious and a little bit of a know-it-all
• She takes her role of big sister very seriously - adores her baby sister and loves teaching her new things
• Her favorite foods are spaghetti, ice-cream (in cones), asparagus and broccoli

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"Maggie" | oil on linen | 6x4"

Boise Junk Drawer

Every two years, the Department of Arts & History calls artists to submit visual artwork currently for sale or a proposed artwork for their collection, the Boise Visual Chronicle. I submitted a proposed painting for the 2014 BVC application, and much to my delighted surprise, the City chose my proposal for the collection.

I call this 14" x 14" oil painting the "Boise Junk Drawer." To me, living in Boise means enjoying recreation in foothills, mountains and rivers without sacrificing the culture of larger cities in visual and performing arts, music and food. We get it all. I thought about how to capture these traits in a still life painting and came up with a junk drawer concept. Everyone has one. These drawers are full of little anthropomorphic symbols of our daily activities.

Local businesses represented:

• Guru Donuts "Hipsterberry" doughnut
• Plate by Mike Sowers of Classic Lines Pottery
• Flying M Coffeehouse mug
• Coaster from the music venue and bar Neurolux
• Member sticker from Boise Contemporary Theater

Symbols of outdoor life and recreation:

• Smith Optics ski goggles (based in Sun Valley)
• Ridge to Rivers trail guide to the Boise foothills
• Camping "spork"
• Sport climbing carabiner
• Hand-tied stone fly and Mickey Finn streamer for fly fishing
• Bike chain purchased at Boise Bicycle Project
• Dog leash and Boise Parks & Rec pet waste bag

Other nods to life in Boise and Idaho:

• Built to Spill album "Keep it Like a Secret"
• Ernest Hemingway novels, "A Farewell to Arms" and "Death in the Afternoon" (Hemingway loved to fish on Silver Creek and owned a home in Ketchum where he died)
• Charcoal pencils representing our visual artists
• Sewing shears honoring the craftspeople of Capital City Public Market and indie shops
• Hardwood table with junk drawer handmade by my father and me
• Wood floors in my 1917 home in the West End, a mile from downtown Boise