In the heart of downtown Moscow, the Third Street Gallery created a space for artistic expression and creative representation. The gallery, put together by the City of Moscow Arts Staff and members of the Moscow Arts Commission, worked together to create artistic direction for the space.
From April 15 to July 2, the gallery will present its exhibit Silver and Gold, where University of Idaho Art and Design alumni will show their work as artists.
“The exhibition celebrates the passage of time and growth in the Vandal community by featuring past and present works from participating artists,” Megan Cherry, City of Moscow arts program manager said. “The show is inclusive of artwork created during artists’ studies at the University of Idaho and examples of recent work.”
Opening in September 1997, the gallery was shown work from artists from the Palouse and “broader Inland Northwest” and has featured artwork in a range of media, Cherry said.
“The Third Street Gallery celebrates the creative excellence of the region in a well-loved public space,” Cherry said.
In the exhibit, many alumni living on the Palouse will show their work along with others from Hayden, Idaho and Providence, Utah. Aaron Johnson, assistant professor at UI and alumnus, will be showing at the gallery. Johnson has presented at the gallery multiple times, starting when he was a graduate student. Working with the Palouse Plein Air event, Johnson will be presenting a Plein air piece of Moscow Mountain in the spring.
Cherry said it is important to have an exhibit dedicated to alumni’s work because it “lays the groundwork for a lifetime of creative growth.”
“While there are certainly many ways to become an artist, those who enroll in courses or complete degrees in the arts often describe their higher education experiences as transformational,” Cherry said. “Some establish life-long friendships with their cohort, and others describe their art classes as a place where they found their creative voice. The exhibition highlights the ongoing creative work of the artists, but also provides a glimpse into the cultural impact of UI Art and Design program.”
The gallery and arts staff have been watching or opportunities to host an opening night, but because of COVID-19 they have not set a date and time. They still welcome community members to visit the gallery while wearing a mask and socially distancing. Going to the gallery, visitor group sizes are limited to six people and those who feel sick are asked not to enter City Hall.
In the future, the next exhibition the gallery will present is Ctrl+P, showing printmakers’ work across an array of media.
“In the 21st century, dozens of printmaking methods exist, but each one shares a common purpose: to transfer ink onto a support,” Cherry said. “Evolving technologies in this medium have broadened the scope of possibility for visual and verbal communication, and Ctrl+P at the Third Street Gallery welcomes all modes of printmaking. Whether woodcuts made with a hand-carved block or digital images finalized with the familiar Ctrl+P keystroke, prints of all types are connected to the long tradition of the medium.”
Emily Pearce can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @Emily_A_Pearce