I have been privileged to be involved in the creation of Boise’s first artist in residence program.  What started as a private/public opportunity between 8th Street Marketplace and the City of Boise has blossomed into a program that continues to evolve and grow, with other Boise-area landlords getting excited about offering residencies.  We are lucky to have been supported by local television media, and our print sponsor, Idaho Arts Quarterly/Boise Weekly.

I continue to be “inspired by the inspired” during this strange and evolutionary time in world and US history.  We have our first black president.  We are in the midst of a global temperature crisis and a global financial crisis.  We’re still at war.  And yet, on a much more personal level day to day, I experience much less of this and much more a view of people and businesses who are taking this opportunity to better themselves, to listen harder to people they may have overlooked, to take a risk on things that may net magnificent results because it aligns with this time of change.

Not the least of these examples is something I have observed watching the creative class.  Just in our 8th Street AiR program, I have seen an installation/visual artist and a choreographer move on to career changing collegiate teaching positions, another visual artist accomplish placement in shows in Hong Kong and Portland, and a theatre troupe supporting local writers in the Boise community.

Another painter is showing her large scale work at local coffee shops and continues to produce beautiful work.   A poet permanently changed the Boise public’s impression of creative writing with about 40 people crammed into a small room “library circle style” to watch a humorous and dramatic live reading.   And a portrait artist discovered a whole new vein of creativity and endeavors to paint a portrait on a motorcycle for a live audience.

I have watched people’s faces change visibly as they take in a piece of work they don’t completely understand, and through their dialogue with the artist, watched them leave their visit to AiR with little spring in their step, their shoulders a little lower, a visible release from the “daily grind” of life.  It’s amazing how many visitors to AiR simply want to talk about their own creative pursuits, share them with the artists, and get feedback about how to step out on their own limb and actualize their own creativity.

I am not convinced that this joining together would be as common if it weren’t for where we are during this time in history.  I am grateful to be part of this time and this transition, and I look forward to seeing Boise’s support of artist in residence programs expand into something large enough to reach a layer deeper and inspire a whole new potential.

Creating culture.

Walking on AiR.

As I was preparing for First Thursday at the AiR studios last week, I couldn’t help wondering what the turnout would be like.  Boise’s First Thursday has been growing but hasn’t had the concentrated buzz of a bigger market. Lots of other events were happening this month.  Etsy artists at the Pioneer Building, a BSU Portfolio Show at Beside Bardenay, and of course the much anticipated Modern Art 2009.

Like any good brand maven I believe in the positive power of competition and choices, but I was a bit concerned.  I shouldn’t have been worried.

We had about 20 people walking into AiR on the dot at 5pm.  All of the wine was gone before 8pm.  It was not the super massive “once a year” crowd that pulsed at the Modern, but we had bursts of 25-35 people at a time and constant traffic all night with a total more than 300 in attendance all evening, which was a larger group than we have ever had before at AiR.  Receiving the much deserved attention were Johanna Kirk and her dancers who had staged an entire mini-set to support their performance art choreography, Laci McCrea painting in real time and chatting up the public with massive canvases hanging all around her, and the outstanding Kirsten Furlong showing a fully branded exhibit that made her installation in the space feel like a finished gallery.

As we begin a new call to artists for 8th Street AiR this month, I am inspired by the fact that First Thursday is becoming a destination, an event, and something that people can look forward to and inspire them to create.  I am hopeful that this will result in an expanding creative consciousness in Boise.

Funny how so much mainstream and commercial depression has created such momentum in the realm of the arts.  I guess this has always been true, but what an amazing thing to experience firsthand.  Regarding my initial concern, I stand corrected.  Now more than ever, I believe in the power of collaboration and the opportunity that comes from exhibiting creativity with an open mind.