Visual Arts: Where there’s a wall, there’s art

‘Drawn to the Wall III,” a site-specific installation, is under way at Gonzaga University’s Jundt Art Museum.

For the third time, museum director J. Scott Patnode has invited five artists to create a drawing on identical 8-by-11 1/2-foot portable walls in the museum’s art gallery.

This year’s artists with work on the walls are Richard Schindler, Gina Freuen and Ken Yuhasz of Spokane, and Michelle Forsyth and Kevin Haas of Pullman.

“It’s a very colorful and fun show,” says Karen Kaiser, assistant curator for education. “People won’t be disappointed.”

After the exhibition ends Oct. 6, the walls will be painted over, leaving no trace of the original artwork.

Meet the artists tonight at a free public reception from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Jundt. A free public walk-through with Kaiser begins at 10 a.m. Friday.

The 28-minute video “Jim Dine: A Self-Portrait on the Walls” runs on Saturdays throughout the exhibit (except for Sept. 22) at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. in the Jundt Lecture Hall.

Also showing is “Robert Sperry,” an exhibition of ceramic plates, in the Arcade Gallery. Gonzaga art professor Terry Gieber will give a free lecture, “The World of Robert Sperry,” on Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

Coeur d’Alene ArtWalk

Longtime fishing buddies Harold Balazs and Mel McCuddin are showing “a bunch” of new work at the Art Spirit Gallery in “Codgers A.A.R.T.”

“A.A.R.T. is not a true acronym,” says gallery owner Steve Gibbs. “It is just funny and spells ‘art.’ ”

The two veteran artists are old friends who have been making art in the Inland Northwest for more than half a century.

Balazs’ 63 three-dimensional whimsy works are sharing space with McCuddin’s 62 abstract figurative oil paintings.

“Mel is showing his traditional offbeat paintings, which are as untraditional as you can get,” says Gibbs.

Balazs works in a variety of mediums including cement, metal, wood, clay, enamel and wrought iron. In this show his art includes enamel and mixed-media assemblage wall hangings, along with pedestal and floor sculpture.

“Harold brought in about eight sculptures that are human scale or larger,” says Gibbs.

In addition to their individual work, the artists collaborated on one joint piece, “McCuddin and Balazs make their own Grimes.”

“It’s a wood piece that was sculpted by Harold and painted by Mel,” says Gibbs. “It is their homage to the world of Robert Grimes.”

Meet Balazs and McCuddin at an artists’ reception at the gallery, 415 Sherman Ave. in Coeur d’Alene.

The Art Spirit Gallery is part of the second Friday Coeur d’Alene Art Walk where downtown art galleries celebrate the visual arts. The majority of shows opening Friday will be up through September.

Other galleries include:

“Angel Gallery of Fine Art & Antiques, 423 Sherman Ave.: Robert Krogle’s romantic impressionist pieces along with Tate Bare’s nature-oriented pottery and vessels. Live demonstrations.

“Coeur d’Alene Galleries, Coeur d’Alene Resort Lobby: Impressionist paintings by G. Harvey and inspirational paintings by James Seward.

“Devin Galleries, 507 Sherman Ave.: Western bronze sculptures by David Lemon.

“Frame of Mind Gallery and Framing, 119 N. Second St.: Raku pottery by Bill Meehan, and paintings by Carrie Stuart Parks, Carl Funseth, Barbara Peretti, Jim Carkhuff and Nona Hengen.

“JD Gray’s Jewelry Design, 210 Sherman Ave.: Sculptured jewelry by Jon Gray. Eclectic collection of paintings and art glass.

“Northwest Artists, 217 Sherman Ave.: Sculptor Vern Judkins transforms wood, silver and semi-precious stones into contemporary, three-dimensional forms.

“The Painter’s Chair Fine Art Gallery, 223 Sherman Ave.: Bronze work by Karl Lansing and contemporary dichroic glass sculptures by Toland Sand. Live music.

“Story Woods Gallery, 206 N. Third St.: Works by Charles White, Barbara Felisky, Alexander Dzigurski II, John Caggiano, Stephen Schubert and Griffith Bryan.

“Studio 107, 107 N. Fourth St.: Plein air painter Kate Weisberg’s landscapes and portraits reflecting her time in Southern France and Peru.

“Summer’s Glass, 211 Sherman Ave.: Fused glass works by local artists. Free fused glass workshop.

Downtown restaurants featuring art include Barrel Room No. 6, Brix, The Beacon, Cricket’s Steakhouse, Pita Pit and The Wine Cellar.

Whitworth’s ‘In House’

Whitworth University’s biennial faculty show, “In House,” opens the academic exhibition season on Monday in the Fine Arts Gallery.

The show includes handmade books, sculpture, ceramics, painting, printmaking and graphic design.

The exhibit features art by Gordon Wilson, Scott Kolbo, Pauline Haas, Barbara Filo and Walter “Spike” Grosvernor.

There also works by Bradd Skubinna, Carl Stejer, Erin Wenz, Stephen Rue, Meagan Stirling, Lance Sinnema and visiting artist Chris Baskin.

The exhibit runs through Oct. 25 in the gallery in the Fine Arts Building on the north Spokane campus, 300 W. Hawthorne Road.

A public reception is Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. in the gallery, followed by a question-and-answer session with the artists.

Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free; call (509) 777-3258 for information.

Studio tour

More than 25 artists are showing their work during the fourth annual, self-guided Spokane Town and Country Studio Tour on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Studios and artists include:

“Studio 1, 3321 W. Holyoke Ave.: Vicki West and Fabian Napolsky, watercolors; Nathaniel Morse, photography; Isaac Smith, architectural art glass and oils; Jeff Harris, pottery.

“Studio 2, 6017 N. F St.: Irene Dahl, egg tempera and oil on copper paintings; Dian Allison, paintings; Linda Lowry, travel photography; Kyle Patterson, clay; Olivia Waterman, mixed-media and silk paintings.

“Studio 3, 727 E. Wabash Ave.: Darrell Sullens, oils; Patti Osebold, Japanese paper dolls and origami; Dian Zahner, watercolors; Keiko Von Holt, Sumi-e and watercolor paintings; Lezlie Finet, ceramics; Thelma Giampetri, pastels.

“Studio 4, 7903 N. Regal St.: Marsha Marcuson, oil and acrylic paintings; Carol Schmauder, watercolor paintings; Shirley Hackett, oils; Toni Spencer, silk batiks; Nadine Sherman, watercolor, glass painting; Stuart Hurd, metal sculpture.

“Studio 5, 12226 N. Ruby St.: Angelia Di Chiara-Hardin, acrylics, and Victoria Brace, oils; Hilda Bradshaw, pottery; Bari Cordia Federspiel, watercolors; Carole Peterson, mixed media, paintings.

For a printable map go online to www.studioarttour.com.

Other galleries

“William Layman, guest curator of the “River of Memory: The Everlasting Columbia” exhibition at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, will discuss the exhibit today from 6 to 8 p.m. in the museum auditorium. The cost is $7 for adults, $5 for students/seniors, which includes admission to the museum, 2316 W. First Ave.

“Shirley Arrants’ mixed-media exhibit, “Artistic Visions,” opens today with an artist’s reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at The Old Church Arts and Culture Center, 405 Williams St. in Post Falls. She is showing a series of genre paintings, “Women of the American Experience.”