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STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK The most difficult part about creating a new art show in the Wood River Valley was deciding which artists to feature in the show. That’s the dilemma Tewa “She Sends” Evans faced when she curated the first Senior Artist Exhibition. After all, there are no shortage of superb artists over 50, over 60, even over 70 in the valley. Evans did manage to winnow down her list, and the first Senior Artist Exhibition will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday April 18 at The Senior Connection, 731 3rd Avenue S. in Hailey. The free evening of art, music, hors d’oeuvres and libations will include a silent auction and raffle.
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Poo Wright-Pulliam has painted several Wood River Land Trust preserves throughout the valley and served as Artist-in-Residence at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.
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And a portion of the sales will benefit The Senior Connection. Though the evening is free, people are encouraged to RSVP at 208-788-3468 so enough hors d’oeuvres can be prepared. “We are thrilled to showcase the incredible artwork of our senior artists highlighting the importance of lifelong learning, creativity and self-expression,’ said Jovita Pina, executive director of The Senior Connection. Artists featured in the exhibition are Evans, a multimedia artist; acrylic painter Kathleen Cameron; oil painter Deanna Schrell, multimedia artist Poo Wright-Pulliam; jewelry maker Bob Rodman; multimedia artist and painter David Rau; multimedia artist Don Yeager and multimedia artist Chris “He Leads the Grass” Evans.
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Deanna Schrell gets inspiration for her landscapes, including this painting—“Golden Hour”—while hiking up and down the Wood River Valley.
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““I’m doing this because I’m a senior—86 years young. We’re calling it ‘Art Beyond Age,’ ” said Evans. “We’re demonstrating that creativity is a lifetime journey and that age is just a number. Older artists have the benefit of having traveled the world and having their art reflect their different places they’ve traveled, the different people’s they’ve met. Artists see the world and express it every day.” Evans has long been a multimedia artist using pencil and pastel, watercolor and photography. She’s designed laminated place mats for Dang’s two restaurants in Hailey. And she’s designed wearable art, including a faux black mink coat lined with oriental brocade so that it’s reversible. And she says she will have some of that on display at the Art Show. Yeager is particularly fond of creating collages. He goes through magazines and calendars that friends give him and cuts out pictures and words that interest him. He then lays out pictures and words that can tell a story. When he can, he uses humor, such as using a baby bottom to indicate “I’m a little behind.”
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Don Yeager looks at life through a whimsical eye, and it shows up in his work.
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“I see so many beautiful things in different magazines and books. I say: You don’t need to be in a book. You need to be in a collage. Then I invite viewers to discover for themselves.” Evans has curated numerous exhibitions and events over the years. They include a Pow Wow featuring a native Mohawk band from Quebec that she staged at Steve McQueen’s former Second Chance Ranch to celebrate Native Americans on Columbus Day, an art sale for NAMI, “I even curated an event celebrating the premiere of ‘Dances with Wolves’ movie in the Caribbean,” she said.
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Poo Wright-Pulliam’s love of birding shows up in many of her paintings.
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