Gallery Cushing Terrell is Back!

During the pandemic, we took a hiatus, but are so excited to welcome the Boise community back to our space to meet a new artist, Garth Claassen, during First Thursday on October 5, 2023.

Visit the gallery inside
Cushing Terrell’s Boise office:

800 W. Main St., Ste. 800
Traditionally: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
re-opening on October 5, 2024.

Featured Artist: Garth Claassen, Wall to Wall

For many years, the image of the wall has been a recurrent feature in my work. I grew up in racially segregated South Africa, and walls and other sorts of barriers, both physical and psychological, were very much a part of that experience. Yet what I have found is that the repeated use of a metaphorical image has the effect of making it more layered, and so what started as “wall-equals-repression” has become more complex. I think this is because my work is quite process-driven.

These pieces were made in a long, unfinished studio space I have occupied for twenty-five years. A twenty-yard stretch of drywall has been my drawing board. Over the years, it became pockmarked with thousands of pushpin holes, streaks, dribbles, and blotches of paint. Because I work on paper or Tyvek that is pinned to the wall, the texture of these marks appears on the surfaces of my pieces, and I encourage this by scraping and blotting the many layers of thin paint. I love the fact that textures on the wall from previous sessions become part of the history of each new work. In this case, the wall becomes a positive thing. Photos of the studio wall are also collaged into the small panels in my Lost and Found series. So, while this exhibition is about walls, it is also about memory.

Usually, I try to show only recent work, but in this exhibition, I have included a few earlier pieces to suggest how my use of wall images has changed. I was also especially happy to be showing my work in Gallery Cushing Terrell, which is supported by the architecture and design firm of the same name. Walls and other architectonic forms seemed appropriate to the context.

–Garth Claassen

Past Exhibitors

Dave Thomas
davethomasart.com

Erin Cunningham
erincunningham.net

April VanDeGrift
aprilvandegrift.com

Artisans For Hope
artisansforhope.com

Dave Darraugh
hirambutler.com

Kathleen Probst
kathleenprobst.com

Chris Binion
chrisbinionartist.com

Jill AnnieMargaret
jillanniemargaret.com

Jonathan Sadler
newcatalogue.net

Noble Hardesty
swellboise.com

Anna Ura
annaura.com

Kirsten Furlong
kirstenfurlong.com

Geoffrey Krueger
@daily_dose_of_painting

Troy Passey
troypasseyart.com

William Lewis
wmlewispainting.com

Charles Gill
stewartgallery.com

Cody Rutty
codyrutty.com

How it All Began

The idea of hosting gallery space in the Boise arm of our architecture and engineering firm was born during the programming phase for our new offices. We facilitated multiple sessions, asking Cushing Terrell colleagues: “What is important to you regarding your working environment?” We focused on three areas: the physical environment, culture, and an “anything goes” wishlist.

Through this process, we learned the arts and a connection to the community were among top priorities. Rather than showcasing our own work, we decided to highlight pieces from accomplished artists within our region. Our overarching goal: to inspire the public to visit our office and give artists the opportunity to display their work. We encourage featured artists to be innovative and exploratory — mirroring the culture we enjoy at Cushing Terrell.

Our firm commissioned Gallery Cushing Terrell’s first exhibitor, Cody Rutty, for a piece that still hangs in Boise’s main conference room.

Contact a Curator

  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
0:00
0:00