(Blair Williams) My name is Blair Williams and I'm the owner
of the Art Spirit Gallery here in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The Art
Spirit Gallery was founded twenty years ago by John Thamm
and Steve Gibbs in a little house just down the street from
where we stand now. In a effort, really, to promote and cultivate
local and regional artists and help build audience for them.
Steve Gibbs owned and operated the gallery then and about
fourteen years ago moved into this grand space here on Sherman
and we've been going strong ever since. One of the things that
makes the Art Spirit Gallery different or unique from other
galleries is that once a month we take everything off the
walls, patch and paint and hang an entirely new show. That show
is aimed at featuring one or more artists and really
showcasing their work. This month we are featuring famed
regional artist, Harold Balazs. And Harold is best known
throughout the Northwest for his large public artworks, some
amazing architectural artistry everything from banks to
churches to public spaces et cetera. This year's show
features work from every decade of Harold's work as far back as
the fifties all the way to present day. You're going to see
work that is original and exciting and always makes you
smile. When Steve Gibbs began the gallery he also began to
develop the art community as a whole here and that included the
development of the ArtWalks that take place monthly here in Coeur
d'Alene the second Friday, and the Coeur d'Alene Arts and
Cultural Alliance. During the ArtWalks our community comes
together to celebrate each other to celebrate the art work to
celebrate the artists to mix and mingle and talk with one another
and connect all around the idea of art. (Allen Dodge) The
openings once a month at the Art Spirit Gallery are a festivity.
It's a terrific community effort and everybody participates. It's
one of those things that knits the community together. (Mason
Miles) My name is Mason Miles and I'm the curator at the Art
Spirit Gallery and I'm from Boise, Idaho. What I admire
about Harold's work is he switches it up all the time he
doesn't just stick with the same thing. He's got enamels,
stencils, he's got mixed media, he's got public art work, he's
got everything you name it. (Blair Williams) This particular
show includes unbelievable works by Harold that span the decades.
One of the pieces is a mosaic enamel created in 1954, just two
years after graduating from Washington State University,
from the Beach Ball series and it will take your breath away.
In addition, we've got two sculptures that are featured in
the Washington State University published Harold Balazs book;
they are homage to Pablo Picasso and the Nutcracker. And finally,
we have a copper sculpture. We never see those come to us from
the secondary market and those are always exciting to get to
just take in. (Mason Miles) My favorite Balazs piece is
probably the two big black and white enamels up front that he
found in the back of his studio and just gave them to us which
is pretty rad. (Blair Williams) Harold is best known for his
enamels and I'll say that people almost always clamoring at our
shows for the enamel works. You're going to see bright,
dynamic, captivating enamels in this show; everything from
Abused Flowers to my favorite, Purple Car and Tube Sock. One of
the things I admire about Harold the most is his perseverance in
the world of art. He's best known for his phrase, "It's
better to make stuff, then not make stuff." And this is always
evident in what he's doing. I'm continually blown away at the
collector's love of not only the work, but Harold the man and his
energy and excitement way that he's given back to the
communities and to the Northwest in general through his artwork.
(Steve Adams) The one word I would use to describe Harold
would be inspirational. He's just got so much energy. I don't
know five people you could put together that has produced as
much work as he has. (Allen Dodge) You can't help but tread
on his works somewhere because he's done everything. So, as
another younger artist, I guess, you're always trying to not step
on him, but you can't help it. (Mel McCuddin) His work mainly
what inspires me is just the enthusiasum and a love of what
he's doing. He told me one time that he never had a job. This is
what he does and one of the few guys I've ever known that's made
a living totally from the art world. (Ken Yuhasz) He's often
said that he makes art because he has to, but also because he
thinks it comes from this need to leave something behind. And
so, if you're going to leave something behind, his legacy is
he's left thousands of things behind. And people will be
seeing it and enjoying it for many years. We invite everyone
to join us here at the Art Spirit Gallery to not only
celebrate Harold, but to celebrate the many artists
throughout the region that we feature and to really join
together and celebrate the arts and to promote all that is
artistic and exciting and keeps us all alive.
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