PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University’s Compton Union Gallery salutes one of Pullman’s most revered art institutions–the Thursday Painters–in the exhibit “Art3” from Nov. 18-Dec. 13.
The exhibit, with hours from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday-Friday and Saturday, Nov. 23, features the works of three Pullman artists: Nicole Taflinger, Marie Moree and Damaris Bradish.
The three artists meet weekly, influencing and inspiring one another to create their art, continuing almost 50 years of Pullman arts tradition. The Thursday Painters group (which now meets on Wednesdays) began in 1954, shortly after French native Nicole Taflinger came to Pullman from Chicago.
Taflinger, who studied at the Chicago Art Institute, asked a new acquaintance if Pullman had a painting organization. The answer was “No, but there should be.” Several interested women received painting kits for Christmas that year, and the club was born the following January, Taflinger said.
She went on to receive her bachelor’s and master of fine arts degrees at WSU, taught art in the Pullman school system and operated the Nica Gallery in downtown Pullman for 24 years. The gallery was home to the Thursday Painters during those years, offering local artists a place to create and display their art.
Since the gallery’s closing in 1999, the artists have continued to meet at Taflinger’s home at least once a week, as well as take field excursions together in search of inspiration.
Through the years, she has worked with many mediums — acrylics, watercolor, collage, mixed media, drawing and embroidery — always influenced by her love of the natural world.
Moree, originally from Michigan, came to Pullman in 1942 when her husband accepted a position at WSU. She has a degree in industrial and fine arts from East Michigan College but did not do much with art until she got involved with the Thursday Painters. Moree learned of the group through friends, “officially” joined in 1960 and has been a regular ever since. She too has worked with various mediums, including acrylics, collage and drawing.
Bradish refers to herself as “the new kid on the block.” She came to Pullman from California in 1980 to work in cooperative extension. Although she was always interested in art and took classes in college and locally, she felt this “right-brained” interest was incompatible with her “left-brained” job.
But she fed her artistic appetite by visiting Nica Gallery and doodling during numerous university meetings. After retiring as associate director of Cooperative Extension in 1992, she joined the (now) Wednesday Painters in 1998, working exclusively with graphite pencil.
For more information, contact Marty Mullen at (509) 335-2313 or at mullen@wsu.edu. The gallery will be closed Nov. 25-29 during WSU’s Thanksgiving break.
