PULLMAN – The WSU Museum of Art will exhibit Palouse artists Louise Colson, Gina Murray, Nicole Taflinger and George Wray in the 2008 “Curator’s Choice” exhibit.
The show opens May 15 and will run through July 18 and a public reception will be held on May 15 at 6 p.m. at the Museum of Art/WSU.
The “Curator’s Choice” exhibition is a focus on local artists. Keith Wells, Museum of Art/WSU Curator said, “We are fortunate to live in such a creative wellspring as the Palouse. As I have said many times before, there is either something in the water or the fertility of the soil must have the same effect on the many talented artists here who produce great art as consistently as the rolling hills produce waves of wheat.”
Colson lives and creates her work in Viola, Idaho. She and her husband have created their own slice of nirvana on a few acres of land making use of the many outbuildings by transforming them into studios and retreats. Her glasswork is bold, vibrant, and colorful, with a playful sense of humor.
Murray has carved wood and stone since she was 19. She knew instantly that she would continue to do so throughout her life. After honing her skills for five years in Europe, she began to create a body of works that embrace both the figure and non-representational forms sometimes fusing the two together.
Taflinger is originally from France. After spending some time in the mid-west, including a brief stint at the Art Institute in Chicago, she flourished as an artist upon arriving on the Palouse in 1954. Her experiences with the many artists from the area and WSU Fine Arts faculty through the mid-part of the 20th century ultimately lead her to open her own gallery in Pullman, the Nica Gallery which she operated from 1974 to 1998.
Wray is a retired professor of art from the University of Idaho. Wray’s works will consist of his unique exploration of the use of light as an art medium. This body of work will also represent his latest pieces on paper.
The Museum of Art summer gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday, Noon – 4:00 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday.
