Local legends Fred Choate and John Killmaster are now showing in the gallery. Two legendary artists that have influenced generations of artists and collectors in Idaho and beyond.

Artist Demonstrations Thursday May 25 from 5-8pm

Art Talk & Closing Reception Thursday June 29 from 5-8pm

Fred Choate

Fred Choate is a fourth generation Idaho native. He was born in Wendell and grew up in Buhl and Twin Falls. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Idaho State University. His “art” career began in high school, making spending money painting monster hot rods on sweatshirts. He spent many years as a carpenter and cabinet maker before trading his hammer for a paintbrush.

In 1982 Fred began his “full time” art career painting large murals around the Northwest. His murals include The Record Exchange, Cafe Ole and Gino’s restaurants, Moxi Java and so many more.  In 1997 Fred was introduced to plein air painting and became a founding member of the Plein Air Painters of Idaho. Since then his full time passion has been painting the Southern Idaho landscape.

It’s the deep canyons, deserts, alpine lakes and farmlands around his Boise home that captivate him. It’s the relationship of water to the land that is depicted in his paintings. No two bodies of water refract and reflect light in the same way. Attempting to capture this elusive quality of water is what keeps painting exciting for this legendary artist.

You can find Fred on Idaho Public Television raising funds for Outdoor Idaho or teaching in his Boise studio. More information on upcoming classes can be found here: http://www.fredchoate.com/classes.htm 

John Killmaster

John Killmaster is a legendary Idaho artist creating paintings, ceramics, and enamel artworks that have earned countless awards and international recognition. He served 27 years as a professor of art at Boise State University sharing his passion for experimentation and influencing generations of artists. He earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan in 1969. Killmaster was honored with the Idaho Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts and has earned a Lifetime achievement award from the International Enamelist Society.

Killmaster is known worldwide as an innovator in enamel art, primarily creating large scale porcelain enamels. International exhibits include: Australia, Germany, Japan, Estonia, Russia, Italy, Hungary, Israel, Canada ,and the USA. His enamel art has been exhibited at the Smithsonian, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Denver Art Museum; in New York galleries, and throughout America.

You can discover more about his lifetime of work in the book, “Killmaster: Art and Soul”. This beautifully illustrated biography is an in-depth study of John Killmaster’s life and work as an artist and educator, written by author and art critic Christopher R. Schnoor. The book is available at: https://www.blurb.com/b/8299447-killmaster-art-and-soul

The public is encouraged to join the artists at two special events. Fred and John will be demonstrating during our Last Thursday Reception on May 25th. They’re back again on June 29th for an artist talk and closing reception. Both events run from 5:00pm – 8:00pm. Refreshments will be served.

The Local Legends show continues through the closing reception on June 29.