PRESS RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Blair Williams
The Art Spirit Gallery
(208) 765-6006
ANEW
Show Date: February 3RD-25TH, 2024.
Opening Reception: Saturday, February 3rd, 2024 11 am – 6 pm
Show Sponsor: Izzy’s Comfort Kitchen
Hours: Wed – Sun | 11 am – 6 pm
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January 24, 2024 (Coeur d’Alene, ID) – The Art Spirit Gallery is proud to announce the first of their 2024 lineup of shows, “ANEW” featuring works by Denny Driver, Meidi Karampour and Joel Stehr.
“Art can do the opposite of glamourise the unattainable: it can show us anew the genuine merit of life as we're forced to lead it. It is advertising for the things we really need.” Alain de Botton
Beginning anew, The Art Spirit Gallery is pleased to offer these fresh new artists to the gallery.
Meidi came to our arear via Philadelphia, and Booshehr, Iran. Originally trained as an architect, his drawing skills were already quite advanced. But his inquisitive nature, headstrong opinions and clear view of what he wanted to learn, informed his time in art school. Meidi’s lusciousness of the paint pallet and alluring almost evocative imagery is what drew us most to his work.
Denny’s work excited us here at the gallery due to his fun and almost comical storytelling in each of his pieces. That combined with the musical movements of his paintings, we just had to see them and share them with you all.
Finally, Joel came to The Art Spirit Gallery after owner Blair Williams noticed his works on her Facebook feed one quite night at home. She had been following his work as a luthier, with stunning guitars that would sell as soon as he posted them! This day however…he posted paintings he had recently completed. She was drawn by the whimsey of his clouds, the almost Van Gogh like pallet, and his ability to capture the stories of the Palouse that so many of us know in the region. She brought his work in on a whim and was immediately thrilled when the audience also reponed and began to buy up his works before they could be hung on the wall.
While each of the artists are new (or relatively new) to the gallery, they offer a fresh insight into some of the creatives you’ve never seen featured by The Art Spirit Gallery before. We invite you to start 2024 ‘Anew’ and take in these great new works.
Please join us as we celebrate the arts throughout our region.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Denny Driver
Denny Driver was a reluctant artist, but deep down, he knew he was meant to create. He had been drawing and painting for as long as he could remember, and even though his father didn't believe he could make a living as an artist, his mother always saw something special in him.
Growing up in Wenatchee, WA, Denny found solace and inspiration in his small bedroom, which he shared with his brother. It was a safe space to retreat and create, but as soon as summer rolled around, he would take his supplies out into the shade of the yard and let his creativity flow. His mother always made sure he had art supplies for Christmas and his Birthday, and Denny's passion for art only grew stronger as he got older.
After graduating from the Art Institute of Seattle, Denny found himself in various jobs in the commercial art field, but his true love was painting. He was influenced by a wide range of artists and movements, from Vincent van Gogh to Jackson Pollock, and each one added to his artistic journey.
Denny's big break came when his first wife secretly took one of his paintings to a local gallery and got him a show. Reluctant at first because Denny had never shown in a gallery before nor had aspirations to sell his work, he soon found that his art had the power to move people. As time passed, his work gained recognition, and he found success beyond his wildest dreams.
Throughout his career, Denny has received numerous awards and honors, but the one that stood out the most was the recognition he received from instrumental rock guitarist, Joe Satriani. Denny's playful yet serious juxtaposition of elements and subject matter in his artwork caught Satriani's eye, and he awarded Denny the first-place ribbon in a group exhibition in Sacramento.
Now, Denny lives with his wife and son in Ahtanum, WA, where he creates and paints in his home studio. No longer reluctant, he continues to share his art with the world with a sense of gratitude and purpose.
Meidi Karampour
Meidi Karampour is a contemporary figurative and portrait painter residing in the US. He has been trained with skills to paint from life under world renowned artist Nelson Shanks supervision. Meidi has had solo shows and participated in different group shows in Iran and the US and has sold to different private collections internationally. He is currently a TA at Missouri State University.
Joel Stehr
I do not approach my paintings with a message in mind. As a highly visually oriented thinker, my creative process is driven by the perception of colors, shapes, flow and spatial orientation. There is an absence of a political messages or deliberate statements in my artistic work. I derive inspiration from what aesthetically pleases me and stimulates my senses. Given my affinity for working with wood, a favored medium in my artistic repertoire, I also personally construct the frames for my paintings. This endeavor is aimed at enhancing and complementing the palette and overall ambiance of each painting.
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This show is sponsored by Izzy’s Comfort Kitchen. We thank this company for its continued support of the arts in our community.
The artworks in the exhibition will be on our website beginning Thursday, February 1st, 2024 at http://www.theartspiritgallery.com/exhibitions.
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