Meridian Arts Commission

Thank you to everyone who came to the opening reception of BOSCO's (Boise Open Studio Collective Organization) "The Pursuit of Happiness" on Tuesday evening!

There were several awards given at the event including a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes juried by Dr. Karen Brown.

Dr. Karen Brown is an Emeritus Professor of Art at the College of Western Idaho, where she taught Art History and Humanities and helped develop the Studio Art and General Studies degrees. Prior to teaching at CWI, she taught Art History at Boise State University and the College of Idaho.

- 1st Place Winner: “Patterns of Hope” by Gia Strang and Jodi Miller
- 2nd Place Winner: “The Day My Dad Became an American Citizen” by Jessie Swimeley
- 3rd Place Winner: “Field Study” by Lisa Flowers Ross

The exhibition will be on display through July 31, 2026. Initial Point Gallery is located on the 3rd floor of Meridian City Hall and is free and open to the public on weekdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, excluding holidays.

Check out the full gallery schedule here: meridiancity.org/gallery/

Join us this coming Tuesday, June 2, from 4:30pm to 7:00pm, for the opening reception of "The Pursuit of Happiness"! This exhibition is a celebration of America's 250th anniversary featuring artwork by members of BOSCO (Boise Open Studio Collective Organization).

The opening reception is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided, and awards will be announced at 6:00pm. This is a great opportunity to meet with local artists and talk to them about their artwork!

On display through July 31, 2026

Initial Point Gallery Meridian | City Hall (3rd Floor), 33 E. Broadway Ave.
Gallery hours are weekdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
The gallery and all events are open to the public and free to attend.

Check out the full gallery schedule here: meridiancity.org/gallery/

Image: "Thy Fruited Plain" by Pamela Trail

Join us as we celebrate America's 250th anniversary at Initial Point Gallery!

We will be hosting an incredible show featuring artwork created by members of BOSCO (Boise Open Studio Collective Organization). BOSCO artists were asked to reflect on “The Pursuit of Happiness” and what it means to them. The artwork will be displayed alongside an exhibit of historical panels developed through a multi-state collaboration titled, “Moments That Made Us”.

On Display: May 20 - July 31, 2026

Artist Reception: Tuesday, June 2, from 4:30 - 7:00 pm

Guest Lecture: Art History Professor Craig Peariso on Tuesday, July 7, from 6:00 - 7:30 pm

Initial Point Gallery Meridian | City Hall (3rd Floor), 33 E. Broadway Ave.
Gallery hours are weekdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
The gallery and all events are open to the public and free to attend.

Check out the full gallery schedule here: meridiancity.org/gallery/

Image: detail of "Law and Roses" watercolor by Beth Trott

This collage artwork titled "Peaceful Beauty" was created by 3rd grade student Isabella Readd. She says, "I made this work of art because I went camping with my grandparents at Dworshak State Park in Northern Idaho, and it was beautiful there. I used magazine clippings to create a collage. When people see my artwork, I hope they see beauty in these mountains and lakes that exist all over our state."

This piece was awarded a Meridian Arts Commission Elementary Award and is one of the pieces featured in the West Ada School District exhibit at Initial Point Gallery through May 18.

Initial Point Gallery is located at 33 E. Broadway Avenue on the third floor of Meridian City Hall in downtown Meridian. Additional Information about Initial Point Gallery, including its schedule of upcoming exhibits, can be found online at meridiancity.org/gallery.

This artwork titled "Inheritance" was created by 8th grade Vicory Middle student Seoyoon Oh. She says, "I reinterpreted sipjangsaengdo, a traditional Korean painting expressing wishes for a long and meaningful life. Rather than using traditional pigments, I chose markers and acrylic paint, merging Western materials with Eastern art. As someone from Korea now living in America, this fusion reflects my layered identity and cultural roots."

This piece was awarded a Meridian Arts Commission Middle School Award and is one of the pieces featured in the West Ada School District exhibit at Initial Point Gallery through May 18.

Initial Point Gallery is located at 33 E. Broadway Avenue on the third floor of Meridian City Hall in downtown Meridian. Additional Information about Initial Point Gallery, including its schedule of upcoming exhibits, can be found online at meridiancity.org/gallery.

This photograph titled "Bridge Side Sunset" was created by 11th grade Renaissance High School student Jeremiah Aldrich. He says, "I saw the beautiful composition of the bridge, river, and highway with the rule of thirds. Additionally, the yellow light, blue sky, and red bridge created a primary color scheme.."

This piece was awarded a Meridian Arts Commission Photography Award and is one of the artworks featured in the West Ada School District exhibit at Initial Point Gallery through May 18.

Initial Point Gallery is located at 33 E. Broadway Avenue on the third floor of Meridian City Hall in downtown Meridian. Additional Information about Initial Point Gallery, including its schedule of upcoming exhibits, can be found online at meridiancity.org/gallery.

This mixed media artwork titled, "A Beautiful Day's End", was done by 5th grade student Claire Kislig. She says in her artist statement, "I had lots of different visions of what I really wanted to do so, I added a part of each vision to make it a beautiful boat sailing from coast to coast with our American flag representing our courage and freedom celebrating the land of the free, America the beautiful!"

This piece was awarded the Meridian Mayor's Award and is one of the pieces featured in the West Ada School District art exhibit at Initial Point Gallery through May 18.

Initial Point Gallery is located at 33 E. Broadway Avenue on the third floor of Meridian City Hall in downtown Meridian. Additional Information about Initial Point Gallery, including its schedule of upcoming exhibits, can be found online at meridiancity.org/gallery.

This artwork, titled, "From Sea to Shining Sea", was created by 5th grade student Olivia Sullivan. She says, "These animals represent the United States from sea to shining sea because they are the state animals. State animals are chosen to show states’ unique background and culture."

This piece was awarded a Meridian Arts Commission Elementary Award and is one of the pieces featured in the West Ada School District exhibit at Initial Point Gallery through May 18.

Initial Point Gallery is located at 33 E. Broadway Avenue on the third floor of Meridian City Hall in downtown Meridian. Additional Information about Initial Point Gallery, including its schedule of upcoming exhibits, can be found online at meridiancity.org/gallery.

One more week to apply to exhibit your artwork at Initial Point Gallery in 2027!

Application deadline: May 15th at 3pm
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to share your artwork with the community in our beautiful gallery space!

To Apply: Click the link in our bio or visit our website at: https://meridiancity.org/calltoartists

Initial Point Gallery is on the third floor of Meridian City Hall, directly across from the Mayor’s Office reception area. The gallery, filled with natural light, features about 100 feet of wall space for the display of two-dimensional art, as well as four hand-crafted display cases for the exhibition of three-dimensional works of art. The fully accessible gallery is open weekdays from 8:00AM to 5:00PM, excluding holidays. Admission to the gallery and artist receptions is free and open to the public. For more information about the gallery and upcoming exhibits, visit https://meridiancity.org/gallery.

This porcelain ceramic piece, titled, "Sapphire Plains of a Bamboo Garden", was created by Annabelle Walthall, a 12th grader from Meridian High School. Walthall says, "For this piece, I continued experimenting on the wheel by attaching three separate segments to form one vessel. The surface area allowed me to fill space with my inspiration of the Japanese Edo period designs. I emulated the Japanese blue porcelain aesthetic with my own expression and skills."

This piece was awarded the Meridian Arts Commission High School 3-D Award and is one of the pieces featured in the West Ada School District exhibit at Initial Point Gallery through May 18.

Initial Point Gallery is located at 33 E. Broadway Avenue on the third floor of Meridian City Hall in downtown Meridian. Additional Information about Initial Point Gallery, including its schedule of upcoming exhibits, can be found online at meridiancity.org/gallery.