Welcome to the 2025 artAbility Showcase!
artAbility kicked off its eleventh year with a new Project Coordinator. Emily Pearson took the lead, arranging a line-up of six workshops. This year’s theme drew on nature and saw a number of new mediums introduced to participants. This included ink painting with nature – creating brushes and inks with sticks, leaves, features, pinecones and more! It also saw a return of oil painting. This time participants positioned themselves on campus and let the surrounding natural landscapes inspire their work.
As with every year, we are excited to celebrate this year’s participants and see all of the art they created. Our annual Showcase is again being held in person at the 1912 Center, with the Digital Showcase offering an option for those who would like to celebrate from afar.
View this year's artists and their work
F-K
Johanna Flores
Cory Fong
Mike Gates
Barbara Gragert
Sam Gragert
Richard Hager
Matthew Haggard
Mary Hanley
Heidi Holderman
Hannah Jehn
Hope Klocke
View artists F to K
L-Z
Peter Mahuron
Jessilyn Matthias
Kristin Miller
Grace Muller
Sabrina Partridge
James Peterson
Xavier Reznowski
Toby Schultz
Stephanie Traver
View artists L to Z
A special thank you
We would like to give a special thank you to Stepping Stones, Inc, Inland Northwest Broadcasting and the Miller family for providing funding for the artAbility project this year. Your generosity has afforded another year of artistic exploration and expression in the Moscow community.
We would also like to thank all volunteers, local artists, natural supports, and CDHD staff and trainees who provided their expertise and support for the project. artAbility would not be possible without you!
2024-25 workshops
This year, Emily planned and carried out six workshops over the course of the academic year. They all drew on nature for their themes, either using natural materials or using Mother Nature's landscapes as inspiration. This includes creating brushes and inks with natural materials, using tree bark and willows to create planters and more:
Tule Weaving and Natural Planters with Gia Paul
Participants completed two projects during this workshop. First, they created placemats by weaving tule reeds together with thread. Second, they wove pieces of tree bark together with wire to make circular planters. Participants also learned about Nimiipuu traditions.
Canoe Planters with Gia Paul
Participants wove birch bark together using red willow and sinew to create canoe-shaped planters inspired by Nimiipuu tradition.
Special Effect Watercolor with Emily Pearson
Participants created watercolor paintings and sprinkled salt over them. The salt absorbed the wet paint and crystallized, making a blooming effect.
Painting with Nature with EDCI 436 Secondary Arts Methods students
University of Idaho students made inks using natural pigments in preparation for this workshop. Participants built paintbrushes out of plant materials found on campus and used their brushes to create ink paintings.
Plein Air Oil Painting with Matt Aiello
In this two-part workshop, participants used oil paints to replicate views of the University of Idaho campus, once from inside and once outside. Their paintings are displayed in wooden frames built by artist Matt Aiello.