A Semi Guided Art Tour . . .

Last week I spent several days visiting 'old' friends down in Boise, Idaho.  I say old because we have been friends for over 45 years.  My girlfriend and I often kid about the fact that we don't know what made us friends initially ~ we came from completely opposite backgrounds with little in common.  She grew up on a farm in North Dakota and didn't see her first indoor plumbing until she was almost 6 when her parents put in their first indoor bathroom.  It was bedpans, metal wash tubs, and outhouses until then.  Me . . . I never saw my first outhouse until I was 13.  I was up in Canada visiting relatives in 'Ecum Secum' (yes, that's for real!) Canada and that's all they had ~ and all we had while visiting! :(  .  We just didn't have outhouses where I grew up in New York, and quite honestly, that was just fine with me.   (We did have fire escapes though, and they were great to climb outside on, and watch all the activity down on the Boulevard.  But then, that's another whole story . . . )

As a young woman, I moved to Boise in 1966 (yes, I know, some of you weren't even born yet ...)  At that time it was a small city where the men would still walk down the street and  tip their hats to the Ladies as they passed by.  Remember this was 1966.  I hadn't seen that in New York since I was a small child.  But, Boise had its ups and downs like many other cities.  A nice busy downtown  ~ and then the first big Mall moves in, and sadly, the downtown withers away.  Boise struggled for a while, but today it's a beautiful thriving city that has managed to nicely blend the old and the new.  Wonderful old buildings tucked in and around the new sky high ones house great restaurants, shops and galleries.  They (whomever the 'They' are) have done a great job in revitalizing the city.

ANYWAY . . . I tell you all this because my girlfriend and I walked all over downtown and found some amazing art tucked down alleys everywhere.  They have one spot actually called Gallery Alley with paintings lining the backs of all the buildings.  So . . . I thought it would be fun to share it with you.  I hope you enjoy the 'tour' !  :)
  

This one is a tribute to the Lady shown.  She ran that Market forever.  It was the Neighborhood Market in the 'North End' of Boise where it was (and still is)  mostly older homes  ~ from cottages to Mansions and everything in between.  I was told the Market is now a Yoga Studio.

Cute!  :)

Definitely Eclectic in styles and what is being said!

Politics are everywhere!

Have a great weekend!

                                                       And I'd love to hear what you think of the tour . . .  :)                                                                    Charleen