Join artist BILL BLAHD and curator
KAREN BUBB for dialogue on

"BILL BLAHD PAINTINGS:
ARTISTS, FAITH, MEDICINE, RELIGION" at
THE GALLERY AT THE LINEN BUILDING Thursday, March 25

Learn about the inspiration, craft behind The Gallery's latest exhibit at this free event for art lovers, collectors and students

Join artist Bill Blahd and curator Karen Bubb for a dialogue on "Bill Blahd Paintings: Artists, Faith, Medicine, Religion" from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 25, at The Gallery at the Linen Building, 1402 W. Grove St. in Downtown Boise's Linen District. Admission to the dialogue is free. Beer and wine available (ID required).

Art lovers, collectors and students will have the opportunity to learn about the inspiration and craft behind the Bubb-curated "Bill Blahd Paintings," the culmination of five years of work from the Boise artist. Blahd's oil paintings are exhibiting at The Gallery at the Linen Building now until April 26.

"Bill Blahd has been engaged in serious discourse with himself about his profession (emergency medicine), religion, faith, the pursuit of knowledge and what it means to be an artist," Bubb says. "His figures and landscapes are rich with narrative and internal dialogue. The resulting series of paintings will challenge and interest curious viewers."

Although many artists have tackled these subjects, Blahd draws encouragement from artist Eugene Delacroix's quote, "What moves the artist, or rather, what inspires his work is not necessarily new ideas but his obsession with the idea that what has already been said is still not enough."

Blahd says he attempts to create works of art that are intellectually intriguing, and as a result, are often challenging for viewers.

"I select topics that somehow strike a chord within me and then develop a series of artworks that thematically explore those ideas," Blahd says. "My work often takes a critical view of established social and religious norms. The resulting work is frequently narrative with historical and personal references."

"Bill's ability to transfer his personal and professional interests and experiences into art is both delicate and lively," said Gallery at the Linen Building Owner David Hale. "While narrative in approach, Bill's work has a certain mystical quality to it."

ABOUT BILL BLAHD

Born in Los Angeles in 1952, Bill Blahd (billblahd.com) studied art at Tulane University, UCLA and the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C. He also studied medicine at UCLA from 1974-1979.

Blahd has exhibited his work in art galleries and museums around the country. He lives in Boise with his wife, Liz, and children Sophie and Tony.

For interviews, images or more information, contact Chad Dryden at Bandwagon PR, 208.284.0355 or bandwagonpr@yahoo.com; or Karen Bubb at kbubb@cityofboise.org.

The Gallery at the Linen Building is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays and by appointment. For more information, contact David Hale at 208.385.0111 or info@thelinenbuilding.com. Visit thelinenbuilding.com and interact with the Linen Building on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace.

ABOUT THE GALLERY AT THE LINEN BUILDING: The Gallery at the Linen Building is a second-floor, loft-style art gallery located inside the Linen Building Event Center. With natural light, warm sunsets and bird's-eye views of Downtown Boise and the Linen District, The Gallery offers artists and art lovers a fresh, unique urban space in which to display and view art.