Boise State is proud to spotlight the creative innovation of Associate Professor of Drawing and Painting Astri Snodgrass, whose groundbreaking work is featured in the Boise Art Museum’s inaugural exhibition of its new program, Here We Have Idaho: Material Matters. This exhibition, which highlights Idaho-based artists pushing the boundaries of contemporary art, promises a fresh perspective on the role of art in our cultural landscape.
The exhibition is a convergence of two distinct artistic voices. S. A. (Sharon) Jones, making her Idaho debut, presents large-scale paintings that blend vibrant color with themes of genetics, the cosmos, and otherworldly forms. Complementing Jones’s dynamic canvases, Astri Snodgrass offers sculptural installations that reimagine traditional art forms through painting, sewing, knitting and weaving. Her innovative paper sculptures, including two new mulberry paper installations developed specifically for the show, explore the theme of interconnectedness—connecting generations, artistic practices and the community.
“I am making two new mulberry paper installations for the exhibition and working closely with the BAM team to realize them,” Snodgrass remarked. “The support of the museum staff has already, even before installation starts, been incredibly helpful in both envisioning what is possible and turning my concepts into sculptural works. The material support I’m receiving from them in constructing armatures and risers for these pieces and the curatorial direction of Tara [Centybear] has been significant. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity. The fact that the show is local means I can be intimately involved in the installation process over two weeks. This is such a gift of time since I am making works in response to the museum space.”
The exhibition is not just a display of art but a part of Boise Art Museum’s new initiative to reimagine how art engages with the community and reflects contemporary ideas. Here We Have Idaho: Material Matters challenges conventional definitions of painting by pairing the expansive canvases of S. A. Jones with the tactile, fiber-based sculptures of Astri Snodgrass. This duality underscores a broader dialogue about the importance of materiality in art—one that resonates deeply with Boise State’s commitment to fostering creativity and interdisciplinary exploration.
Melanie Fales, Executive Director/CEO of the Boise Art Museum, explained the significance of the exhibition: “We are thrilled to debut Boise Art Museum’s new exhibition program, Here We Have Idaho, […and] excited to pair Jones’s large-scale paintings with the sculptural artworks of Astri Snodgrass, which will provide a rich and unique opportunity for our community to experience the ways both artists are pushing the boundaries of art, particularly in their use of materials.”
The Boise Art Museum will celebrate the opening of this exhibition with a kickoff event on Friday, February 28, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. Community members are invited to join in welcoming both artists and to experience firsthand the transformative power of art that bridges traditional craft and contemporary practice.
Boise State congratulates Snodgrass for her remarkable contribution to this cutting-edge exhibition and looks forward to the continuing dialogue between academia, the arts and the broader community through such inspiring collaborations.
Here We Have Idaho: Material Matters will be on view at the Boise Art Museum from March 1 to July 13, 2025. Boise State invites its community and art enthusiasts to experience this dynamic exhibition and celebrate our faculty’s and local artists’ creative contributions. Boise Art Museum admission is free for all Boise State students, faculty and staff with school ID.
For more information, please visit the Boise Art Museum website at boiseartmuseum.org/