It\u2019s no surprise that there is a lot of talent around the Yakima Valley, but it is remarkable how much of it is rarely revealed \u2014 in large part because of the lack of places to show it off.<\/p>\n
Boxx Gallery is a lively venue for artists and craftspeople from the Valley and beyond. However, this month\u2019s exhibition turns the spotlight on a different crowd: those who have never shown at Boxx, including makers and creators who may not even think of themselves as artists.<\/p>\n
The exhibition \u201cTieton Creates\u201d features 15 local creatives, all of whom are new to our space. While some are celebrating their professional gallery debut, others are seasoned exhibitors introducing their work to the Boxx audience for the first time.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n \u201cRainbow Trout\u201d by Greg Kono, wood, metal, string, fused glass.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Boxx Gallery is proud to host this eclectic collection from our creative community. Here\u2019s a sneak peek:<\/p>\n Terry Leness\u2019 astonishingly delicate portrait of a bungalow-style house from the 1920s or \u201930s \u2014 and the enormous juniper bush that seems to be threatening to consume it \u2014 can best be appreciated from a foot or two away.<\/p>\n Doug (Hotei) Rice\u2019s painting of a weathered pier on a gravel beach can also be read as something of a self-portrait, with the artist\u2019s shadow cast on the wooden planks. The skill of both painters \u2014 neither of whom has exhibited in local galleries before \u2014 helps prove the value of this exhibition.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThe Great Divide\u201d by Tom Westbay, wood and metal.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \n Sign up for our Daily Headlines<\/strong> newsletter \u2014 delivered to your inbox every morning at 7 a.m.\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Thanks!<\/strong> You\u2019re all set.<\/p>\n Watch your inbox for Daily Headlines.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Tom Westbay\u2019s sculpture, \u201cThe Great Divide,\u201d is a handsomely crafted piece assembled from materials lying around his tool shop and workbench. But the metaphor of the title and its message is as clear as the funny, wise and well-spun stories he frequently tells in conversations around Tieton.<\/p>\n Ric Shirrod\u2019s taxidermy is well known in the area for its high quality, clearly on display in \u201cTieton Creates\u201d with a pair of shoulder-mounted Wyoming pronghorn antelopes.<\/p>\n Unconventional for an art gallery to feature taxidermy, perhaps. But one purpose of this exhibition is to elevate awareness of hidden local talent in some of its less conventional forms.<\/p>\n Ilze Gracan is a relatively recent arrival from Latvia, and she brought with her the skill to knit beautiful mittens \u2014 traditional in form and craft, but with a contemporary twist.<\/p>\n Other exhibiting artists are Sandi Adams, Lyndsey Ferrell, Sally Kobli, Greg Kono, Serena Martian, Sam McJunkin, Nelson Norton, Lani Reynolds, Maria Solorio and Geoffrey Strickland.<\/p>\n \u201cTieton Creates\u201d opens at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 6, 2026,<\/span> as part of Highland Community Days, with a reception for the artists at 1 p.m. The show is up until June 28. Regular gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLemon\u201d by Serena Martian, glass mosaic.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n Photo courtesy of Boxx Gallery<\/span>
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\n Photo courtesy of Boxx Gallery<\/span>
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