InGenius! Gallery & Boutique in Yelm is celebrating Arbor Day and the Pacific Northwest with its first ever community art show from Saturday, April 13 to Saturday, April 27.
The business, 207 First St. S., invites artists ages 13 and older to submit a single work of nature-focused art in any medium that can be hung on a wall and be up to 14 inches by 14 inches. Submissions will be accepted in person at InGenius! between Saturday, March 30, and Friday, April 5, and there is a $10 submission fee.
Andrea Levanti, owner of InGenius!, said the theme of “My Favorite Local Trail” not only meets the gallery’s focus on nature and trees, but it fits with the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and Arbor Day on Friday, April 26.
“Arbor Day is kind of the overarching theme, and to get specific, there’s so many new people living and moving out there from outside the area. We’re super-tuned into helping people know where to go to enjoy all the things that we have right here within just a few miles,” Levanti said. “The trails seemed like a natural thing. Everyone has a favorite trail.”
The art show will culminate with an open house on Saturday, April 27, at InGenius! to display the artwork and give the community an opportunity to meet the artists. There will also be items raffled during the event, such as keychains and paintings that will raise funds to purchase a tree to be planted outside between the gallery and the skate park.
“I don’t know that there is another place that is established to consistently give community art a home in Yelm. Because we are a gallery that is centrally located, everyone is welcome here,” Levanti said. “We want to encourage people to come and just enjoy the art. Even if they don’t want to buy something, come be inspired. So many people are artistic and don’t have anywhere to go with it. This is an opportunity for them to do that a little bit and see what it feels like to meet other people.”
Levanti added that InGenius! will begin hosting community art shows every month. Future art shows include a Mother’s Day art show in May and a Father’s Day show in June, she said. Dates will be announced at a later date.
To learn more about April’s community art show, visit the InGenius! Facebook event page at https://fb.me/e/1xP7Ql8vp.
