Artwork by local Vietnam veteran a highlight of art museum’s annual sale this weekend
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IDAHO FALLS — For avid collectors, or those looking for something new to fill that hole in the wall, you’ll want to stop by The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho this weekend.
The museum is hosting its annual Off-the-Wall art sale on Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free to the public.
The sale will feature original pieces of art, including paintings, sculptures, ceramics and photography. Amy Thompson, the museum’s development director, told EastIdahoNews.com that many pieces are items donated to the museum over the past year from local artists or collectors.
One of those artists is Tom Pritscher, of Gooding. Thompson said Pritscher reached out to museum administrators, asking them to preserve his artwork in their collection.
“He’s leaving his entire life’s work to the museum, and part of what he wanted was that people would be able to purchase it and have it in their homes,” Thompson explained.
Thompson and her husband spent months with Pritscher, documenting his work and his story.
She said Pritscher was born in Chicago and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, where he started making art with brass, stone, ceramics and glass.
He would go on to serve in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and work on humanitarian efforts during that time. This entailed helping children orphaned by the war in Saigon, Thompson said.
In her many discussions with Pritscher, Thompson said she learned that his work is an attempt to capture a shift in power in society, in general, from more masculine to more feminine.
“All of it ties into this feminine energy,” she said, “then he is just trying to express what he sees happening in society.”
She also said Pritscher attempts to connect his art with his meditation practice, which focuses on transcendental meditation. A book he has written about this type of meditation will be available for purchase at the sale, as well.
“He is just a really delightful, interesting, peaceful, optimistic man who is just trying to share how he views the world and his experiences,” Thompson said.
Over a dozen of Pritscher’s works will be available for purchase at the museum on Friday and Saturday.
Community members can purchase the art with cash or card, and then take it home that day. Other vendors will also be there selling handmade crafts, art supplies and prints.
Thompson said the Off-the-Wall sale helps the museum raise funds to continue providing exhibitions and educations programs for community members.
She said the museum is also raising funds for its capital improvement project to expand by adding an education center. It is needed because the museum has reached capacity in terms of educational opportunities it can offer, Thompson said.
To learn more about The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho, visit theartmuseum.org.
