Cosmic talent lands in Sandpoint

January 31, 2024

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

Artist Lucy West stands with her painting titled “Frontiers.” Courtesy photo.

The Pend Oreille Arts Council and nationally renowned artist Lucy West are partnering to present her exhibition Artistry in Orbit, which uses vivid depictions of space to showcase the intersection of art and science. Visit the POAC Gallery on Friday, Feb. 2 to see why her celestial masterpieces have been commissioned and exhibited by NASA, the United States House of Representatives and Lowell Observatory — one of the oldest in the nation.

“I find the most inspiring aspect of Lucy’s work to be the stories she tells. Each piece invokes a curiosity. The subject matter is a part of that, but I also think it’s the attention to detail,” POAC Arts Coordinator Claire Christy told the Reader.

At this special opening reception, art-lovers and space enthusiasts alike will have the opportunity to speak with West about her methods and the inspiration she finds in North Idaho’s starry skies.

“We all share this beautiful sky. We’ve all tried to take a picture of the moon with our phones, and it’s never as good as we hope. Lucy has the ability to look at the moon and create an accurate representation, something all of us wish we could do,” said Christy.

The exhibition opening is FREE. Experience it on Friday, Feb. 2 from 5-7 p.m. at the POAC Gallery, 313 N. Second Ave., Suite B. For more info, visit artinsandpoint.org.