Idaho Art Gallery’s Next Chapter
Nestled firmly into the heartbeat of Boise’s downtown district at the intersection of W. Idaho Street and Capitol Boulevard is one of Idaho’s newest fine art showrooms in the new location of Idaho Art Gallery. After first beginning with a location in Meridian, the downtown gallery—just a few minutes’ walk from the State Capitol building—opened its doors to acclaim in November of 2025, with a beautifully lit, airy show space that now features artists of not just statewide, but also national backgrounds.
IAG is also now bringing the work of one artist to special highlight each month, with a devoted show in the gallery’s primary anteroom. This exhibition changes from month to month, focusing on a sole artist, while the main gallery features nearly a dozen artists at present, with regular rotations of new pieces available for sale to the public into the primary showroom.
March’s featured solo artist will be Stephanie Inman, whose public works and installation art may be familiar to many in the know around the Boise art scene. This show, to be entitled “Dream House,” will feature intricate miniature model homes Inman crafts entirely by hand.
While some fine art galleries certainly cater exclusively to the ultra-affluent, that isn’t the goal here, noted Gallery Curator and Co-Owner Nelli Garibyan—IAG instead seeks to bring the world of fine art closer to the typical passer-by. Most of the works of many excellent artists on display can be purchased and some do range into the thousands. But there is also a gallery gift shop, replete with handmade creations by some of the artists themselves, which offers a number of original works to fit even the most modest student budget. “We wanted to make sure there was original art for people to have, whether they have ten dollars or a hundred or five thousand,” Garibyan told us with a smile when speaking recently. “Art should be available to people at all price ranges.” The new location, she mentioned, is also having the unexpected but very welcome effect of delighting tourists to Boise, as well.
IAG is not just local, but a family affair, with Garibyan’s father Bill having been an artist for nearly 30 years now—his own contributions can at times be found on the walls at either gallery! It was his passion to create a space to display not only his artwork, but that of others in the artistic community, that brought Garibyan—an astute businesswoman—and other family members into play when creating the initial Meridian location. While originally there was no plan to expand, through coincidence and circumstance the prime space the gallery now holds became available at just the right time, and as Garibyan said, “…we really had to consider what this opportunity would afford us,” going on to explain that the downtown locale is the first time the IAG has been able to feature nationally renowned artists, allowing for an even greater combination of aesthetics available to suit every taste.
Perhaps naturally then, IAG has never turned its back on beginning artists, and in fact professional artists may submit a portfolio of their work to be reviewed for consideration of inclusion in the gallery. This process, Garibyan mentioned, takes many months to go through, but helps to maintain the consistently fresh quality of works on display as well as encouraging the best creators out there to keep honing their craft.
More information about both locations of IAG, including tours, hours of operation, and how to contact can be found at their website: idahoartgallery.com