New art gallery opens in area

They've been wanting to develop an art scene locally, and last Saturday officials of the Northwest Native Development Fund took a big step: opening an art gallery.

Board member Molly Morris cut the ribbon on the three-room Titwáatit Native American Art Gallery at 312 Spokane Way, close enough to Flo's Cafe next door for attendees to smell bacon cooking.

NNDF has organized three local "Plateau Native Art" shows in the last three years, each bigger than the last, and attracted grant funding for last year's event at North Dam Park.

NNDF Executive Director Ted Piccolo said opening the gallery was the next logical step.

"None of us are artists," Piccolo said of his staff, "but we appreciate the work that artists do, and we want to provide a venue for that."

The initial exhibit featured paintings, beadwork, wood work and more not only by local native artists, including Ric Gendron, but also included works from Central America, as well as by well-known local artist Keith Powell.

Piccolo said he'd like to see more small galleries pop up in town that might help develop the area into more of an arts destination. He speculated that could happen, given the recent openings of other businesses that could help bring on the atmosphere necessary: the Voltage Coffee House a block away, and the new Wine Bar that opened Friday on Main Street.