(Blair Williams) My name is Blair Williams and I'm the owner of the Art Spirit Gallery here in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

The Art Spirit Gallery was founded twenty years ago by John Thamm and Steve Gibbs in a little house just down the street from where we stand now.

In a effort, really, to promote and cultivate local and regional artists and help build audience for them.

Steve Gibbs owned and operated the gallery then and about fourteen years ago moved into this grand space here on Sherman and we've been going strong ever since.

One of the things that makes the Art Spirit Gallery different or unique from other galleries is that once a month we take everything off the walls, patch and paint and hang an entirely new show.

That show is aimed at featuring one or more artists and really showcasing their work.

This month we are featuring famed regional artist, Harold Balazs.

And Harold is best known throughout the Northwest for his large public artworks, some amazing architectural artistry everything from banks to churches to public spaces et cetera.

This year's show features work from every decade of Harold's work as far back as the fifties all the way to present day.

You're going to see work that is original and exciting and always makes you smile.

When Steve Gibbs began the gallery he also began to develop the art community as a whole here and that included the development of the ArtWalks that take place monthly here in Coeur d'Alene the second Friday, and the Coeur d'Alene Arts and Cultural Alliance.

During the ArtWalks our community comes together to celebrate each other to celebrate the art work to celebrate the artists to mix and mingle and talk with one another and connect all around the idea of art.

(Allen Dodge) The openings once a month at the Art Spirit Gallery are a festivity.

It's a terrific community effort and everybody participates.

It's one of those things that knits the community together.

(Mason Miles) My name is Mason Miles and I'm the curator at the Art Spirit Gallery and I'm from Boise, Idaho.

What I admire about Harold's work is he switches it up all the time he doesn't just stick with the same thing.

He's got enamels, stencils, he's got mixed media, he's got public art work, he's got everything you name it.

(Blair Williams) This particular show includes unbelievable works by Harold that span the decades.

One of the pieces is a mosaic enamel created in 1954, just two years after graduating from Washington State University, from the Beach Ball series and it will take your breath away.

In addition, we've got two sculptures that are featured in the Washington State University published Harold Balazs book; they are homage to Pablo Picasso and the Nutcracker.

And finally, we have a copper sculpture.

We never see those come to us from the secondary market and those are always exciting to get to just take in.

(Mason Miles) My favorite Balazs piece is probably the two big black and white enamels up front that he found in the back of his studio and just gave them to us which is pretty rad.

(Blair Williams) Harold is best known for his enamels and I'll say that people almost always clamoring at our shows for the enamel works.

You're going to see bright, dynamic, captivating enamels in this show; everything from Abused Flowers to my favorite, Purple Car and Tube Sock.

One of the things I admire about Harold the most is his perseverance in the world of art.

He's best known for his phrase, "It's better to make stuff, then not make stuff."

And this is always evident in what he's doing.

I'm continually blown away at the collector's love of not only the work, but Harold the man and his energy and excitement way that he's given back to the communities and to the Northwest in general through his artwork.

(Steve Adams) The one word I would use to describe Harold would be inspirational.

He's just got so much energy.

I don't know five people you could put together that has produced as much work as he has.

(Allen Dodge) You can't help but tread on his works somewhere because he's done everything.

So, as another younger artist, I guess, you're always trying to not step on him, but you can't help it.

(Mel McCuddin) His work mainly what inspires me is just the enthusiasum and a love of what he's doing.

He told me one time that he never had a job.

This is what he does and one of the few guys I've ever known that's made a living totally from the art world.

(Ken Yuhasz) He's often said that he makes art because he has to, but also because he thinks it comes from this need to leave something behind.

And so, if you're going to leave something behind, his legacy is he's left thousands of things behind.

And people will be seeing it and enjoying it for many years.

We invite everyone to join us here at the Art Spirit Gallery to not only celebrate Harold, but to celebrate the many artists throughout the region that we feature and to really join together and celebrate the arts and to promote all that is artistic and exciting and keeps us all alive.