Spokane’s Space Needle, AKA The Big Shot: Shotgun Gallery, The Thamm’s and Sironka

Many people, maybe even you, remember Bob Ross and his “Joy of Painting” series on PBS. Bob studied with John Thamm at the Community Colleges of Spokane. He became friends with John, an artist of considerable renown and still a resident of Spokane. John has an art studio, Shotgun, in Peaceful Valley along the south bank of the Spokane River. Shotgun is unique, an inspired endeavor that helps to define Spokane as a city of interest.                                                                                                                                                 https://shotgunstudiosspokane.com/

We spent some time today at Shotgun Gallery and Studio with John and his wife Kathy. I highly recommend everyone and anyone with an interest in art visit Shotgun. It’s shows tend to have more originality and innovation than the usual Spokane art gallery. That is partly due to John’s outspoken political and social viewpoints. At 87 years old he is an extremely prolific painter, and his one man show opening this fall at Shotgun will reveal, maybe, his best and most outspoken piece of art. He also has a not to be missed series of presidential portrait/sometimes caricatures.

To date the most political work is what I have termed Spokane’s Space Needle (The Big Shot), pictured below with several other sculptures in the yard of the gallery. It is a hypodermic needle, a very big hypodermic needle inspired by the mania of the covid era.

Currently, only for a couple more days, Bob Lloyd and Nicholas Sironka are displayed in the gallery. We had the pleasure today of meeting and discussing art and more with Sironka. Both artists are well known successful artists whose vibrant works are well worth viewing. You have a chance to meet both of them tomorrow. They will be part of the “Soulfood and Sips” event tomorrow Saturday August 30 from 12-7pm (BTW free!). It will feature African, Caribbean, creole and other cuisines, as well as several African American inspired musical artists performing everything from gospel to reggae music, and more art.  It all takes place on the Wall street corridor downtown stretching south from Riverfront Park. Be prepared, it is going to be crowded downtown because the Park is hosting one of Spokane’s most beloved events, “Pig Out” all of Labor day weekend.

Once again, visit Shotgun Gallery, you’ll be glad you did. Not shown is the interior of the studio that is flush with paintings.                    https://shotgunstudiosspokane.com/the-gallery