Anyone who has spent a good amount of time looking at downtown Boise has probably seen the “Penny Postcard: A Hometown Greeting” which sits around the left corner to the entry of Boise’s City Hall. This was created as a part of Boise’s Public Arts Program, designed to create interest and beauty that can be admired by all residents and visitors. During the early years of the twentieth century, penny postcards were displayed all over the Boise valley. They depicted buildings, street scenes and views of the business district. These images were often notes from loved ones and created strong feelings of civic pride. The people of Boise wanted to share the unique aspects of the valley with other residents as well as those who made the trip from afar to experience a new town. Mark Baltes is the artist created this this piece of artwork for the city of Boise in 2004 as part of the Public Arts Program. Baltes describes that the images were taken from “genuine antique postcards and were among the most popular and widely used postcards from the period” (Baltes, 2011). Boise’s city hall is the chosen building due to its importance as a symbol of long-standing and community pride. It provides a unique piece of artwork by providing two different postcards when looking at it from different viewing points. This and other forms of art that scatter the city are part of what makes Boise so unique and exciting.

For more from the artist, visit: http://www.markeroni.com/catalog/display.php?code=ID_M_00002