John Collias
Idaho Artist, 1918-2017
Nobody saw Idaho like John Collias saw Idaho. For over half a century, he captured landscapes, faces, and local history in portraits, cartoons, illustrations, and murals large and small.
From the longtime Boise State athletic logo, to the weekly Portrait of a Distinguished Citizen feature in the Idaho Statesman from 1963-93, to thousands of commissioned artworks, he was proudly the “Court Painter of the State of Idaho.”
Books and Fine Art Prints
A rich and immersive 10×11-inch coffee table book gathering the work of Idaho Artist John Collias. This is the first and only collection of Collias’ prolific output, covering the military posters and artwork he created as a soldier at Boise’s Gowen Field during World War II, vast and colorful landscapes and murals, and the portraits and illustrations he has continued to create into the twenty-first century.
Live in the Treasure Valley? We’re happy to do local pick-up or drop off. You can also buy a copy at the Idaho State Museum, 610 Julia Davis Dr, Boise, ID 83702. Live out of town? Reach out at colliaswriting@gmail.com and we’ll figure it out together.
On Display in Boise in 2026!
John Collias’s 10x35-foot mural Idaho: A Portrait of a Distinguished State is on display for the rest of 2026 at the Idaho State Museum, 610 Julia Davis Dr, Boise, ID 83702.
You can also purchase postcards and small prints (11x14 in) of the mural in the museum store!
