Boise-based Artist Chad Otis Selected for Boise Airport Vinyl Mural Installation
Part of the Airport’s Centennial Anniversary in 2026
After a statewide request for qualifications (RFQ), Boise-based author and illustrator Chad Otis has been selected to create artwork for a vinyl mural installation planned for the Boise Airport’s new Consolidated Rental Car Facility or ConRAC (3483 W. Rickenbacker St., Boise). Otis’ work will be displayed for three to five years in two locations, on the east façade of the new facility and in the connector, a walkway connecting the rental car facility to the airport.
The RFQ issued in April 2025 asked artists to consider the following prompt: While acknowledging the past years of history, what could the future of air transportation in Boise look like? How would you represent that in your artwork?
A community-based selection panel representing members of the Boise Airport Commission and staff, Arts & History Commission, artist community, and ConRAC facility operator and construction company reviewed and scored proposals based on adaptability and appropriateness for public display, color palette, inclusion of historical elements, and the depiction of the future of air transportation.
Of the 57 submissions received, the panel selected three finalists, who were each awarded a $500 stipend to design concept proposals. The panel then reviewed and scored the finalists’ proposals and unanimously selected Chad Otis.
“The mural is meant to celebrate our spirit of exploration and discovery – from Sacajawea guiding Lewis and Clark to Idaho, to the 100th anniversary of the Boise Airport and its future as a hub of exploration and air travel,” said Otis of his design concept. “The mural includes historical elements that honor the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, the Boise Depot, the Capitol Building, President Lincoln who signed the act creating the Idaho Territory in 1862, along with a bygone Boise Airport with its significant role as a hub for U.S. AIR MAIL biplanes,” added Otis.
For Otis, the next decades of air transportation appear to hold some exciting advancements. The mural includes a low-orbit, hydrogen-powered, blended wing-body passenger plane and an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. “Aircrafts like these promise to get us where we want to go more efficiently, and more comfortably,” shared Otis.
Otis selected colors like sunbaked gold, a nod to the region’s high desert, foothills, and sandstone, along with warm greens found in the beloved Boise River Greenbelt, mountains, trees, and sagebrush, and clay-red as a spot of color.
"The murals designed by Chad Otis beautifully weave together the story of our airport with the spirit of our city to create a piece that feels both nostalgic and forward-looking,” said Rebecca Hupp, Boise Airport Director. “It’s an honor to showcase art that reflects our community and how far we’ve come."
Otis will be awarded a $30,000 budget to work alongside the design team to create and support the installation of his artwork. The artist is currently working on refining his artwork concept and scaling it to the appropriate facility specifications. With support from Boise design-build studio Trademark Creative, fabrication will begin in early 2026, with installation slated for spring. Otis’ work will be dedicated on April 6, 2026, the date of the Boise Airport’s Centennial Anniversary, and will serve as a kickoff to the year-long community celebration coinciding with the City of Boise’s commemoration of the United States’ 250th anniversary.
About Chad Otis
Chad Otis is a best-selling author and illustrator of seven children’s books. THE BRIGHT SIDE (Rocky Pond Books/Penguin, 2023) was chosen as Idaho Book of the Year in 2023, and is now in the permanent collection at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. Before creating children’s books, Chad worked as an agency creative director, designer, illustrator, and copywriter for over twenty years. He lives in the foothills of Boise with his wife, Cathy, and their Cockapoo, Riley. Learn more: chadotis.com
About the Boise Airport
The Boise Airport welcomed nearly 5 million passengers in 2024 and is served by eight airlines flying to 26 nonstop destinations. As infrastructure critical to the region’s growth and prosperity, the Boise Airport is a vital asset for Idaho and serves as a gateway to the entire Treasure Valley. According to a recent study, each year BOI generates more than $2.9 billion in total economic impact, supports more than 21,000 jobs in the region and produces more than $157 million in state and local taxes. BOI receives no local tax dollars. Visit iflyboise.com to learn more.
