Members of the public enjoy the work of local artists at the Moapa Valley Art Guild Spring Art Show held on Friday and Saturday at the Old Logandale School.

By Catherine Ellerton

Moapa Valley Progress

The inspirational and insightful work of over thirty-five local artists was on display at the Moapa Valley Art Guild Spring Art Show and Sale held at the Old Logandale School on March 11-12.

As I gazed at the oil painting by Sherry J. Johnson entitled “Entrance to Enchanted Forest,” my mind began to take that walk and I became intrigued by what motivated the artist. Why had a particular subject been chosen; the medium of watercolor, pencil, oil, acrylic, photography been selected; or the artistic crafts of rope baskets, gourds or eggs been part of the design envisioned?

I talked to Beverly Potts concerning her “chocolate flower” – a watercolor. I was advised that her family actually grew a flower by the name of chocolate flower. She continued that her dwarf peaches watercolor had to be painted fast because they were eaten as soon as they were picked. Beverly is four.

A wonderful acrylic painting on wood by Joan Rainey Day – “Desert Solitaire” – caught my eye. What an intriguing and unique look had been obtained by using old wood as the canvas for a delightful Desert Burrow.

Just around the corner I spotted a wonderful pencil drawing by Marya Romero entitled “Bovine Beauties.” The subtle shading gave a softness and gentleness to the mother and her baby. She then showed me her colorful acrylic of “Floating Froggies.” When asked how in the world she had come up with that idea, Marya stated that on a trip to California, they were playing with bubble guns and she kept thinking of frogs and soon the colorful frogs floating on bubbles in a sea of blue was born.

Always trying to get a new insight into photography, I rounded up two of the talented photographers present to hopefully get a few hints. Nick Yamashita said that he looks for that special something that catches his eye – that “WOW!” factor.

Scott Simper said that he enjoys photographing anything and everything. He looks for interesting formations and the changing colors of the sky. It takes patience and sometimes just being at the right place at the right time. His photos of the unusual rock formations in Fantasy Canyon in Utah were intriguing.

Different mediums mixed together attract many artists. Kaye Herron had fun putting together “The Sound of Music.” She used watercolor, India ink, gold foil and a reduced copy of a sheet of music.

A colorful abstract acrylic by Juan Ochoa entitled “Motherhood” invoked quite a discussion with passer-bys as we tilted our heads one way and the other to pick up all the unique features of the painting.

Dot Blake enjoys painting on unusual “canvasses” – skulls, eggs, old cans and rocks. A marvelous 100 plus year old Buffalo skull that had been buried in mud and finally retrieved now holds her wonderful wildlife creations woven on it’s unique brown color.

This Spring Art Show was an inspiration from the colorful gourds of Jo Tame and Janet Trobough, to the rope baskets of Edith Ann Luce, to the lessons in what art is all about by master painter, Max Bunnell. There was so much to see and to appreciate. Thank you to the MV Art Guild for this unique show and special thanks to the many artists who took the time to share their insight and inspiration.