The Lost City Museum presents an art exhibit by Joyce and Brian Spavin through the month of October. This show will feature fine art paintings.
Joyce Spavin was born in northern New Jersey, and has nurtured a lifelong interest in history and the arts.
Joyce traveled extensively in the history-rich eastern United States, Mexico, Europe, and the Middle East. She majored in graphic arts while studying at Parsons School of Design in New York City. Her areas of expertise include: drawing; painting; calligraphy; block printing; and embossing.
While raising her children, Joyce also became an accomplished seamstress designing wall hangings and handbags. When she moved to Las Vegas in 1970, her artistic direction rapidly changed. Native American cultures and history captivated her. A perfect evolution of artistic expression and exploration developed from her fascination with petroglyphs and ancient societies.
In 1986 Joyce formed her own business, Dreamtime Images, in partnership with her husband Brian. The business grew successfully over the next few years and her artwork became internationally recognized.
In 1988 a major change took place in Joyce’s life. After many tests, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. During the period of adjustment to the physical challenges, she spent her time constructively researching new work, and adjusting her studio to wheelchair height.
Joyce Spavin’s work has been represented in dozens of galleries across the United States, and in both private and corporate collections around the world.
Brian Spavin was born in Milwaukee Wisconsin in 1943. Because of his father’s job with the Atomic Energy Commission (now the Department of Energy) Brian and his family moved to Los Alamos and then Albuquerque, New Mexico where he spent most of his childhood.
His adolescence was not ordinary. Just one month shy of his 10th birthday, he was walking past a construction site when a 50 gallon drum of paint thinner exploded. The accident cost him two years in a hospital and his right arm. Since then he has faced life with the head- on attitude that there is nothing he cannot accomplish.
While in the hospital, Brian was given a drawing book in order to train his left hand. He soon discovered he had a talent for drawing. Over time he realized pursuing a fine arts career was a splendid fit for him. He also learned custom matting and framing in high school, honing these skills at the University of New Mexico (UNM) and graduated in 1966 with a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis on commercial art.
Upon graduation Brian originally intended to focus on a career as a fine artist, but to put food on the table he oversaw computer operations, computer graphics and desktop publishing for the federal government.
After 40+ years, Brian Spavin retired and now devotes his time to the framing of fine art and archival matting.
The Lost City Museum is open Thursday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is $5.00; children and members enter free. For more information, please call the museum at (702) 397-2193.
