By CHARLENE PAUL
Moapa Valley Progress
Moapa Valley resident Lynn Rigoni is a well-known fixture in the local arts community. And if you have never seen Rigoni’s art, you are in for a treat. The Lost City Museum is hosting a special exhibit of her most recent work entitled “Today and Yesteryear” for the entire month of August.
“This is near and dear to my heart because the Lost City Museum is really a special gem in southern Nevada,” said Lynn. “This exhibit is dedicated to the memory of my husband James Lynn Rogoni for his love and support of my pursuit of art.”
A member of the Nevada Water Color Society, St. Mary’s Art Center, Moapa Valley Art Guild, miscellaneous associations in several states, as well as a charter member of National Women in the Arts, Lynn keeps on the move with art shows, teaching, and commissions.
Portraiture, seascapes, landscapes, still-life drawings and paintings, as well as abstract, collage, and Impressionistic Art are all things she enjoys creating. She works with watercolors, oils, and pastels as she creates pieces that express her vision of the world around her.
Rigoni was born in Glendale, California and spent her early years in Eagle Rock. Much of her childhood was spent at the beach, giving her an early awareness of, and experience with, nature and the out-of-doors.
In 1962, Lynn moved to Las Vegas, and found yet another insight into nature as she became aware of the many wonders of the Desert Southwest. Ghost towns, stage stops, and rural areas held a particular fascination as she spent time exploring their nuances and subtleties. As she explored these historical areas, she documented the old buildings.
In 1988, Lynn and her husband Jim moved to Overton so they could enjoy life in the country. They raised several children and Lynn stayed busy seeing to the everyday comings and goings of her busy, growing family.
“I spent many years as a domestic engineer,” Lynn quipped.
Lynn’s dad counseled her to figure out a way to make a living, so she sharpened her shorthand, bookkeeping, and secretarial skills. Painting and creating art took a backseat for several years. But she was determined that one day she would finish those projects that danced in her mind.
Jim passed away thirteen years ago, leaving Lynn in a fog. “I spent the better part of ten years walking in a fog,” said Lynn. “I don’t remember paying bills, or doing a lot of the day-to-day stuff.”
Before his passing, Jim and Lynn enjoyed traveling together and stopping at old stage stops along the way. They enjoyed archery and fishing and being outside in nature.
“I really didn’t know what I was going to do,” she explained.
She credits Jim with getting her out of her fog to pursue her art. “I could almost hear him telling me to get it done,” she said.
