M.V. Art And Heritage On Display At Spring Show

By CATHERINE ELLERTON

The Progress

The Old Logandale School opened its doors to the artistic and the curious at a special Founders Day event held Saturday, Mar. 13.

The public was welcome to come and see a variety of community heritage exhibits at the museum, presented by the Old Logandale School Historical and Cultural Society (OLSHACS). In addition, the Moapa Valley Art Guild presented its annual Spring Art Show. Vendors were there to present what they had to offer.

Visitors could visit the Pioneer Room of the museum, which holds the stories of the early pioneers of the Moapa Valley. This room is filled with history: from clothing to dishes to an old organ and a piano. There is even a cabinet built by Laura Gentry in the early 1900s in Gold Butte. There is also a collection of Agricultural Heritage information donated by the Whipple and Hardy families on display.

A few steps down the hall is the Native American Exhibit which houses displays from the Apache, Shoshone, Havasupai, Paiute and Pueblo Nations. The ingenuity and skill of these native people is intriguing.

In another classroom a number of vendors were set up. Author, Beverly Bradley, discussed her book “Back through the Valley of the Shadow of Cancer”.

The ingenuity of the vendors is displayed in the Katydid Craft Ranch booth where artist Kathy Rangel showed off her decoupage plates.

The Lost City Museum was there to offere a raffle and introduced the Moapa Valley Days corn husk doll craft event.

Another necessary stop was at the booth of Scott and Carrie Beckstrand where one could purchase pomegranate jelly, juice,, vinegar and many other sweet treats.

In the Spring Art Show the Moapa Valley Art Guild members displayed the splendor of the Valley through their artwork. It could be seen through the pen of the late Max Bunnell, the founder of the Art Guild, whose work was on display.

Susan Perez continued to intrigue the viewer with her pastels and with her jewelry, greeting cards and small jeweled animals such as the Christmas Spiders.

Marya Romero Hoffman’s interpretations of animals and plants continued to draw the viewer. The watercolors of Kim Delgadillo of birch trees and Light Houses drew much attention.
Aimeelyn Potts draws tiny landscapes with water color and pencil and offers intricate jewelry which were on display.

Jacqui Worthen’s colored pencil renditions of Kokopellis are popular and Lynn Rigoni’s watercolors of desert plants and the Prichard’s Station invited discussion.

Surrounding these artistic works were the booths of many more local vendors. Dee Farnham had taken old flea market finds and made them new again for local shoppers. The Valley Metal Works creations in silver of flags, military symbols, cowboy boots and much more of silversmiths Kirk Livernash and Melaini Bradshaw sparkled on the stage.

Stretched out in the middle of the room was a large quilt sewn by Robin Maughan. The final touches were being placed during Saturday’s event. In fact, attendees were invited to take a moment and add a few stitches to the quilt, thus giving them a chance at winning a quilt.

The energetic OLSHACS Director Robin Maughan stated that the organization had obtained box-loads of photos taken through the years by Moapa Valley Progress founder, John Robison, during his long career in chronicling local events in the newspaper. Maughan and her team are now sorting through these photos and placing them in albums. Maughan said that she would appreciate help from locals in identifying the people in the many photos.

The museum is open 9 am to 1 pm Monday through Thursday; and 12 to 4 pm on Fridays. However, one may call 702-398-7272 to make an appointment to come in at a more convenient time to help add to the history and story of the Moapa Valley.