VEGASinsight Archives

You know what we love about Dust Gallery (900 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Suite 120-B)? The gallery hosts its opening receptions in the middle of the month, realizing that there’s no point in competing with dozens of other galleries for attention on First Friday or, as has become popular of late in the Las Vegas art scene, receptions the Thursday prior.

We also love Dust’s new location on the ground floor of SoHo Lofts, which almost redeems the otherwise offensively mediocre architecture of this condo building. The airy, echoing space is perfect for Dust’s typically minimalist contemporary art offerings. As well, the gallery will have some worthy neighbors soon, in the form of Globe Salon, which is moving from its age-old Charleston and Decatur location to the retail level of SoHo this summer, further moving downtown toward livability.

The new exhibit worth checking out at Dust is “Make It Rain,” a show featuring new works by Curtis Fairman and Jeffrey Gibson. Fairman is a UNLV MFA recipient who lives right here in Sin City, while Brooklyn, N.Y.-residing Gibson received his MFA in London at the Royal College of Art. Fancy, huh? “Make It Rain” debuts next Friday, May 16, at 6 p.m. Surely there will be refreshments and art scenesters aplenty. You know you love it.

It’s a month not worth living, that’s what. So you’d better hope your little $2 contribution at the Casino Center gate keeps this thing alive. I say, screw that, slip those volunteers a 10-spot and ixnay the extra Guinness at the Griffin later that night.

So what’s on tap for First Friday in May? How about checking out what the students, teachers and alums of the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing and Visual Arts are turning out these days, art-wise? You can do just that at MTZC (1551 S. Commerce St.) as the renegade contemporary arts gallery presents “Generation Gap,” showing throughout the month of May but debuting during First Friday, of course.

Or maybe your style is more robots and rocket pods? If so, check out Sam Davis’ latest work in “For the Love of Pod,” showing at Trifecta Gallery (inside the Arts Factory, 103 E. Charleston Blvd.). His work is about the void between here and there, back and forth strangeness. He makes us believe in the make-believe keeping us playfully aware. But more importantly, his robots are really cool. Robots, people, art featuring robots! You can never go wrong. (more…)

Art by Timothy Anderson, debuting at The Fallout this Friday.

If you didn’t get enough art at last week’s First Friday event downtown – and maybe you did, but you just don’t remember through your wine-induced haze – then you may want to swing by The Fallout (1551 S. Commerce St.) this Friday, April 11. New works in graphite and ink on paper by Timothy Anderson are being unveiled at the opening reception for this exhibit from 6 to 9 p.m. Anderson’s surreal drawings will be on display at The Fallout through May 16.

Of course, maybe looking at art isn’t your style. Maybe you need some pointy-haired, emo-tastic rock ‘n’ roll. If that’s the case, then $10 gets you Verbatym, Love It Or Leave It, Away We Go!, Hitting On Hannah and This Romantic Tragedy at Jillian’s Las Vegas (450 Fremont St.) that night at 6 p.m. as well.

If there seems to be a mysterious increase in the number of hot rods, beehives and pomade use next weekend in Las Vegas, that must mean it’s time for yet another edition of Viva Las Vegas, the big rockabilly weekender that essentially takes over the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino from April 10 to 13. It’s year 11 for this annual fete, which features a car show, burlesque competition, art show and dozens of rockabilly, R&B and roots rock bands from across the globe performing live at the property’s showrooms and lounges.

As with any convention, sometimes the peripheral events are just as – if not more – interesting as the main show. Such is the case with the second Cocktails & Cheesecake Party being thrown by Java’s Bachelor Pad at the newly-whitewashed Art Bar (1511 S. Main St.). Happening on Friday, April 11 at 7 p.m., the Cocktails & Cheesecake Party will feature burlesque performers including Kalani Kokonuts, Ava Garter, Betsey Bosen, Bunny Bravo and Ravenna Black, music spun by DJ GooGoo Muck, and all sorts of other swinging action.

Cover for the event is only $5 and hosts include Gigi Valiant, Kay O’Hara and Java himself. If you miss this, you are one cat with low hep quotient. Check out the 2006 event photos and more by clicking here.

Hey, remember we told you about the opening of Chris Waters’ “Waiting” at the Jennifer Marie Gallery next Thursday, April 3? Well, as long as you’re going to be at the under-renovation Arts Factory (101 E. Charleston Blvd.), you may as well swing by Trifecta Gallery as well, where the opening reception of JW Caldwell’s new show will be held from 5 to 8 p.m.

Entitled “Dismounting Your High Horse With Style and Grace,” this series of paintings are about fear and failure, resulting in hope and strength. It’s the merger of pop and populist with a frontier twist. If you don’t come for the art, well, at least you can taste the featured wine of the month from Tinocos Bistro.

Left: Photography by Chris Waters. Right: Painting by Brent Becker.

We already know all the cool kids will be in downtown Las Vegas for the monthly First Friday proceedings on April 4. Though many of you like to skip the arts festival and go straight to the after-parties (you know who you are), you might want to try balancing those Jager shots with some culture.

VEGASinsight recommends checking out “Waiting,” the solo show of photographer Chris Waters’ work at Jennifer Marie Gallery (Arts Factory, 101 E. Charleston Blvd., #205). If photography’s not your thing, but slappin’ paint on canvas is, head over to MTZC (Commerce Street Studios, 1551 S. Commerce St.) for the first solo show by Brent Becker, “(CON)temporary (DIS)connect.” There is an opening reception for Waters’ show on Thursday, April 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. if you want to get a sneak peak before fighting your way through a thicket of eyeliner-drenched emo kids on First Friday.

Speaking of kids, the hipsters of The In Crowd and Indiekrush.com are providing an all-ages outlet for booty-shaking inside the Attic (1018 S. Main St.) at 9 p.m. with Infamous: The Masquerade. This dance party features DJs Bul!m!atron, Teen Wolf, Autobahn, ABOM, Va Jay Jay, and Geno spinning dirty eelctro, nu-rave and bangers. Cover is only $5 before 10 p.m., $7 after. (more…)

Mayor Goodman — making Las Vegas safe for lowbrow art yet again! 

Remember that news about First Friday losing half its annual funding from the City of Las Vegas and the subsequent donation stands now set up at the entrance to the street festival? Well, apparently Mayor Oscar Goodman — who hasn’t been up to much lately, near as we can tell — has ponied up $10,000 for Whirlygig, Inc., the non-profit that runs the annual art walk. It came from his own political action committee, as reported in today’s Las Vegas Sun.

Though it won’t make up for the $80,000 or so the organization lost annually, it will do more than the returns on the optional $2 donation requested each month by First Friday visitors.

“While it’s helpful, it certainly is not enough to support the event at this time,” Cindy Funkhouser, founder of First Friday, told the Sun of the trickling-in walk-up donations.

Teresa M. Williams’ “Enigmatic Flow”

Usually, the Arts Factory (101 E. Charleston Blvd.) gets all the attention when it comes to exhibit openings, especially on that magical Thursday before First Friday each month. That’s when it seems every gallery inside the Arts District’s hub building holds a reception for its forthcoming show. So it’s little wonder that Commerce Street Studios (1551 S. Commerce St.) does something a little different: A night of closing receptions, two weeks removed from the hustle of First Friday week.

This Saturday, March 22, MTZC holds a closing reception for Teresa M. Williams’ exhibit of drawings, “Enigmatic Flow,” from 6 to 9 p.m. Meanwhile, at the same time downstairs at The Fallout, Rick Dominguez and Cindy Funkhouser celebrate not only the one-year anniversary of their gallery, but also their marriage, which took place in that very space one year ago! While there, check out “Play This” before it packs up for the month.

But that’s not all! A few feet north, Circadian Studios celebrates the first show by Stephanie Ford and Amber Varde, appropriately titled “Poppin’ Our Cherries!” Can you handle this much art all at once? Or that much free wine and beer? We know you can. See you there.

Artwork from the show, by Ayako Ono.

One of Las Vegas’ oldest non-profit art organizations, the Contemporary Arts Collective, is holding its 19th annual juried show, on display now through April 26. Exhibiting artists this year represent a diversity of established and upcoming talent, including Marty Walsh, Jorge Catoni, Justin Favela, Mary Beth Heishman, Brent Sommerhauser and many others.
 
“We had a huge response from artists interested in participating in our juried show,” said CAC Executive Director Beate Kirmse. “It was a tough decision, but ultimately we feel the artists chosen represent the wide variety of talent in Las Vegas.”

A reception for the show, at which prizes will be awarded, will be held on Thursday, April 3. The work in the show – which includes paintings, mixed media, photography and video – was juried by Majorie Vecchio, director of UNLV’s Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery.
 
The CAC gallery is located on the first floor of the Arts Factory at 101 E. Charleston Blvd. For more information, call 702-382-3886 or visit www.lasvegascac.org.

“Trainyard,” by Nicole Yoder

Since opening the Jennifer Marie Gallery inside the Arts Factory (101 E. Charleston Blvd.) last fall, Jennifer Harrington has followed her passion, providing a home for fresh art and upcoming artists. Her gallery was featured in Racket magazine’s art issue in December and has been warmly received by the local art scene. But up until now, the gallery has featured mostly paintings, sculpture and mixed media, but not much by way of photography.

That’s about to change, with the opening of “Kiss” on Thursday March 6. This group show will feature the work of a diverse range of Las Vegas-based photographers, including some unsung heroes and UNLV students and graduates.

“I’m doing a mix of fine artists and some young photographers,” Harrington says. “I really want a show that says something about Las Vegas and the people who live and work here.”

Nightlife photographer Melissa Reese, VURB magazine art director Christopher Smith, UNLV MFA graduate Sam Davis and photographer Nicole Yoder, whose work was featured at the gallery previously in the “Pretty Little Things” exhibit, are among the artists featured in “Kiss.” Harrington said she specifically wanted to feature fine artists alongside working photographers, who typically only get a chance to shoot on assignment. The “Kiss” theme was created just to encourage creativity.

“I called this show ‘Kiss’ so that everyone could have a bit of fun, and make a pretty show to look at,” Harrington says.

The March 6 reception starts at 6 p.m. and the show runs throughout the month. For more information on the exhibit or the gallery, visit the Jennifer Marie Gallery website or call 702-686-3164.