BLVDS Las Vegas Arts & Design

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issue 15

community

culture

design

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COMMUNITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

COMMUNIT Y

Spotlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Michelle Quinn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Dave Loeb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Las Vegas Little Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 B y the Communit y, For the Communit y

BLVDS

w h a t ’s i n s i d e

ARTICLES & HIGHLIGHTS C U LT U R E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X

C U LT U R E

Brett Wesley G aller y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Re-inventing the Gallery Experience Potter y West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Shaping a Community with Clay and Commitment Arts & Events Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

DESIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . XX

DESIGN

Symphony Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Hitting the Right Notes for a Vibrant Downtown The Downtown Design Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Building a Better Las Vegas

F L AV O R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X X

F L AV O R ON THE COVER:

Nancy Rubins’ Big Edge at CityCenter © CityCenter

THIS PAGE FROM LEFT:

Brett Wesley Gallery © Brett Wesley Gallery; . Henri & Odette © Greg Warden .

Henri & Odette Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 D i v e r s i t y a n d Ta l e n t C h a r a c t e r i z e D o w n t o w n G a l l e r y


Enjoy an Evening under the Stars with Nature featuring family entertainment:

Christy Molasky and the Music Junkies All proceeds for the evening benefit the

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In this issue of BLVDS we are going to take you to where the Arts and Design scene is alive and well. In the upcoming months look for the opening of CityCenter which will be housing over $40 million dollars in art that is available to the public for viewing! As well as an impressive art collection CityCenter’s design and architecture is world class, so plan for an outing when it opens in December. After you’re done on the Strip, head on down to 18b, the Downtown Arts District. New galleries are popping up all over as well as unique boutiques. Brett Wesley Gallery will open in September, and be sure check out Gaia, an organic flower shop. If you haven’t been yet, stop by Jennifer Harrington’s gallery, Henri & Odette, for a most civilized cup of coffee and fabulous art. Take a walk, have lunch, and support local businesses— what’s good for them is good for all of us. See you out there, — Jan Craddock , President and Publisher

B L V D S

contributors

THE TEAM

THE TEAM

EDITORIAL BOARD

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jan Craddock President & Publisher Sherri Kaplan COO & Co-Publisher Pat Marvel Consulting Editor Kimberly Schaefer Managing Editor Pam Lang Sales and Marketing Director Mahoney Galloway Adver tising Dean Pizzoferrato Ar t Direction Scott O’Brien Production Management

Brian Paco Alvarez

Becky Bosshar t

Debra Blitzer

Hektor D. Esparza

Durette Candito

Darin Hollingswor th

Jack Chappell

Pam Lang

Audrie Dodge

Jodi Nelson-Springberg

Nancy Higgins

Sara Nunn

Darin Hollingswor th

Kimberly Schaefer

Gina Jackson C O N TA C T U S

1000 N. Green Valley Pkwy, Suite 440-178 Henderson, NV 89074 (p) 386.6065 (f ) 386.6012 blvdslv.com

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Debra March

Kelly McLendon

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Kimberly Maxson-Rushton

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Copyright 2009, by BLVDS, Inc., all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from BLVDS, Inc. Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, however, BLVDS, Inc. assumes no responsibility for errors, changes or omissions. BLVDS, Inc. accepts editorial and photography submissions. Please send all submissions to: editor@blvdslv.com.



nOW entering itS 31St Year, the LaS VegaS LittLe theatre iS run BY VOLunteerS anD StageS entertaining PrODuctiOnS featuring LOcaL taLent. With PerfOrManceS On BOth a Main Stage anD a BLacK BOX theatre DeVOteD tO innOVatiVe PieceS, the LVLt iS a ViBrant Part Of the cOMMunitY anD a MainStaY Of the LOcaL cuLturaL eXPerience. With the OPening Of citYcenter in DeceMBer, MicheLe Quinn LeaVeS an inDeLiBLe MarK On the LOcaL art Scene. DaVe LOeB iS a PrOfeSSOr, PerfOrMer, anD PianiSt LiVing Life With PaSSiOn.

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the LOcaL SPOtLight

arTicles spotlights michelle quinn Living an Artful Life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Dave loeb Master Musician Has a Passion for Teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 las vegas little Theatre By the Community, For the Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

facing Page:

Reclining Connected Forms by Henry Moore at CityCenter ŠThe Henry Moore Foundation



Michelle Quinn

L iv i n g a n A r tfu l Life

When CityCenter opens later this year, it will be a triumph for Las Vegas in many ways—completion of a project in times of economic turmoil, the unprecedented commingling of buildings designed by a number of the world’s great architects. It will also mark the unveiling of a $40 million fine art collection described by Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM MIRAGE, as “the first initiative of its kind to merge public and corporate interests on this grand scale.” For Michele Quinn, the opening will mark a much more personal achievement. In her role as curatorial advisor, the opening of CityCenter with its fine art collection will be a moment of very real and personal pride. “It’s real, and it’s important, and it’s going to be recognized as something groundbreaking. Nancy’s piece [Nancy Rubins’ Big Edge, see our cover] alone is probably the biggest piece and the best piece she’s ever made in her career. It’s an important collection, and I think it’s going to be something that people are going to want to investigate, and study, and understand. I’m extremely proud to be a part of it,” says Quinn. In a truly extraordinary field, Quinn has built an equally extraordinary career. Growing up in Las Vegas, “I always had an interest in art or in being an artist. My entire life was about painting and drawing and investigating art,” explains Quinn. Childhood visits to museums and galleries in New York fueled her interest.

Michele C. Quinn Fine Art Advisory, a business dedicated to providing clients with top of the line advice when it comes to acquiring works of post-war contemporary art along with integrating those works into larger design plans and installation. As for the future, Quinn doesn’t see the completion of the CityCenter project as the end of her work with the collection. She says, “We’re really hoping that this is just the beginning of how this collection is going to live and breathe here. How are we going to have the general public understand this work? Will we be able to have lectures? How will the investigation process of the collection be influenced? These are things that are still going to be worked through and evolve as the property is opened.”

While Quinn entertained attending art school, her father encouraged her to couple her passion for art with an education that would prepare her for a wide array of opportunities. To that end, Quinn earned a master’s in arts administration from NYU and an MBA in finance and marketing from Fordham University, and began her career as an intern at Leo Castelli Gallery followed by positions with Christie’s and Brooke Alexander Gallery.

While those questions may not yet be answered, one thing is certain:

Quinn returned to Las Vegas in 2003 and has been making her mark in the local art world ever since. She has curated important private collections here and has served as a consultant for public collections including those at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay and Nevada Cancer Institute. In addition to these projects, she owns and operates

It’s more like, ‘what am I not going to get to today?’

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Michele Quinn’s influence on the public art of Las Vegas will have a lasting impact on our community. What’s on your “to do” list? Probably to start a family. What are you going to put off doing today?

What’s your greatest indulgence? That’s an easy question for a woman—shoes, bags. It’s more like an obsession.

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C O M M UNIT Y t h e l o c a l s p o t l i g h t

Dave Loeb

Ma s t e r M u sician Ha s a Pass i on fo r Te ac h i ng

Of the many roles played by Dave Loeb—pianist, musical director, composer, arranger, conductor—teacher is the one that evokes the most passion in the Assistant Professor of Music and eight-year veteran Director of Jazz Studies in UNLV’s College of Fine Arts. “I used to literally have dreams about standing in a classroom and teaching students, and now I get to live that dream. I get as excited to hear my students perform as I used to get when I first started performing myself,” says Loeb. A graduate of the prestigious Eastman School of Music, Loeb’s career spans nearly four decades in multiple musical disciplines from classical to jazz to Broadway to composing for television and film. He also spent many years as music director, arranger, and pianist for acclaimed actor/singer Ben Vereen. Loeb has also worked with other musical luminaries including Bette Midler and Natalie Cole and as a composer and arranger for television hits Hill Street Blues, Ally McBeal, and Family Guy. Locally, Loeb served as interim music director/conductor for a portion of the Las Vegas run of The Producers. One of this musical dynamo’s favorite projects in his long, varied, and successful career, was the work that he did on the 1983 Disney documentary Cycling Through China. Loeb relished the team approach taken by the entire cast, production staff, and colleagues from UCLA to create a score with classical flavor but that included original Chinese instrumentation. This kind of collaboration with students and other professionals clearly motivates Loeb. A recent project with Vereen and the Long Beach Symphony featured a current UNLV Jazz Studies student, Otto Ehling, on piano. “I was excited to work with colleagues in a conducting role, but I was more enthusiastic about everything being right for Otto’s debut symphony performance,” Loeb says. While his students are his priority, Loeb is still a very busy performer himself. He splits his time between Las Vegas and Los Angeles where he is Principal Keyboardist at the legendary venue, the Hollywood Bowl. He willingly goes wherever his music and teaching will take

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him. But it’s the role of teacher who promotes his students more than himself that is the true essence of this music professional. Who is your favorite fictional character? Someone like ET who is willing to explore truth from a pure, innocent almost naïve perspective. And I love characters that don’t let language get in the way. If you could take only one book with you to a deserted island, what would it be? Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham. What’s the one thing people don’t know about you? My passion for flying sail planes and gliders. Where would you most like to travel? Outer space, but also India and Russia and Paris. Through touring I’ve gotten to travel a lot—six continents—but there are still so many places I haven’t been. What makes you say “wow”? Hearing my students perform—seeing their improvement as musicians. What’s on your “to do” list? In the near term, family travel and a full summer of performances with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra including Guys and Dolls with a really amazing cast.

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C O M M UNIT Y t h e l o c a l s p o t l i g h t

Pa m L a n g

facing page :

LVLT members rehearse © Kelly McLendon

Las Vegas Lit tle Theatre

By t h e Communit y, Fo r the Communit y

T h e r e i s n o t h i n g q u i t e l i k e t h e e x c i t e m e n t o f l i v e t h e at r e .

Several years ago, as the last scene of A Streetcar Named Desire was

line: “By the community—for the community.” Niejadlik speaks for

about to begin, the lights went out inside the Las Vegas Little Theatre.

the board when he says how grateful they are for the volunteers who

At first, the audience, cast, and crew stood motionless in total dark-

do everything from moving furniture for sets, ushering, acting, even

ness, listening to a powerful thunderstorm that had rolled into the

cleaning the theatre. He also acknowledges that the theatre is lucky

city. Without the benefit of a generator waiting in the wings, an item larger theatres can afford, the staff had to think fast.

to have such a creative group of people and stresses that amateur theatre doesn’t mean bad theatre.

Soon, with a large group of volunteers pointing flashlights and candles towards the stage, and with permission from the audience to continue, the curtain opened. “At the end of the show there was a standing ovation for both cast and crew,” laughs Walter Niejadlik,

“We have such a tremendous pool of talent in Vegas,” he says. “Here, everyone involved strives to offer professional, quality work, and they do it for one reason, because they love it.” One volunteer has been

President of the Board of Directors for Las Vegas Little Theatre. “Now,

traveling from Los Angeles for 15 years to lend his technical expertise

that’s community theatre!”

and builds almost every set. Many volunteers are employed with shows on the Strip but gravitate to LVLT because they enjoy the satis-

After 30 years, Las Vegas Little Theatre (LVLT) knows the importance

faction that comes with combining efforts for a community produc-

of creative thinking and how very valuable volunteers are. Founded in

tion. “We are always looking for volunteers, in every capacity,” explains

1978 by Jack Bell and Jack Nickolson, LVLT is Southern Nevada’s oldest

Niejadlik. It’s also a great place to meet people. Niejadlik moved

amateur theatre. Its first performance took place in a converted storefront where Fashion Show Mall now sits.

to Las Vegas from San Francisco several years ago and traces nearly all of his friendships back to the theatre.

“There was a support beam right smack in the middle of the stage in that space,” remembers Niejadlik. “In true artistic style, they incorporated it into every single set design.” The company has moved around throughout the years with productions at local libraries, UNLV, and space just a few doors down from their current home on Schiff Drive. Renovated with the help of professional design services, patron

Auditions are held regularly during the season with dates posted on LVLT’s web site. LVLT encourages anyone that is interested, even if they have had little or no experience, to become involved. “There’s a place for anyone that wants to be part of a production,” Niejadlik says. On the Mainstage the company presents six shows per season which

donations, local business contributions, and the dedication of

are chosen by committee with careful consideration paid to what the

countless volunteers, the theatre houses a 155-seat Mainstage and

community may need or desire. “Last season, we chose a lot of com-

the Virlis & Bernice Fischer Black Box Theatre. The organization has a

edy,” remarks Niejadlik. “This season won’t be too drama heavy either

long-range goal of securing a permanent LVLT-owned facility, but is

because everyone has had enough drama this year!”

committed to keeping the intimacy of a small theatre intact. Opening the 2009-2010 Season is Deathtrap, a comedy set in The theatre is run by volunteers, including a board of directors, that

Connecticut about a playwright who writes thrillers. This November,

oversee the day to day operations and who firmly believe in their tag

theatre-goers can attend Is He Dead? a comedy adaptation from Mark

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C O M M UNIT Y t h e l o c a l s p o t l i g h t this page:

Community theatre in action © Kelly McLendon

Twain about an artist who contemplates staging his own death to

can be produced for under $500 during the New Works competition

increase the value of his work.

in the spring.

Don’t Dress for Dinner is set in a French farmhouse where chaos ensues

LVLT is always striving to create programs that reach into the com-

after a husband tries to pack his wife off for two weeks to visit her

munity to get people interested in live theatre. Occasionally they have

mother so he can spend time with his mistress. It will be presented

received funding for these types of programs such as the Cirque du

in January. Winter brings a much more reflective production,

Soleil-funded “Tomorrow’s Audience.” This program provides access

The Shadow Box, with a look at three different patients in a hospice

to theatre for high school and college students. Admission is free on

and how their families cope with life and death. Regrets Only will be

select Saturday afternoons to see a play in the Black Box, meet the

presented in April offering a hilarious combination of high fashion,

playwright, and talk with the actors at a reception afterwards. “Young

fine dining, and marriage. Neil Simon’s I Ought to Be in Pictures will

people sometimes think that theatre is old and highbrow,” Niejadlik

round out this lively season.

explains. “We want to show them that theatre is for everyone.”

The Virlis & Bernice Fischer Black Box has been critically acclaimed for

This summer, the Black Box space was rented by a summer camp that

its innovative and avant-garde offerings. Among other productions this

invited children to explore life in a theatre. LVLT has sponsored its own

season, they will present Extremities, a play that explores the horrible

summer theatre camps in the past and is working on a future program

reality and severe consequences of rape. Plans to partner with local

that will offer a comprehensive learning experience in theatre arts.

community groups and to use educational resources are anticipated. Original works are frequently premiered in this space and the

A unique way that the board has attempted to bring theatre to

public is invited to submit plays that they have written and that

life for young people is through the Target-funded “Kids’ Stuff ”

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program. Described as a “living library,” this program gave free tickets to teachers in “at-risk” schools. The teachers sent home the tickets with students, so that entire families could enjoy what may have otherwise been a financially inaccessible experience. For many who attended, it was the first visit to a theatre and a chance to see books

LVLT rehearsal; Volunteers hard at work; Live music at LVLT © Kelly McLendon

Las Vegas Little Theatre 3920 Schiff Drive Las Vegas 89130 362.7996 lvlt.org

brought to life through acting. If Target agrees to fund the program again this year, Niejadlik is hoping every child attending will also be able to take home a book to remember their experience. Along with volunteers, donations are also needed to keep this vibrant part of our community up and running. Especially needed are gift cards from Home Depot or Lowe’s, paint, building materials, vintage clothing and furniture, and, of course, cash. But mostly, LVLT wants the community to support the theatre by attending productions. “Our tickets are under $25,” Niejadlik says. “There really isn’t much you can see anywhere else for that price!”

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Brett Sperry hOpeS tO re-inVent the Gallery experience By expanDinG the DialOGue BetWeen art creatOrS anD cOllectOrS. hiS neW Gallery, Brett WeSley, prOMiSeS tO Be an excitinG aDDitiOn tO the artS DiStrict When it OpenS thiS Fall. FinDinG laS VeGaS lacKinG a Fine artS cOMMunity that SpOKe tO her, aMy Kline DeciDeD tO BuilD One. pOttery WeSt OFFerS claSSeS anD WOrKShOpS in ceraMicS FOr BeGinnerS tO prOFeSSiOnalS, aS Well aS a Gallery anD accOMMODatiOnS FOr reSiDent artiStS.

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e n t e r ta i n M e n t & a c t i V i t i e S

articleS Brett wesley g aller y Re-inventing the Gallery Experience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 potter y west Shaping a Community with Clay and Commitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

FacING PaGe:

Stoking the wood-fired kiln at Pottery West Š Kelly McLendon


c u lt u r e e n t e r t a i n e m e n t & a c t i v i t i e s

FACING PAGE:

MiG Pilot © Kevin Chupik

Becky Bosshart

Bret t Wesley Gallery

Re - i nv e n t i ng the Gallery E xperience

O n e d ay B r e t t S p e r r y m ay h av e a h a n d i n w h at y o u p u t o n y o u r wa l l s .

With a new downtown gallery and a roster of emerging artists, Brett Sperry pauses to look out over Las Vegas. Light streams through ground-to-ceiling windows into the space on the 21st floor of Newport Lofts. Around him, on the walls of this contemporary condo, are the works of an encaustic wax painter—pop images of hot chicks, Bambi, and Hanna-Barbera cartoons. “Being able to show artwork here up in the sky is a terrific experience,” says Sperry, whose own residence is two floors below. “It shows these magnificent works really well.” This is the temporary Brett Wesley Gallery (Wesley is his middle name). In the fall he plans to open the permanent gallery in the Arts District, but for the last nine months, Sperry has conducted a “trunk show” in Newport Lofts. For art lovers it has been a unique experience to see art in a residential environment, he says. Shows here

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change monthly, and include a first Thursday opening and a week of appointment-only showings. Appointments are steady and shows are lined up a year in advance. One local art expert says the Brett Wesley Gallery could greatly influence the local art market, partly because of Sperry’s commitment to living and working downtown. He also has a circle of friends capable of buying higher priced pieces. “A lot of the game is relationship,” says Wes Myles, owner of the Arts Factory. “The artist needs the connections forged by the art dealer and gallery,” he continues. “Who would Andy Warhol be without art dealer Leo Castelli? When Castelli said to buy, his friends bought. Brett has a very nice circle of acquaintances who trust his judgment,” Myles says. “So he can fall into that category.” Could Sperry—a software designer who made his mark in computer games—be the Castelli of Las Vegas? Myles smiles. “He could be.”

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Find Your Passion! Cedar City

BEER FEST Soak it up! Saturday, Sept. 19, 2 - 6 pm Get a jump on Oktober by sampling some of the best microbrews in the land at The Village Craft Beer Festival. Brewers from across the U.S. will join host Buckbean Brewery in pouring their finest, giving you a chance to try all your favorite styles in a truly festival-like setting. Proceeds will benefit Muscular Dystrophy Association of Southern Nevada, so not only will you be soaking up the sun and suds, but you’ll be helping a great cause.

Our 2009 Season

As You Like It • Henry V • The Comedy of Errors Private Lives • The Secret Garden • Foxfire Tuesdays with Morrie • The Woman in Black The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)

June 29 – October 17 800-PLAYTIX • www.bard.org Michael David Edwards in Cyrano de Bergerac, 2008.

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incl/room & 2 tickets from $129 888-600-2688

TiCkeTs $20

Tickets available at the gate More info available at lakelasvegasevents.com or 702-564-4785.


THIS PAGE:

The temporary gallery at Newport Lofts © Brett Wesley Gallery

Jordan Robins, a 39-year-old freelance graphic artist and animator, didn’t expect to buy a Jeff Schaller painting when he walked into his friend’s gallery. The humorous graphic tone of the work caught his eye. Soon the work will hang in his home. “I’m not trying to get a Monet,” he says. “I’m just trying to get some enjoyment in art that isn’t as high-priced.”

taking his portfolio to buyers in London and Berlin. “We want to extend the reach of our gallery far beyond Las Vegas,” he says. “And we really want to make sure our artists committed to Brett Wesley have international recognition.” Sperry is a patron to Roberts’ work, and a friend. “It started out with him buying one of my paintings,” says Roberts. “Then he was interest-

Price is a tricky thing during a recession. “We knew going into it that it would be a very challenging economic climate,” says Sperry. “But I’m resolute in my determination and mission to bring great art into the city, to make people who are living here more aware that there are some great artists here, right in town.” They haven’t stopped creating because the Dow is down. Why should Sperry stop selling? “If you’re always trying to wait in your life for the right time, and you’re not willing to take risks, then dreams don’t ever become realized.”

ed in another painting. Our friendship was forged that way. It wasn’t long before we bonded. We have a lot of things in common. We’re both genre fans—samurai movies and anime. He’s really an art fan. He likes all different types of art for different reasons. We can go to a gallery together and start talking about all the work there. He really has a lot of passion for art and what it says and how it moves people.” Sperry describes a Roberts painting in terms of social chaos. His hands swirl above I Takeover, which shows a woman with an iPod affixed to

Sperry talks of a “life well-lived” with good art, literature, and design as the key components. He’s a photographer who made his money in software development, forming Westwood Studios in 1985 with partner Louis Castle. After selling it in 2002, Sperry started up Jet Set Games in 2007. His art collection includes most of the artists he represents, such as John Bell, Michael Stillman, Andrew Myers, and Danny Roberts. Sperry recently started representing Roberts, even

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her eye like a patch. Wires sprout from her body. Her skin is stitched like a strait jacket. “It may be saying that we need to be careful of the connections and our reliance on technology,” Sperry says. “Who controls and who is being controlled? What does it all mean?” These are questions he wants patrons to think about while they stroll through his gallery, whether it’s in a high rise, or its permanent home

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c u lt u r e e n t e r t a i n e m e n t & a c t i v i t i e s from left:

Rendering of the new gallery; Sperry, Victoria Hart with John Bell’s painting Indelible Light © Brett Wesley Gallery

in the Arts District. Sperry plans to open the Brett Wesley Gallery on

capped with a slanted roof. When completed, it will be 5,000 square

Casino Center Boulevard across the street from the Arts Factory in

feet using contemporary and mid-century design elements with modern colors and furniture.

September after a $500,000 remodel. He says it will be “a nice little architectural gem for the Arts District.” Sperry bought the old cash register repair shop at Casino Center and Charleston for $1.1 million in 2007. Two years later the site is quiet, irritatingly so to Victoria Hart, the gallery director. The contractor was supposed to start demolition this week. “Obviously there’s another set back.” Hart’s voice echoes in the 3,000-square-foot shell. It’s a scene of office apocalypse, what’s left over after a business goes nuclear. Two white porcelain toilets and a sink are inexplicably dumped in the center of the room alongside a “No Trespassing” sign. A broken office chair and a small space heater are tossed in the corner. Fluorescent lights and wiring dangle from the rafters. Legal papers litter the cement floor. It may look like a Superfund site now, but Hart describes the future.

“My determination to open the gallery is unflagging, even in the face of a lot of unexpected obstacles in the course of our remodeling,” Sperry says. “The process has been more complex than I anticipated, but in the end I’ll be able to apply this knowledge and education in the future.” The next Brett Wesley Gallery opening at Newport Lofts will be Kevin Chupik’s show of modern, Soviet-inspired paintings on September 3. Until the opening of its permanent location, you can also visit the gallery online at brettwesleygallery.com. Brett Wesley Gallery 1112 Casino Center Blvd. Las Vegas 89104 433.4433

There will be a staircase that will climb to a second floor. The photography studio will be in the south corner. The north and east walls will be converted to glass, along with the upstairs floor, which will be

24 B L V D S

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pure. powerful. arts.

Virksy Ukrainian National Dance Company Exquisite Charm

Saturday, September 26, 2009 8 p.m. $40 - $55 - $85 Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Company The Universal Language of Movement Friday, October 9, 2009 · 8 p.m. $40 - $55 - $85

Slava & Leonard Grigoryan Classical Guitar Wednesday, October 14, 2009 8 p.m. $35 ATTENTION: BLVDS Readers Save 15% on Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Tickets! Call the box office today and mention code: BLVDS

2000 – 2010 season pac.unlv.edu • (702) 895-ARTS (2787)


c u lt u r e e n t e r t a i n e m e n t & a c t i v i t i e s

tHIS PAGE:

Amy Kline’s creations © Kelly McLendon

J o d i N e l s o n - Sp r ingb e r g

Pot tery West

S h a p i n g a Comm unit y w ith C lay and Comm itm ent Pot t e r y W e s t o f f e r s s u c h a n e n t i c i n g a r r ay o f c l a ss e s , i t ’s e a s y to c r e at e fa n ta s i e s o f r u n n i n g away f r o m l i f e , ta k i n g o n e o f t h e b e g i n n i n g p ot t e r y c l a ss e s , a n d d e p os i t i n g yo u r s e l f i n o n e o f t h e o n - s i t e g u e s t s u i t e s . T h e t h o u g h t o f wa k i n g e v e r y d ay w i t h t h e g o a l o f m a k i n g a r t i s i r r e s i s t i b l e . A l a s , l i f e b e c ko n s . But Pottery West beckons, too. Located off of Lone Mountain and I-95,

not have a fine arts community, she would just have to develop one.

the facility is owned and operated by Amy Kline. The main house is a

With that, Kline decided to build the facility that is now Pottery West.

massive three-story building with a clay studio located in back. This

Not only did she build Pottery West, but she also built a community

is not an ordinary studio. It is a place filled with warm, welcoming

around it. Some of the teachers live within blocks of the facility, while

people throwing pots in an open, airy room.

others who are conducting workshops will stay in one of the facility’s

Kline is warm herself—petite, friendly, and unassuming with the patience of a passionate instructor. She has been throwing pots since she learned art at camp at the age of ten. Growing up in a creative household did not hurt either—both of her parents were college theater professors. After graduating from Southern Illinois University with a Master of Fine Arts in 1995, Kline found her way to Las Vegas and settled into teaching at what was then the Community College of

guest suites for the duration of the class. Kline also has a passionate belief in passing down the art of clay from one generation to the next. Her eight-year-old son, Zak, has been creating pottery since he was old enough to walk. She used to sit with him at one of her many pottery wheels with a rope tied around his waist and hers for stability. While lately he does not like

Southern Nevada where she specialized in metal sculpting. After four

to get his hands dirty, he does like to help out in the classroom and

years as an adjunct professor, she decided to leave her position, but

can be heard giving occasional advice to one of Pottery West’s many

not Las Vegas.

students.

Like many artists in Las Vegas, Kline was frustrated. She voiced her

Pottery West is located on a little over an acre of land in the north-

frustrations to her mother, who told her daughter that if Las Vegas did

west part of the Las Vegas valley. Back in the 1950s, it was a rabbit

26 B L V D S

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from left:

In the studio; Amy Kline © Kelly McLendon

farm and had outdoor wood-burning fireplaces. When Kline took the

ago when she saw pottery classes being offered through the continu-

property over in 2001, the farmhouse had to be torn down due to an

ing education program of the College of Southern Nevada. Nelson

extensive mold problem. “Coming from Upstate New York, I never

is happy that Pottery West offers classes seven days a week to work

thought that mold would be a problem in the desert,” she laughs.

around her job at one of the major hotels on the Strip. This availabil-

The original outdoor fireplaces are still standing and are now used as

ity also reinforces what Kline see as relevant in the student/teacher

outdoor kilns. Kline shares the space with her mother, son, and two

relationship—passing on skills and developing a bond with one

rescued animals, Fritz the cat and Scooby the dog, and whatever

another brings a stronger connection to both people involved.

company is currently staying in her guest facilities. “My mother decided to retire early from Plattsburgh State University after my Dad passed away. Coming out to live with me in Vegas was great for both of us,” she says.

As much as Kline stresses the fact that Pottery West is its own community, she does not discount the importance of the larger Las Vegas arts community in benefiting the group of artists there. The advanced potters teach their craft to the beginners. Without new people

The one thing that Kline stresses is the importance of community and

becoming interested in such an ancient art form, the craft will end up

the inclusion of all levels of individuals working and learning at her

disappearing.

studio. “Beginners are just as important as the advanced potters that come here,” she says. When Hillary Clinton famously declared, “It takes a village to raise a child,” Amy took that quote to heart. She developed

For more information about Pottery West and the programs offered there, please visit potterywest.com.

her program based on that cooperative spirit. Her teachers are all

Pottery West

volunteers. “They develop their own body of work while they teach,”

5026 N. Pioneer Way

Kline says. She also credits her Pottery West community with creating

Las Vegas 89149

positive energy in the studio. “It is a place you want to stay. It is so

987.3023

warm and inviting.” Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Some of Kline’s students have been coming to her for years. Ardyce

Friday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Nelson is one such student. She found her way to Amy a few years

Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

b l vd s l v. c o m

issue 15

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B L V D S L a s Ve g a s

27


VIsIt BlVdslV.com For more detaIls oN all eVeNts c u lt u r e e n t e r t a i n e m e n t & a c t i v i t i e s

disney’s high school musical: summer celebration

eVeNts aUGUst

auguSt 14 - 15, 2009 7 p.m. City of Henderson Henderson Pavilion hendersonlive.com

Utah shakespearean Festival summer season nOw - auguSt 29, 2009 Southern Utah University 800-playtix, bard.org

Wait Until dark

GrossoloGy: the (Impolite) science of the human Body nOw- SeptemBer 07, 2009 Lied Discovery Children’s Museum lcdm.org

nOw - OctOBer 16, 2009 Tuacahn Amphitheatre St George Utah 435-652-3300, tuacahn.org

nOw - decemBer 31, 2009 Clark County Museum accessclarkcounty.com

auguSt 21, 2009 7 p.m. MonteLago Village montolagovillage.com

Nevada childhood cancer Foundation 4th annual Bone marrow drive SeptemBer 11 - 12, 2009 Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation 735-8434, nvccf.org

recent tragic events SeptemBer 11 - 20, 2009 Las Vegas Little Theatre Black Box Theatre lvlt.org

deathtrap ronnie rathers

auguSt 13, 2009 5:30 p.m. University of Southern Nevada Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas 968-2055, usn.edu

auguSt 22, 2009 7 p.m. MonteLago Village montelagovillage.com

elton John and tim rice’s aIda

once Upon an Island auguSt 13 - 29, 2009 Super Summer Theatre Spring Mountain Ranch State Park 594-play, unlvtickets.com

l a s Ve g a s

Vino di lago

SeptemBer 11, 2009 6:30 p.m. The Godfather of Las Vegas and Big Brothers Big Sisters LAVO inside Palazzo bbbsnevada.ejoinme.org

Primal scream

3rd annual chefs Wine & spirits too

28 B l V D S

the BIX mix

auguSt 21, 2009 AFAN Hard Rock Hotel afanlv.org

auguSt 10 - 16, 2009 Rando Recital Hall greenvalleychambermusic.org

Working

heart alive

Black & White Party

Green Valley chamber music Festival

sePtemBer

SeptemBer 11 - 26, 2009 Super Summer Theatre Spring Mountain Ranch State Park 895-2878, unlvtickets.com

auguSt 15, 2009 7-10 p.m. MonteLago Village secure.mdausa.org/ mdavinodilago

clark county centennial celebration: 1909 – 2009

auguSt 26 - 30, 2009 Reno Livestock Events Center 775-688-5767, nvstatefair.com

auguSt 14 - 23, 2009 CSN Performing Arts Center Nicholas. J. Horn Theatre 651-4052, csn.edu/pac

auguSt 14, 2009 7 p.m. MonteLago Village montelagovllage.com

annie and Footloose

Nevada state Fair

auguSt 25, 2009 - OctOBer 17, 2009 Tuacahn Amphitheatre St. George, Utah 435-652-3300, tuacahn.org

arts / design

issue 15

SeptemBer 11 - 27, 2009 2 p.m. Sun, 8 p.m. thurS-Sat Las Vegas Little Theatre lvlt.org

Prince kuhio ho’olaule’a Pacific Islands Festival SeptemBer 12 - 13, 2009 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. City of Henderson Henderson Events Plaza 267-2171, hendersonlive.com

2009 spread the Word Nevada storybook Gala SeptemBer 12, 2009 5:30 p.m. Spread the Word Nevada The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino spreadthewordnevada.org

miss kitty’s Jeans to Jewels SeptemBer 12, 2009 5:30 p.m. Opportunity Village The Bitter Root Ranch opportunityvillage.org

mutts on main street SeptemBer 12, 2009 11a.m. - 2 p.m. thedistrictatgvr.com

masterworks I opening Night With tchaikovsky SeptemBer 12, 2009 8 p.m. Las Vegas Philharmonic Artemus W. Ham Hall 895-artS lasvegasphilharmonic.com

reasons to be Pretty SeptemBer 18 - 27, 2009 Nevada Conservatory Theatre Black Box Theatre 895-artS, unlvtickets.com

Utah shakespearean Festival Fall season SeptemBer 18 - OctOBer 17, 2009 Southern Utah University 800-playtix, bard.org

Planned Parenthood of southern Nevada annual luncheon SeptemBer 18, 2009 11 a.m. Planned Parenthood the palms

b l v d s l v. c o m


VIsIt BlVdslV.com For more detaIls oN all eVeNts reefer madness: the musical

dinosaur Ball 2009

SeptemBer 18 - OctOBer 04, 2009 PAC Performing Arts Center BackStage Theatre 651-liVe, csn.edu/pac

OctOBer 03, 2009 6 p.m. Las Vegas Natural History Museum Luxor Hotel lvnhm.org

lift your spirits

music scholarship concert

SeptemBer 19, 2009 7-10 p.m. The District at GVR thedistrictatgvr.com

OctOBer 08, 2009 7:30 p.m. CSN Performing Arts Center Nicholas J Horn Theatre 651-liVe (5483), csn.edu/pac

super run classic car show

Vocal Jazz solo Night

SeptemBer 24 - 27, 2009 City of Henderson Henderson Events Plaza 267-2171, superrun.com

Virsky Ukrainian National dance company SeptemBer 26, 2009 8 p.m. UNLV Performing Arts Center Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall 895-artS, pac.unlv.edu

OctOBer 09 - 10, 2009 7:30 CSN Performing Arts Center Backstage Theatre 651-liVe, csn.edu/pac

cleo Parker robinson dance company

OctOBer 09, 2009 8 p.m. UNLV Performing Arts Center Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall 895-artS, pac.unlv.edu

oc toBer

kiss my Palate OctOBer 01, 2009 6 p.m. Project Shero Stirling club at turnbery place

3rd annual Family, Fur & Fun Festival

OctOBer 10, 2009 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Nevada SPCA Summerlin Centre Community Park familyfurandfun.com nevadaspca.org

company OctOBer 02 - 11, 2009 Nevada Conservatory Theatre Judy Bayley Theatre 895-artS, unlvtickets.com

William shakespeare’s taming of the shrew OctOBer 02 - 03, 2009 City of Henderson Henderson Events Plaza hendersonlive.com

b l vd s l v. c o m

Fall art Festival

OctOBer 10 - 11, 2009 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. MonteLago Village villageartfestivals.com

rtc Viva Bike Vegas

OctOBer 10, 2009 Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) rtcsnv.com/vivabikevegas

start! heart Walk

slava & leonard Grigoryan

OctOBer 10, 2009 8 a.m. Valley Health System Exploration Park, Mountain’s Edge Community heart.org

OctOBer 14, 2009 8 p.m. UNLV Classical Guitar Series Doc Rando Recital Hall 895-artS, pac.unlv.edu

h.o.P.e. for homeless teens OctOBer 10, 2009 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Homeless Outreach Partnership Event Henderson Pavilion hopeforhomelessteens.org

dragon Boat regatta and art Festival OctOBer 10 - 22, 1009 10 a.m. Lake Las Vegas

danny Gans memorial champions run for life Presented by donny osmond OctOBer 10, 2009 6 a.m. Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation The District thedistrictatgvr.com/events

Justin timberlake shriner’s hospitals for children open OctOBer 12, 2009 8 a.m. Shriner’s Hospitals for Children TPC Summerlin jtshrinersopen.com

Food and hunger: eating in america OctOBer 13, 2009 7 p.m. Black Mountain Institute UNLV Student Union Theatre 895-5542, blackmountaininstitute.org

issue 15

hawaiian Festival & regatta OctOBer 16 - 17, 2009 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Lake Las Vegas

artwalk OctOBer 16 - 18, 2009 The District at GVR Main Street thedistrictatgvr.com

12th annual I have a dream Gala OctOBer 17, 2009 6 p.m. I Have a Dream Green Valley Ranch ihaveadreamlasvegas.org/index. html

lift your spirits OctOBer 17, 2009 6-10 p.m. The District at GVR thedistrictatgvr.com/events.php

timeless Innovation OctOBer 17 - 18, 2009 8 p.m. and 2 p.m. Nevada Ballet Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall nevadaballet.com

midori OctOBer 23, 2009 8 p.m. UNLV Performing Arts Center Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall 895-artS, pac.unlv.edu

arts / design

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COnstRuCtiOn HAs Begun On sYMPHOnY PARK, A MiXed use COMMunitY tHAt AiMs tO Be tHe CuLtuRAL And ARtistiC HeARt Of sOutHeRn neVAdA. witH ResidentiAL, RetAiL, OffiCe, MediCAL, HOsPitALitY And CiViC fACiLities witH OPen sPACe, sYMPHOnY PARK PROMises tO Be A sHining eXAMPLe Of insPiRed uRBAn RedeVeLOPMent. unLV’s dOwntOwn design CenteR Puts ARCHiteCtuRe students On tHe fROnt Lines Of uRBAn LiVing, insPiRing tHeM tO CReAte A BetteR CitY fOR ALL Of us.

B L V D S

design

ARCHiteCtuRe & stYLe

articleS Symphony park Hitting the Right Notes for a Vibrant Downtown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 the downtown design center Building a Better Las Vegas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

faciNg page:

Rendering of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts © The Smith Center


design architecture & style

S a r a N u nn

facing page :

Artist rendering: © Gehry Partners

SYMPHONY PARK

H it t i n g t h e Rig ht Notes for a Vi brant Downto wn S y m p h o n y Pa r k b r i n g s t o g e t h e r e l e m e n t s o f a r t, d e s i g n , c o m m e r c e , a n d c o m m u n i t y t o b u i l d t h e downtown Las Vegas deserves.

“We’re trying to create a traditional downtown, where we have a

“The World Jewelry Center will be an international gem and jewelry

mixture of opportunities for people to enjoy dining, shopping, living,”

wholesale center. It will be a tower that houses jewelers and gem

explains Bill Arent, acting director for the city of Las Vegas’ Office of

dealers and jewelry-associated businesses from across the world,”

Business Development. “ We really want it to be the hear t of

she continues. The World Jewelry Center will include an office tower,

Las Vegas, to create a new hub for the entire Valley, for our residents.

retail space, and will be the site of a Foreign Trade Zone that will

So this would turn the corner of getting a lot of local residents to come

make the market even more enticing to international traders while

downtown, not just for a single event at a hotel or casino, but to come downtown on a regular basis, to shop downtown, to dine downtown,

increasing the number of visitors to Las Vegas.

to take advantage of the unique opportunities for entertainment that

“One casino hotel is being built, there’s one gaming site in Sympho-

we’re going to have downtown.”

ny Park and Forest City will be the developers for that. For Las Vegas

Rita Brandin, senior vice president of Newland Communities, project manager for Symphony Park, agrees. “Symphony Park will become the heart of the city. We will, for the first time, have an urban core.” A goal that lofty needs great projects to back it up, and such proj-

it’ll be a terrific fiscal and economic impact, with all the people working in Symphony Park. The estimate is that the economic impact of the completed project will be $1.8 billion,” says Brandin. While the commercial aspects of Symphony Park anchor it, Bill Arent

ects are not lacking here. While the distinctive architecture of the

offers that the residential aspects are indispensable as well.

Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health makes it an obvious

“We have a park in the center of the campus, for all the businesses in

flagship project for Symphony Park, there are many other important

the area as well as future residents,” Arent says. “We’re staying

developments yet to come as this new downtown core rises from the

committed to building between 2,600 and 3,200 residential units.

desert floor.

There will be a mixture of mid-rise and high-rise, so condominiums, but also something that might look like town homes. Probably a

Other forthcoming attractions will include The Charlie Palmer, a 400

variety of price points, not just the high-end market.”

room, five-star boutique hotel created by renowned chef Charlie Palmer. This non-gaming hotel will feature a restaurant and spa, and

Arent continues, “We’re not trying to profit from the project, which

will anchor the north edge of the central park. “We’ve developed

I think gives us a unique opportunity to stay true to our vision, stay

the master plan and programming for Symphony Park to be locally

committed to the project and its various uses. For example, with the

focused, creating jobs as well as residential areas for Las Vegans, but

residential elements, if you had a private developer building a proj-

there will be a lot of destinations for tourism there as well, and out-of-

ect like this, the temptation would be to scrap the residential, to just

state visitation,” explains Brandin.

take it out of the plan and try some other commercial uses. We really

32 B L V DS

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design architecture & style

from left:

Bird’s eye view of Symphony Park © Symphony Park; Aerial view of Symphony Park © Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health

want to create a true mixed-use destination, both residential and

And how cool is that? To be able to provide for this community that

commercial. There will be a tremendous economic benefit with new

which will provide as much or more for our childrens’ childrens’

jobs, and a new tax base for downtown and eventually for the whole

grandchildren as it will for us today.”

region. There are four major projects that we’re doing in addition to the main ones, with the potential for over 13,000 jobs.”

“I’ve always thought of The Smith Center as the living room for Las Vegas,” Martin continues. “I never want people to get the impression

“We want it to be a world class destination, not just for visitors to

that what we’re bringing here is a bunch of stuff for the rich and

downtown, but also for locals,” Arent states. “We think we’ve hit a

famous. We’re going to bring attractions that appeal to a wide

home run with the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health

cross-section of people in Nevada. Our audience, the reason why

and with The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, those will be

we’re building this, is for those of us who live here. We bring these

legacy projects and really our two big anchors. The Smith Center for

attractions not so much to entertain as to inspire. And that’s why we

the Performing Arts will house the Las Vegas Philharmonic and the

do what we do, to educate and inspire.”

Nevada Ballet Theatre. What’s also exciting is they have a partnership with the Clark County School District, where children from within

“We’ll be inspiring kids from around the Valley for generations to

the district will be able to participate in programs at the facility.

come,” Martin pledges. “But we’re going to inspire you too, and your

In addition to the theater they’re going to have an education building

parents and grandparents, people of all ages. There’s going to be

where they’ll have a black box theater and some educational class-

something for everyone at The Smith Center.”

room sites where children in various levels, K through twelfth, can learn about the arts and career opportunities in the performing arts.

While BLVDS has previously covered The Smith Center, “a lot’s hap-

And the Ruvo Center’s going to have a Museum of the Mind which is

pened since that last piece appeared,” Martin says. “All of the money

going to have interactive exhibits.”

for the construction cost has been raised. It’s funded. It’s deposited. We’re working on the last piece of fundraising, the public phase,

According to Myron G. Martin, president of the Las Vegas Performing

where everyday people can make a fifty dollar contribution or a

Arts Center Foundation and The Smith Center, the importance of this

thousand dollar contribution, whatever feels right for them. Just like

anchor project is clear. “I’m absolutely convinced The Smith Center

the building, it’s for everyone, we want to include everyone and give

will be one of the leading performing arts centers in America. Both

them the opportunity to contribute if they’d like. Now that there’s a

in terms of construction, it’s going to be truly a timeless, elegant,

giant hole in the ground and concrete and steel’s about to start being

lasting building, but also in how it’s operated, with a really good

erected, this is the real deal. The Smith Center’s no longer a dream,

team. Living here in Las Vegas, you know we tend to tear our

it’s a reality. It’s truly going to change our community in a wonderful

buildings down every twenty, thirty, forty years, we don’t have the

way.” The same, and more, can be said for Symphony Park as a whole.

great buildings of the world, but it was those same great buildings, like La Scala, or the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco that

For more information and for a sneak peek at what Symphony Park

provided the inspiration for us to build something for generations.

will have to offer, please visit symphonypark.com.

34 B L V DS

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The 10th Annual Southern Nevada Light The Night Walk Saturday, October 3, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Kellogg Zaher Park Join us for an amazing evening of celebration including food, festivities and fun! Register yourself and your team by phone or online: 702-436-4220 x 104 lightthenight.org/snv

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7/30/09 12:40:53 PM



is proud to welcome their newest tenant...

Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater

For leasing information:

702.222.3022

W i t h T h e S m i t h C e n t e r fo r t h e Pe r fo r m i n g A r t s u n d e r c o n s t r u c t i o n, a l u x u r y b o u t i q u e h o t e l by C h a r l i e Pa l m e r i n t h e wo r k s , a n d t h e C l eve l a n d C l i n i c Lo u Ru vo C e n t e r fo r B ra i n H e a l t h n ow s e e i n g p a t i e n t s , Sy m p h o ny Pa r k i s t ra n s fo r m i n g d ow n t ow n L a s Ve g a s i n t o a c o m m u n i t y o f a r t s , i d e a s a n d wo r l d - c l a s s m e d i c i n e.

w w w.sy m p ho ny p a r k .c o m Š20 09 Actual development may var y from developer’s vision. No guarantee can be made that development will proceed as described.


design architecture & style this page:

Discussing downtown design © Grace Rakich

S a r a N u nn

The Downtown Design Center

B u i ld i n g a Be t te r L as Veg a s

T h e n e x t g e n e r at i o n o f g r e at L a s V e g a s a r c h i t e c t s p l a n s t h e f u t u r e o f l o c a l a r c h i t e c t u r e i n a n unexpec ted place—a downtown schoolhouse. As musicians work in music rooms and artists work in studios, it makes

who are making those decisions in the city and the county who are

perfect sense that students of architecture would work someplace

affecting that change. We can get the students thinking about how to

surrounded by great examples of city architecture. The Downtown De-

create a more livable city and create better places for people.”

sign Center, with director Robert Dorgan in charge, is the UNLV School of Architecture’s way to see that their students have that opportunity.

Nowhere is this more visible than right outside the center itself.

Housed in the 5th Street School in the heart of downtown and offer-

Between the Lloyd B. George Courthouse and the Regional Justice

ing several different classes, this facility offers an upfront look at city

Center, the City decided to put in a series of trees, the three block

living to students.

long Lewis Avenue Corridor, creating a pleasant walkway between the two buildings and bordering the 5th Street School. As a result of this,

“We’re not just trying to teach them how to build a building, though

a sandwich shop has popped up, with plans for additional businesses

that’s important. They’re also trying to figure out how to create a

and public spaces friendlier to people walking the streets. “I think it’s

better city,” Dorgan explains. “That’s what’s so great about being

great that the City’s put in these wonderful little streetscapes to try

downtown. You actually get to see the street life, and meet the people

to make, in a smaller way, a nicer place for us to all work downtown,”

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clockwise from left:

UNLV architecture student projects at Downtown Design Center © Grace Rakich

Dorgan says. In many ways, this is exactly what he and the students at

lectures held at the center. “It’s been an eclectic mix of speakers from

the UNLV School of Architecture are striving to do.

around the country,” Dorgan says. “Politicians, planners, economists, historians, architects, interior designers, non-profit agencies, artists.

By exposing the students to downtown Las Vegas life and getting

What’s great is our attendance keeps going up at our lectures as

them involved in real-life projects, Dorgan hopes to help create

people find out about what we’re doing.” With such a promising first

the next generation of Las Vegas-based architects. The center’s

year behind them, the future of the Downtown Design Center—and

conference table is a handmade, three-dimensional representation

the Las Vegas they’ll build us—is unmistakably bright.

of Las Vegas itself, with different types of wood fitting together to create an oversized map, right down to the very block where

For more information on the Downtown Design Center and the Klai

the center is located. The students’ final projects are also on display

Juba Lecture Series, visit architecture.unlv.edu.

around the room in the form of miniaturized city blocks. These blocks fit together to create a downtown cityscape the likes of which we

UNLV Downtown Design Center

could one day see in our very own city.

401 S. 4th Street, Suite 155 Las Vegas 89101

Although Dorgan says the students have been invited to show their

895.1953

projects elsewhere, he admits he likes keeping things close to home. “I like the idea of exhibiting our stuff here because it brings people in to see the work, maybe they’ll get to see the students and talk to their ideas,” Dorgan explains. One of the main draws of the Downtown Design Center is the Klai Juba Lecture Series, a bi-weekly series of free

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Jennifer HarrinGton’S Henri & oDe t te Gallery on SoUtH SiXtH Street SHowCaSeS tHe DiverSe worK of l o C a l , r e G i o n a l , a n D i n t e r n at i o n a l a r t i S t S i n wa r M SUrroUnDinGS witH DiStinCtive eUroPean flair.

B L V D S

flavor

D i n i n G & r e ta i l

articLes henri & odette gallery Diversity and Talent Characterize Downtown Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

facing page:

LVSK8III © Greg Warden


facing page :

Opening of LVSK8III at Henri & Odette © Greg Warden

f l av o r d i n i n g & re t a i l

H e k t o r D . E s pa r z a

Henri & Odet te Gallery

D iv e rs i t y a n d Talent C har ac terize Downtown Gallery Lo c ated in down tow n L a s V e g a s a n d clo s e r to t h e F r e m o n t E a s t D i s t r i c t of e n t e r ta i n m e n t v e n u e s than it is to the A r ts Distric t, t h e H e n r i & Od e t t e g all e ry offe r s a u n i q u e e x p e r i e n c e t h at h a s e a r n e d i t t h e a pprova l and respec t o f c asua l o b s e r v e r s, t h o s e n e w to t h e a r t s c e n e, a n d e v e n h a r d - to - pl e a s e a r t wo rl d af i cionados. A visitor wandering in unaware may find herself delighted by the

Her first venture was a humble but successful and much talked

dramatic change in atmosphere. Outside the gallery, the daily rituals

about space inside the Arts Factory. “After I graduated from school,

of city life are random, noisy, and chaotic. A post office sits across

I really saw a need for UNLV artists to have an outlet other than the

the street, a busy Western Union next door. Inside, things are

galleries on campus,” explains Harrington, “At that time it was mainly

considerably more controlled.

Dust. Few other galleries were really showing UNLV artists with the

The interior design of Henri & Odette evokes a sense of breezy,

exception of the CAC.”

sophisticated femininity. A careful adherence to a clean aesthetic

Harrington has fond memories of her first gallery, but in the end

makes its mark on everything in the space. The gallery’s furnishings

decided it was just too small. Within a month of shutting that space

are classic and minimal. Also functioning as a water, coffee, and tea bar with emphasis placed on quality and charming presentation, its thoughtfully selected china, teaspoons, and even sugar cubes remind

down, she had already signed the lease on the suite that would become Henri & Odette.

patrons this is a place where details are deliberate. Fresh cut flowers,

Today after being open for nearly a year, Henri & Odette’s traditional

out-of-the-way art books, and thick copies of French Vogue complete

white walls still feature the works of UNLV grads such as Brandon

the effect.

Davey, Daniel Samaniego, and Danielle Kelly. Bouse House, Kelly’s

To be sure, elements of chaos find their way in through the art, but these are intentional, the result of the trained eye of owner/gallerist Jennifer Harrington. And if the European sensibilities described above seem less than universally accessible to some, they are easily balanced out by the wide-ranging variety of art shown at Henri & Odette. As Harrington explains, “I take diversity seriously. There must be a

exhibit which ran from April 10 through May 18 of this year, was a collaborative reimagining of the German Bauhaus school using local professional and amateur female artists working with repurposed materials to form an installation under Kelly’s direction. Davey’s exhibit was much more macho. Masculine art and manly activities like chugging beers and arm wrestling set the tone for the

mix of high-brow and low-brow elements for it to work. I’ve put some

opening reception of this show in late May. Samaniego’s critically

shows up that have made my circle of friends uneasy. But my pro-

acclaimed graphite on paper show entitled, Bottom for Queen, which

gram has always been about showing varied media. It will never just

was exhibited last fall, was the gallery’s first to sell out.

be figurative paintings, or just sculpture, and you’ll never see the same thing twice.”

But while Harrington is pleased with the accomplishments of locals, Henri & Odette is far from an exclusive showcase reserved for artists

Henri & Odette is the UNLV grad’s second gallery. Harrington holds

trained in Las Vegas. December saw the works of international artist

a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy with a minor in Art History.

Santos Shelton shake things up with his edgy, politically-influenced

42 B LV D S

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issue 15

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f l av o r d i n i n g & re t a i l clockwise from left:

Enjoying Henri & Odette; Jennifer Harrington and Michael Todoran © Greg Warden

paintings. Los Angeles-based sculptor, photographer, and multimedia

Harrington says giving shows to emerging artists will always be im-

artist Sam Davis was well received with his show Landscape in March.

portant at her gallery. As evidenced by the successes of the group and

More recently, in June of this year, the gallery became home to LVSK8 III which was curated by Michael Todoran. The entire exhibit was

solo shows of the past months, her commitment to showing new and young artists is clearly an approach that pays off.

comprised of skateboard decks painted by a veritable Who’s Who of

Looking back on the highs and lows that she has experienced with

Vegas artists. Grayson Ronk, who has an upcoming show at Henri

the local arts scene, and facing another challenging year as a gallery

& Odette, shared wall space with other accomplished local artists

owner in downtown Las Vegas, Jennifer Harrington knows it won’t be

such as Stephen Hendee, Brian Porray, Jerry Misko, Elizabeth Blau,

easy. But she also knows that she has something real and valuable

and many, many others. But what was even more remarkable about this show was its inclusion of artists not directly connected to the mainstream art scene.

to offer. It’s this simple notion that got her started and it remains the driving force that will keep her going. Or, to put it in her own words: “I know I have an eye. I will always stand behind my eye for talent. That’s what I have. I know it’s there.”

As Ronk says, “Jennifer is very much into art for art’s sake. At this

Henri & Odette

show you have art professors’ works hanging alongside those of

Tuesday-Saturday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

people with backgrounds in underground art, skateboarding, and

124 S. Sixth St., Suite 130

tattoos. She has a sincere respect for artists and is careful to take

Las Vegas 89101

the time to cultivate relationships with them. It’s easily one of my

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favorite galleries in town.”

henri-odette.com

44 B LV D S

L a s Ve g a s

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issue 15

b l v d s l v. c o m


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