The Art Box

The Art Box - Episode 54 - Washed Ashore, the Amazing Lincoln City Cultural Center - Meet Niki Price

Niki Price is the executive director of the Lincoln City Cultural Center, inside the historic Delake School, home to hundreds of annual programs and classes in visual and performing arts. She oversees a staff of six and the operations of the multipurpose auditorium, fine art gallery, meeting room, festival grounds and studios for dance, ceramics, textiles and mosaics. In 2016, Niki was appointed by Gov. Kate Brown to the governing board of the Oregon Cultural Trust; since 2021, she has served as chair. Locally, she leads the Lincoln City Public Art Committee and the Lincoln County Cultural Coalition. In 2021 she embarked upon on an adventure with a dual mission — a day hike traverse of the Oregon Coast Trail that is raising funds for the future Lincoln City Cultural Plaza. With help from a new map and resource called the the Oregon Coast Public Art Trail, she’ll attempt to hoof it from border to border, from the Columbia River down to California, and see ALL the public art along the way. Raised in a small town in central Arizona, this UofA Wildcat has a background in theater and journalism. She and her husband Dave share two grown kids, two ginger cats, five hens and a coon hound. She believes that culture is good for the economy and the community --- but ultimately, creative expression is a goal unto itself.

The Art Box - Episode 53 - EPA Sites, Crazy Eddie and Who Let the Steam Out - Meet George Gault

George and his wife, Linda retired to Mesquite in 2011, and quickly became active in the community. Linda became the President of the noon Rotary Club and George volunteered for a City committee tasked with evaluating the economic development program. The Committee’s recommendation was to create a nonprofit economic development program independent of the City. That organization became Mesquite Regional Business and George was its first Chairman. Notable projects during that period were construction of 1-15 exit 118 and Eagle’s Landing Truck Stop, Star Nursery, Deep Roots Harvest and lobbying for natural gas.
In 2018, George ran for and was elected to the Mesquite City Council. In that capacity he served on the Clark County Flood Control District Commission and the Regional Transportation Commission. He has recently been appointed to the Las Vegas Global Alliance Board of Directors and the Governor’s Workforce Development Board. With Councilman Brian Wursten he helped to create the Mesquite Public Arts Commission. He has continued to serve on the boards of Mesquite Works, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting employers and job seekers through education and training, and Mesquite Opportunities Regional Fund, a nonprofit that acts as a catalyst to identify issues and match them with potential resources. Currently, he serves on the Management Team of the Mesquite STEAM Center.
George served as President of the Wyoming Community Foundation from 2003 to 2011. Under his leadership, and with strong board support and an excellent staff, total assets grew from $30 million to $70 million. Grant making grew to almost $3 million annually. The Foundation performed substantive work in capacity building for nonprofits.
George has run his own consulting business, Gault & Associates, LLC, specializing in economic and community development, assisting communities and organizations to set goals and find resources to implement them. He served as Managing Director of Administration for American Capital Access, the nation’s first single A rated bond insurance company with offices in New York City, Bethesda, MD, and Powell, WY. In that capacity, he participated in raising $126.25 million to capitalize the company. George was Executive Director of the Division of Community and Economic Development of the Wyoming Department of Commerce and served under Governor Mike Sullivan.
He has a BA degree in Modern European History from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Northern Colorado, in Greeley, CO. He holds the Certified Economic Developer designation from the International Economic Development Council and the Economic Development Finance Professional designation from the National Development Council. Both are in emeritus status due to his retirement.

The Art Box - Episode 52 - 10 Minutes with The Hallelujah Girls

Join Linda and Steve as we enjoy interviewing the cast of the Hallelujah Girls presented by The Virgin Valley Theatre Group. 
Opening on January 20 at 7 pm at the Mesquite Theatre 150 North Yucca Street, Mesquite, NV.
Continuing Jan 21, 27, 28; Feb 3 & 4 @ 7 pm   &  Jan 22 & 29 @ 2 pm 
Tickets available online at mctnv.com and At the Mesquite Fine Arts Center 15 W Mesquite Blvd.

The Art Box - Episode 51 - Desert Ducks, Pin Cushions, Broaches and Improv - Meet Rachel Washington

Lived in California, Utah and now Scenic, Arizona for the last year and 8 monthsMeet our friend Rachel Washington who is currently self-employed, Desert Duck Tailoring on Facebook and .comHer favorite job has been at Roger Rocka's Dinner Theatre/Second Space Theater as an 4th in line assistantcostumer.Most empowering job was Mask Event and Costumes in Salt Lake City.Bakersfield High School, Bakersfield City College (Graphic Design), Fresno City College (Marketing andFashion Merchandising), Salt Lake City College (Fashion Design).Started sewing at the age of 8 from a summer school program but have always been involved inwhatever art form I could get my hands on- from dance as a kid to thinking I was the Ace of Cakes injunior high to float building in high school. Even pushing to join improv workshops in multiple cities. Arthas been like a good friend that shows up wearing a new cool hat every once in a while, but underneaththe hat is my same creativity that I've grown up with and grown into.Fun stuff (?) My grandfather Mundo used to take art classes at the community College just for the hell ofit and my grandmother's mother was a seamstress out of necessity/budget, she was fabulous though soher work was immaculate. My family reminds me often that they aren't surprised at all that I love art andcreativity because I get to carry on the exploration of beauty that my grandparents embarked on.

The Art Box - Episode 50 - Theatre, Ghost Stories and a GREAT Mom - Meet Bethany Overland-Green

Meet our friend Bethany Overland-Green as we talk about her years of involvement with theatre groups back east, Salt Lake City and now in our own town of Mesquite. A mom of seven we enjoyed our time with Bethany, we learned about ghosts, we laughed a lot, and we cried some. Bethany is the locals, local, the Mom's, Mom and the Love in the Love Family. You will enjoy this episode with a true HERO in our town.

The Art Box Episode 49 - 2023 Artist in Residence Debbie Lambin

Through grants received from the Nevada Arts Council and the National Endowment for the arts, the Artist in Residence program allows the Virgin Valley Artists Association to bring in artists from all over the country to stay a for week in Mesquite sharing their knowledge and expertise. They do this through a series of free workshops and classes.  
This year VVAA is very excited to announce that we received another grant from Nevada Arts Council and The National Endowment for the Arts to host another Artist in Residence in Mesquite.  
Artist in Residence Deborah Lambin, from Carson City will be here from Sunday, Feb. 12 through Saturday, Feb. 18th .   Debbie is a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a paper sculptor with over 40 years of art experience. She also specializes in acrylic paint, watercolors, wood, metal and recyclable materials. She has won various awards throughout the state of Nevada. Her work has been on exhibit in the Clark County Government Rotunda, and she was selected to exhibit in the 2021 & 2022 outdoor art walk at the Clark County Wetlands Park in Las Vegas. In 2021 Debbie was accepted as a Teaching Artist with Nevada Arts Council and she travels throughout Nevada to conduct book art workshops for all ages. She has an online studio MyThousandWords.com which showcases more than 100 fine art book sculptures created by herself and her artist children.  She is also an author who published a children's book in 2020 during the pandemic and is currently working on writing a memoir and a how-to book about book art.
Debbie will be here to teach Virgin Valley residents how to repurpose, recycle and reuse books to create art. 
The workshops will take place in our classroom located at the Mesquite Fine Arts Center, (15 W Mesquite Blvd) next door to our gallery. Deborah's work will be on display in the Gallery.   
Who can attend the workshops? Are they only for the members of VVAA?  The workshops are for all the residents of the Virgin Valley whether they are members of VVAA or not. This includes people who live in Bunkerville, Littlefield and Beaver Dam as well as Mesquite.
Where can you go to see some of Debbie’s work on-line?
You can google her name or go to My Thousand Words. com. The Nevada Arts Council also has a link for her on their page.
https://www.nvartscouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/Deborah-Lambin_Final.pdf https://mythousandwords.com/
This is an incredibly hot art form and we feel lucky to have Debbie as our next Artist in Residence.  
How do we register for her free classes?  
You can register on-line on our website, Mesquitefinearts.com.  

The Art Box - Episode 48 - The Zimmer’s Unplugged

Meet Jackie and Larry Zimmer, the unsung heroes of the Virgin Valley Artists' Association. If you are at any function in our gallery Larry and Jackie will be there, serving drinks, showing you around, setting up, cleaning up and more than likely you will also be able to find a fine piece of their art on the well. You might also find them on the golf course as they are both avid golfers.
Sit back and enjoy our first couple's podcast, it was fun.

The Art Box - Episode 47 - 2022 Holiday Special - Iconic Artists Jan and Floyd Talk Creativity

The Art Box wraps up it's first year with jolly holiday greetings from our hosts, a quick discussion of what is upcoming for 2023 and a gift to our listeners with Jan Hansen and Floyd Johnson talking watercolor, acrylic and creativity. 
A huge thank you to our listeners, our sponsors, VVAA members, the VVAA Board of Directors for your support this year. We are looking forward to a fun 2023.
Remember we are always looking for guests to chat about their creativity, their art, their life and their passions.

The Art Box - Episode 46 - Introducing January 2023 Artist of the Month Linda Birks

Linda was born and raised in Midland, Michigan, and moved to Grand Junction, Colorado, where she met her husband, Rod. Upon retirement, Linda and Rod sought a warmer winter climate and the beauty of the desert. Their search brought them to Beaver Dam, Arizona. They lived as snowbirds dividing their time between Colorado and Arizona until moving permanently in 2019.
Art was never on Linda’s radar, but one day in 2000, walking down Main Street in Grand Junction, she wandered into a gallery that gave stained glass classes. She loved and admired stained glass, never thinking it was something she could do. She took one class in the copper foil method and was hooked. Still working, Linda didn’t have the time for more lessons but spent weekends at home practicing and learning, adding fused glass to her skills, and purchasing a kiln. She loves the many colors, glass textures, and their relationship with light and finds it both fun and rewarding to work on and complete her glass projects.
Having the time since retiring, Linda has been able to take a few glass classes in person and online and has added wire working and jewelry to her skill set, which, again, is entirely self-taught. At home, it’s always about trying new techniques and learning by trial and error.
Linda’s art may be found in several private collections locally and throughout the US. She feels lucky to have found the Virgin Valley Artists’ Association with like-minded artists, classes, and the Mesquite Fine Arts Center.
Linda says, “If it puts a smile on your face I did it right.”
 

The Art Box - Episode 45 - Announcing 2023 Artist in Residence Debbie Lambin

Linda Harris the VVAA Director of Educational Programs announces the Schedule for our 2023 Artist in Residence Debbie Lambin.
Artist in Residence Program with Deborah Lambin. 
Through grants received from the Nevada Arts Council and the National Endowment for the arts, the Artist in Residence program allows the Virgin Valley Artists Association to bring in artists from all over the country to stay a for week in Mesquite sharing their knowledge and expertise. They do this through a series of free workshops and classes.  
This year VVAA is very excited to announce that we received another grant from Nevada Arts Council and The National Endowment for the Arts to host another Artist in Residence in Mesquite.  
Artist in Residence Deborah Lambin, from Carson City will be here from Sunday, Feb. 12 through Saturday, Feb. 18th .   Debbie is a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a paper sculptor with over 40 years of art experience. She also specializes in acrylic paint, watercolors, wood, metal and recyclable materials. She has won various awards throughout the state of Nevada. Her work has been on exhibit in the Clark County Government Rotunda, and she was selected to exhibit in the 2021 & 2022 outdoor art walk at the Clark County Wetlands Park in Las Vegas. In 2021 Debbie was accepted as a Teaching Artist with Nevada Arts Council and she travels throughout Nevada to conduct book art workshops for all ages. She has an online studio MyThousandWords.com which showcases more than 100 fine art book sculptures created by herself and her artist children.  She is also an author who published a children's book in 2020 during the pandemic and is currently working on writing a memoir and a how-to book about book art.
Debbie will be here to teach Virgin Valley residents how to repurpose, recycle and reuse books to create art. 
The workshops will take place in our classroom located at the Mesquite Fine Arts Center, (15 W Mesquite Blvd) next door to our gallery. Deborah's work will be on display in the Gallery.   
Who can attend the workshops? Are they only for the members of VVAA?  The workshops are for all the residents of the Virgin Valley whether they are members of VVAA or not. This includes people who live in Bunkerville, Littlefield and Beaver Dam as well as Mesquite.
Where can you go to see some of Debbie’s work on-line?
You can google her name or go to My Thousand Words. com. The Nevada Arts Council also has a link for her on their page.
https://www.nvartscouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/Deborah-Lambin_Final.pdf https://mythousandwords.com/
This is an incredibly hot art form and we feel lucky to have Debbie as our next Artist in Residence.  
How do we register for her free classes?  
You can register on-line on our website, Mesquitefinearts.com.