Author Archives: nevadaartists
Roxane Gelghorn
The Healing Power of Creation
The Journey
Fine art has always been a powerful force in Roxane Gleghorn’s life: Her children are all creatives; she has worked for and with professional artists; and she has helped collectors choose and acquire masterworks. And yet, Roxane rarely participated in making art—until recently, when creating with crystals and resins.
After surviving a devastating, seven-year battle with breast cancer, Roxane fell into physical and emotional darkness. “I went from being a successful businesswoman to being someone I didn’t even recognize. I felt lost,” Roxane explained in a recent interview. And then she saw the light. It shone through her first attempts at integrating color, different types of pigments, texture, depth and natural crystals. It opened her to the loving energy of the earth. It clarified her purpose. The freshness of play and joy blew in. The air of freedom and empowerment whirled into her soul’s house—expanding and healing and awakening. “Art is my escape, my outlet for self-expression in this crazy world. I have found myself again—found my joy, my inspiration.”
“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” – Thomas Merton
Safety and Inspiration
Roxane decided to return to her native state of Nevada and the little town of Hawthorne, where she was born. Turning to nature for encouragement and insight, she spent time in the desert, smelling the sage, looking at petroglyphs and picking up crystals. She began carrying the gems she found with her, contemplating how to incorporate these earth-treasures into her paintings. Suddenly, she felt more grounded, more at peace. But more than anything, she felt inspired. “Since returning to Nevada, the region where I lived as a child, I have re-discovered the richness of our earth and the many gifts she offers. I was taken back to the youthful awe I felt when I dug for treasures in the dirt. And I discovered how beautifully resin art and natural stones complement each other.”
“Art is restoration: the idea is to repair the damages that are inflicted in life, to make something that is fragmented – which is what fear and anxiety do to a person – into something whole.” – Louise Bourgeois
The Process
Roxane is fascinated by the freedom of resin, the challenge of controlling it, and the unexpected results it offers. She loves the merging of color and texture and the endless quest for new applications. Working with resin in a way that goes beyond fluid art and moves into three-dimensional sculpture gives her a tremendous opportunity to incorporate the vibrational and uplifting qualities of the earth and its minerals. “I collect and incorporate the things that move and restore me in a way that is shareable. If something can touch us, move us, ground us, and get us back to ourselves, that’s healing. So, I create, not just to heal myself but also as a message to those reaching for joy. Each piece is layered with time, patience, play, and experimentation. It’s a dance between me and art. And I do dance with my art. Not only can I sit with a partially finished painting for several weeks, listening for the music in it to lead me, I also dance physically. It is a big part of my process, it makes me happy, and it is great exercise too!”
More and more, Roxane enjoys working with an array of natural crystals and semi-precious gemstones, particularly in the rawest form. This marriage allows for the creation of unique, one-of-a-kind works that are deeply personal and thought-provoking. “The specific qualities of crystals and semi-precious gems, deliberately incorporated, lets me create works with deeper effect; works I hope may enhance your sense of wonder, shift negative energy, lift your spirits, promote self-compassion, and, ultimately, provoke the emotion you most need to feel.” 
“It doesn’t matter how the paint is put on, as long as something is said.” – Jackson Pollock
Free Watercolor Demo
Come to the Membership meeting at 10am Saturday, March 18th and stay for the
Free Watercolor Demo by Colleen Reynolds at Nevada Artists Association Gallery at 10:30am
Everyone Welcome!
Light Walkers by Colleen Reynolds
Nevada Artists Association is proud to present “The Art of Pouring Brusho” a free watercolor demo by renowned artist Colleen Reynolds.
Colleen Reynolds will demonstrate her approach to pouring watercolor using a crystallized watercolor medium called Brusho. Interested attendees may also have the opportunity to “play” with the Brusho medium after the demo!
Date: March 18, 10:30am
Place: Nevada Artists Association Gallery, 449 W. King St, Carson City
Ages: 13 years and up
Questions: Call the gallery at 775-882-6411 or email us at [email protected]
“Flowers and Butterflies Springing Out”
by Debbie Lambin
Have you ever wanted to learn how to make book come alive through their pages from within?
Please join Debbie Lambin as she will share her skills, tips and tricks in making beautiful art sculptures from books at a Nevada Artists Association class on August 14th from 1pm-3pm at Adams Hub, 111 W. Proctor Street, Carson City.
Debbie is a working artist in several mediums but found the art of recycling and repurposing very special to her. In this workshop, she plans to teach participants a combination of book folds that are both decorative and useful. She will be teaching how to make butterflies and flowers spring out of the pages!
Each participant will make two artistic sculptures!
Debbie along with her daughter Rachael, son John-Henry started www.MyThousandWords.com book sculptures in 2015 and have been in several publications such as Nevada Magazine, Reno Gazette Journal, Nevada Appeal, CarsonNow, PBS “ArtEffects”, Tahoe Magazine and many more. They were the designers of the 2019 Artown poster and continue to push the envelope, making and creating “one of a kind” sculptures. Debbie travels to southern Nevada teaching as well as designing, creating and installing exhibits of her art measuring 1 foot to 8 feet tall sculptures. (www.LambinArts.com)
All workshop supplies are provided. Ages 13+
Instructor: Debbie Lambin
Workshop price: NAA Members – $30.00 Non-members – $35.00
Tracy Goff
Western and scenes and wildlife is what you will find me working on when I push the brush around. I enjoy working with watercolor and oil mediums and strive to learn new techniques to develop a contemporary look and painterly style.
My interest in art began in my youth with fond memories of taking backcountry drives with my architect father looking for the perfect old barn, Victorian house or Spanish mission to stop for a quick watercolor sketch.
With a passion for horses and being blessed to have a couple in my life as well as living in the high desert where the western way is still a way of life, I find no shortage of inspiration for new works.
As a self-taught artist, I enjoy the challenge of entering juried shows and have had success winning many awards at the State and local level.
For more views of my work I invite you you visit my website: www.tgoffineart.com
If you would like to reach me by email: [email protected]
Debbie Lambin
Bringing a book to life through its pages and allowing it to come alive through its pages is what Debbie Lambin truly enjoys doing with books new and old! The art of taking books that are slated for disposal to cherished books that line a beloved library is what we love to do.
Debbie Lambin has been an artist for over 35 years working in several art mediums from watercolor, printmaking, and sculpting to now paper, books and incorporating books. Debbie is interested in combining this art and creating recycling into public art sculptures.
She has worked with her daughter Rachael and also son John-Henry in taking a book and carefully removing the pages from it and would twist, crumple and manipulate the pages until they began to resemble a character from the story in the book. A very exciting method of recycling, repurposing and making beautiful art from these books. Every piece of art is “one of a kind” and special to whoever happens to enjoy the love of books and art.
After a 20 year career in the computer industry as a programmer, writer, professor, and business owner, she and her husband David decided that homeschooling was a better option for their growing family. As she left the world of business, she began opening up to be more of a teacher in all disciplines as well as sharing her long-loved art with her children and her community. As an artist, teacher, businesswoman, she found her delight in teaching her special art to all that wanted to learn and is involved with the Nevada Art Council, as part of the artist roster, started NVArtStops, a Nevada Art Council group BRX (Basin Range Exchange) a tour that travels throughout Nevada exhibiting art, teaching and more. Their artwork was selected and used for the 2019 Artown publicity poster and marketing. Their artwork has been featured in several media publications from Tahoe Magazine, building a 6-foot sculpture of Lake Tahoe using over 8 magazines, KNPBs “ArtEffects” show, local and national newsprint, books and more. They have been commissioned by several businesses including Reno/Sparks Chamber of Commerce, DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) 100th year, Western Nevada College foundation gala, and so many more. Debbie is finishing her
second book, an autobiography of how she started – My Thousand Words book sculptures and more. Her first book was a fairy tale book that used photographs from the books her daughter and her designed.
Debbie has been an instructor at Western Nevada College as well as several schools, community centers and more. She even taught at a Burning Man workshop in 2021 and travels to Las Vegas several times a year installing art exhibits and more. Debbie has a BA in Marketing, PR and Art and is finishing up her Masters in Art. She has won several art competitions in northern Nevada as well as southern Nevada. Currently, will be on exhibit in Las Vegas obtaining over 8 locations that will include workshops for the community.
Debbie is married to David for over 36 years, she has three children, Jeff, a pastor at Silver Hills Church in Carson City. A daughter-in-law Christa, and two granddaughters Abigail and Elaina. Her other two children, Rachael and John-Henry, are both finishing medical school at University of Nevada Reno, specializing in surgery and OB/GYN. She lives in the Carson City area for almost 5 years along with their two pugs, Mercedes and Bentley. Debbie’s art can be found on either www.MyThousandWords.com or www.LambinArts.com or their travels www.NVArtStops.com
Consignment
Mary Purdy Gmuender
Mary Purdy Gmuender is an award-winning artist known for wild animal portraiture, mountain landscapes and florals. Living in the beautiful Carson Valley of Nevada with her husband and two sons for almost 30 years, Mary enjoys exploring the Sierra, scouting new painting subjects and locations. “Growing up as both an Air Force brat and a member of the Caddo Indian Nation of Oklahoma, I found my joy in discovering beauty in new places and trying to capture them in drawings.
As much as I wanted to follow my art dreams, survival and practicality took over and I moved to Colorado to work in the ski industry. Working outdoors every day for 10 years brought an appreciation of the beauty in high places. The shadows of the trees on snow, the line of the mountain ridges, and the high altitude cornflower blue skies were always inspirational, even as I worked on towers as a ski lift mechanic or supervising personnel.”
Since 2012, Mary has honed her oil painting skills and knowledge studying under many well-known artists, taking classes and workshops, both locally and throughout the country. She loves to paint the wild and free places and faces of the natural world. Lake Tahoe, Hope Valley, Carson Valley, Northern Nevada and Yosemite have become common subjects and provides endless creative influence. Inspired by color and reflected light, her landscapes and wildlife are interpreted in an impressionist style using a bold palette and loose brushstrokes.
“The cadmium greens of Spring, the unbelievable cerulean blue of Tahoe and the Indian yellows of quaking aspens are all found in northern Nevada. Nature gives us the perfect palette. I love to challenge myself to see the colors of nature and interpret them on canvas, with lively shadows and reflected light. With the quality of our high altitude air, there is no better place to spend time outdoors and see the abundant reflected light bounce off nature’s elements: rock, sage, water, trees and the wildlife of these places. It’s pure magic. Hopefully, my art will bring awareness and encourage the stewardship needed to protect these wild places and faces.”
“I enjoy painting en Plein air, as it gives me a fresh perspective at the true colors nature provides and trains my eye to see the nuances. However, misadventures do occur painting outside, like the time I left my wet painting on a log and a squirrel ran across it, leaving his own natural interpretation. I’ve had my whole easel fly away in a gust of wind, and Tahoe sand blown across a wet painting, leaving a texture I couldn’t erase. You just have to laugh! It’s been a true blessing in my life to explore this creative passion and share my art with customers and other artists.”
Her paintings have won awards in juried art shows and have hung in several galleries including the halls of the Nevada Legislature, Nevada Art Association Gallery in Brewery Arts Center, Friends of Nevada Wilderness during Artown, Hope Valley Café, Cottonwood Creek Gifts, Studio Meraki, Eureka Restoration Enterprise, East Fork Gallery and Art Gallery@Prism.
Contact Mary at: [email protected]
website: marypurdygmuender.com
Shane Trotter
I’m a father, husband, cyclist, coach, adjunct professor, photographer and videographer. My photography journey started in 2009. I purchased a point-and-shoot camera and quickly became enthralled in everything photography. I buried myself in books, forums and any photography education I could find. I purchased gear as I could and grasped onto every bit of knowledge that came my way. I shot stock, landscape, wedding and portrait photography for the next 6 years. I traveled Nevada frequently and took photos of everything from railroads to mountainous landscapes. From 2015 to 2018 I took a leave of absence and stopped shooting photos due to an overwhelming amount of school, work and cycling. In 2017 I became a professional land surveyor and graduated with my bachelor’s degree in land surveying and geomatics. This allowed me to ease back into videography and photography. When I came back to photography I realized that I was sick of shooting the same-old stock cookie-cutter image. My goal today is to break free from cookie-cutter images. My goal is to create art that breaks from the norms. I love to see the emotion on a person’s face when they see my work. That is what drives me to create.
Shane Trotter
www.ShaneTrotter.com
(775) 720-2248
[email protected]
Maggie Stillwell
Bio
We are all tourists on this planet and interconnected with living things,” says Stillwell about her art, indicating that it’s the journey and connections we make along the way that shapes us.
Stillwell currently has a collection of cityscapes available for show that bespeak of ‘Bridging Soulful Intersections’. While a down-to-earth Southwestern Horsewoman, Stillwell’s paintings tell the story of an etherial world, one found in her dreams. Her mixed media oil paintings are a Romantic narrative that lean towards abstract expressionism with a mystical and spiritual element. They are about everyone’s journey to self discovery.
Galleries
Nevada Artists Association Art Gallery, Carson City, Nevada
Art Gallery at Prism, Minden, Nevada
Artsy Fartsy, Carson City, Nevada
Awards and Recognition
Best of Show Nevada Artists Association Spring Show 2019
Media Coverage
http://voyagephoenix.com/interview/meet-margaret-stillwell/
Oceans of Opportunity 