MARY BALDASANO / Special to the PVT Sally Brown stands by her colorful "Harmony Sea," one of several works on display at the community library here. Advertisement

Sally Brown loves to doodle.

Whether waiting on the phone, waiting to see the doctor, or waiting for some other event to take place, she doodles.

Later, she will review the doodles to see if there are any she would like to turn into a painting. Some measure up, some don't.

A one-woman show is being held for her at the Pahrump Community Library with many of her paintings on display. The focal piece of the show is "Harmony Sea."

The work is a three-piece painting depicting a child-like portrayal of a scene that one might think is from the movie "Nemo." Using acrylics, Brown's painting is so precise that it appears almost as a paint-by-number piece. The colors are bold yet soft where appropriate. She uses the canvas for texture, which when viewed closely offers a near 3-D effect.

The detail takes the viewer from a soft gray sea worm to a large, boldly painted masked fish that definitely appears to be hunting. The deep blue of the water would make any seaman happy. The intense detail can be achieved more easily through acrylics than with any other media.

An experienced painter like Brown makes the effort seem easy, but it takes a lot of practice and hard work to reach this level.

Brown said she gets her inspiration from places she visits, such as Mexico, where she recently vacationed. Pictures also play a part in her painting accomplishments. While fantasy plays a major role in her work, she also paints animals, flowers, and landscapes.

She is working on using oils but finds they slow her down due to the drying time required (she admits patience is not her strong suit) and does drawings using chalk and pencil and her imagination.

"When I was 8 I was in a car accident that put me in a cast from the waist down, and I couldn't move," she recalled. "My mom brought me some color pencils and sketch paper, so I spent a lot of time drawing and painting. Later on, due to work and all, I had to put it away for a time. Now I am able to paint again, and although I still work, I have time to paint as well."

She moved to Pahrump in 2005 to escape the congestion and traffic of Las Vegas. She has had her artwork shown at the Pahrump Valley Winery and other places. She will sell her paintings but will also work on having prints made in the near future.

Brown joined the Pahrump Arts Council in 2005 and said, "I'm amazed how fast my work has been accepted by them and in the community. I have sold a few at the Art and Sol in 2005. I would really like to do children's murals in bedrooms and bathrooms. I did one and really enjoyed it, and the customer was very pleased."

For more information about her paintings, she can be reached through the PAC at 775-751-6776.