MARY BALDASANO / Special to the PVT Claudia Griffith stands by one of her best works, "The Barnyard." Advertisement

Claudia Griffith has the distinction of being the very first Impressionist- style painter in the Pahrump Valley.

This style was used by the great painters Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh and Degas.

While not quite the exceptional artist they were, Griffith has found her own voice in her work.

Her work is on display at the Pahrump Valley Library. Everyone should go by and review her blend of impressionistic, abstract, landscape and other styles.

Her wispy cirrus clouds are balanced by the depth of her storm clouds, lonely trees are balanced with a group of barnyard chickens, a beautiful swan is balanced with the flight of ducks, and more.

One painting in particular is that of the swan. At first glance, the water gives two possible ideas -- a frozen lake in winter or the stillness of a summer pond.

Flowers are definitely her strongest point. In all her paintings, specifically still lifes and landscapes, the flowers give the strongest association with the old masters.

In one, "The Garden," she uses the color green, which reflects spring growth. It also gives the viewer the opportunity to see what images they can find. Her husband, Gary, sees a temple; another viewer indicated a young lady with a bonnet and wide skirt kneeling.

However, Griffith also has a touch of the abstract included with the free strokes of the Impressionist with a bear, buffalo, and turkey -- remarkable.

Another, and much larger, painting is called "Old Jerusalem," yet, when you look at it, a Boulder City/Lake Mead possibility is also there. Again, Impressionist and landscape are combined in such a way that it's nearly impossible to set them apart.

Griffith did not start painting until she was 46, after her mother died; she always felt she would be competing with her mother's talent. She attended college in Vermont and St. George, Utah. She is originally from Maine.

Her husband Gary is a pilot for Mercy Air and helped her decide to move to Pahrump. She wasn't sure but is now glad she did.

Griffith said "It feels it's where we are supposed to be. My husband is my biggest critic and my biggest fan as well."

She only uses oil, as acrylics dry much to quickly and don't give the same outcome. "I reuse my canvases as sometimes I don't like the results, so I use Gesso, a primer to cover the old painting," she said.

For young artists, she recommends they "put your own color in it. Put what you see; don't let anyone tell you what your painting should be."

Her paintings start at $100, depending on size and time involved in its completion. If you visit the library and would be interested in buying one of her paintings or perhaps commissioning a special painting of your own, she can be reached by calling 751-8348.