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May 23, 2008
Art & Sol at the Nugget
By CHARLENE DEAN
In Nye County, Tonopah, Goldpoint and Pahrump will all celebrate the long weekend by offering a number of once-a-year events to attend. Art & Sol, the annual art show and sale sponsored by the Pahrump Valley Arts Council, is set to begin at 10 a.m. Saturday morning in the Pahrump Nugget Events Center. Art & Sol is one of the many venues sponsored by the Arts Council and it is one of their biggest events. Art & Sol began as an outdoor fine art fair for local and regional artist to show and sell their works in a variety of mediums. Recently, the event has moved inside in order to avoid having to deal with unpredictable weather conditions. The Arts Council had it's beginnings in 1993, when the first big public event was a combination art and talent show. They have expanded to offer more than a dozen venues annually. There's something for everyone, regardless of age and income level and they have a continuous record of providing arts, cultural events, educational opportunities and entertainment for the whole family. Their creed is "to exist to create an environment for the arts to flourish in the community," and their footprint is seen all over Pahrump. PAC maintains ties with the Nye County School District and enhances the existing art programs with demonstrations and hands-on activities including the Missoula Children's Theatre, which has increased the number of times they perform here from once to twice per year and Art for Young People, which is a monthly instruction class taught by experienced members of the art community. Chautauqua is another production of PAC and they have been organizing the production for the last 10 years. The cultural event features scholars who portray significant historical figures on stage. Some of the past Chautauquas have featured the characters of Mark Twain, Buffalo Bill Cody and Abraham Lincoln. The Pahrump Museum and Historical Society will carry on the tradition as sponsors of the event. Look for it in the fall. The Pahrump Community Choir is also a part of PAC and they perform twice per year, once at Christmas and once in the spring. The concerts carry a unifying theme such as music from the movies or the recent concert, Songs from the Old West. Pahrump Valley High School sometimes provides a band or musical accompaniment. PAC sponsors other concerts and recitals too, and those have included a woodwinds quintet, jazz, blues, opera, and most recently they were co-sponsors of the Bluegrass Festival on a windy day in March. The events have been held at parks and the school auditorium and showcase professional talent. The tickets are either free or at a minimal charge. The Family Festival is coming up June 7. The event has been held for the past 13 years and will be at Terrible's Lakeside amphitheater again this year. The outdoor event showcases local talent and draws quite a crowd. Fiber Arts is yet another show sponsored by PAC. More than 100 artists exhibit their work in judged competitions in a variety of categories. Some artisans sell their work at the event as well. High Desert Shorts International Film Festival will be presented this coming fall for the third time and features original short films and documentaries with related activities and awards. In the past, judging has been done in part by some well-known actors. The Theater Guild productions are entering the 12th year and "Spitfire Grill" is set to be staged for two consecutive weekends in June at the PVHS auditorium. More information will be available in the next edition of the Pahrump Valley Times. PAC is also responsible for the various art exhibits around town. Some appear in the Courthouse Gallery, others in the Community Library or the Charleston Peak Clubhouse at the winery. The current project for PAC is to build a cultural arts center in the Calvada Eye. Fundraising for this rather large undertaking should start sometime this fall. Art & Sol will be 10-5 p.m. Saturday and 10-4 p.m. Sunday in the events center at the Nugget. |
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