ACCNV presents

UP NEXT:

Satellite exhibitions at Serva Pool @ Holland Project, RenoCatalog coming soon!Call for curation proposals, coming late spring 2027.GRAVITY Merch available only until November 19th! Preorder today!

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2025

The second iteration of the Desert Biennial Project, inspired by Gravity: defying it, needing it, feeling it, ignoring it, agreeing with it.

AALIYAH FAFANTO

DEFYING GRAVITY: UPLIFTED BY UNITY

Silicone hand, fishing line, velvet curtains, cotton-stuffed doll, Kente cloth, buttons, yarn, wire, wood

Artist Statement

This installation speaks to the invisible forces that weigh on Black existence—racism, capitalism, and assimilation—through a suspended narrative of tension and ascent. The faceless, adorned doll represents the shared, non-binary struggle and collective rise of Black communities.

My artistic practice explores the emotional and spiritual weight of navigating Blackness, queerness, and societal expectation. I work across mediums—poetry, film, and installation—to unpack memory, cultural identity, and resistance. I’m interested in how art can serve as both mirror and balm. Through symbolic materials, I aim to create immersive experiences that confront, comfort, and challenge. My work often straddles the intimate and the political, offering viewers space to reflect on inherited struggle, communal strength, and the act of becoming.

Artist bio

Aaliyah Fafanto is a Black, queer multidisciplinary artist whose work spans sculpture, installation, poetry, and experimental film. Rooted in themes of identity, ancestry, and resistance, their practice is an exploration of emotional landscapes shaped by race, gender, and memory. Based in Las Vegas, they are committed to using art as a tool for cultural preservation and liberation, with pieces exhibited locally in community-centered and experimental art spaces since 2025.

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AARON COWAN

WE WILL BECOME FLOWERS FOR OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN

Wood, fabric, found objects, tape

Artist Statement

The Yucca Flats nuclear test site of 1953 sought to see the effects of a nuclear explosion on American family homes at "Doomtown." With nuclear war looming over the Middle East, and threatening to make landfall stateside, We Will Become Flowers for our Children's Children turns the aftermath of an abominable display of terrific destruction into a quiet meditation on humanity's bleak future.

Aaron Cowan explores and critiques constructions of identity and gender, with masculinities as a main research focus. Cowan exposes and questions dominant societal expectations and expressions of men by remixing the languages of camouflage, sports, and machismo into soft, poetic expressions. Baseball gloves, seatbelts, and rifle bags become flowers, bouquets, and memorials that question the futures of American boys and men. Through these critiques, Cowan aims at cultural evolution, replacing competition, power, and domination to show that men can find and appreciate collaboration, vulnerability, and growth.

Artist bio

Hailing from Middle Tennessee, Aaron Cowan earned his Masters of Fine Art from the University of Nevada Las Vegas in 2022 and a BFA in 3D Sculpture from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2012. He was Director for the SWINE Gallery and the Artist Residency Chattanooga. Cowan has mentored communities in his hometown of Chattanooga through both, bringing over a dozen artists to Chattanooga with over 50 events, free and open to the public, receiving grants for this work from ArtsBuild, Footprint Foundation, and Bonnaroo Arts Fund. Cowan currently mentors graduate and undergraduate students at UNLV, and carved and cast a replacement for the infamous UNLV Ear. His work has been exhibited in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, South Korea, China, and the 2020 London Biennale. He currently teaches sculpture and 3D design at the University of Nevada Las Vegas in the College of Fine Arts.

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ABBAY ANDERSON

NEIGHBORHOOD

Acrylic on canvas

Artist Statement

This work memorializes three Reno motels, largely used as transitional shelter by unhoused neighbors, which were torn demolished by Jacob’s Entertainment and replaced with unaffordable studio apartments. The paintings speculate on gentrification, alternative housing, and how we define a “home”.

I am a poet and painter interested in layering, filtration, and experimentation. My work collects symbols, impressions, and happenings from life into composites that play between categorical definitions. Through engagement across disciplines, I draw on both material and symbolic connections to question unstable boundaries between reality and fiction, birth and death, good and bad, political and
personal. My current project explores and abstracts everyday subject matter, filtering the
tenderness and fluidity of experience through a lens of modern information overload. Establishing a system of continual experimentation between painting, printmaking, and poetry, I layer tangible information amongst referential gestures to create vignettes of a life seeped in overstimulation. During my process, variables are manipulated and reflected upon, simplified and complicated, tightened and loosened, obliterated and preserved. The result of this process transforms collections of observation into empty vessels, reflecting on the precarity and over-simplification of meaning.

Artist bio

Abbay Anderson is an artist and poet based in Reno, Nevada. Born and raised in northern Nevada, Abbay earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts focused in painting from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2025. They currently teach high school art for the Washoe County School District. Abbay's practice employs painting, printmaking, language, and everyday imagery as tools for symbolic discovery and experimentation.

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ABNEY WALLACE

LIGHT TOUCH

EMT Conduit, Fringe, Solar LEDs

Artist Statement

Amidst a moment that feels so full of darkness and despair, Light Touch is a reminder of the inextinguishable light inside each of us. It's an invitation to touch the light.

My current practice is in response to an increasingly arid American West. Drawing inspiration from the landscape and human interaction with it, my work aims to address the intersections of place, land use, and emergent culture, e.g., gestures born of climate, utility, and impulse.

Artist bio

Abney Wallace is an artist and educator based in Central Oregon. Working in printmaking, drawing, and installation, his work has been shown throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Wallace maintains an active curatorial practice showcasing underserved, underrepresented, and up and coming artists. Awarded residencies include PLAYA in Summer Lake, OR and Wingtip Press in Boise, ID. He holds a BA in Human Studies from Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, NC and an MFA in Visual Studies from Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, OR.

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ADRIANA CHAVEZ

SURRENDER

Performance props including: shovel, astroturf, marigolds, carnations, salt, water, American flag, white flag, candles, beer, paper, soil

Artist Statement

What does it mean to truly let go, to set down the armor, to surrender to love as a vulnerable act? What does it look like for a man to expose his tender parts and fears he has been taught to hide beneath the bravado, the machismo, his "manhood?" Juan Chico comes to release, bury, and grieve these parts that keep him from receiving love.

Inspired by my Mexican family and driven by my identity as a Queer Latinx artist my purpose is to investigate identity and belonging through a complex practice that incorporates performance art, mask making, collage, movement, and sculptural installation. One of the main focuses of my work is a clownish character I developed, named Juan Chico. This disruptor and wild-card of a character is inspired by the tender and messy men in my family; the drinkers, the dreamers, the cheaters, and the mustached macho men. Like the archetype of the trickster, Juan Chico has the potential to challenge social norms, press against and subvert hierarchical systems, reflect the flaws of human nature, and reveal humanity's potential for growth, goodness, and change. Staging Juan Chico either as the main actor of audience-engaging, secular rituals, or as the irreverent, substitute cast of historical paintings and other modern imagery, I seek to re-appropriate and unsettle cultural stereotypes. Reclaiming cultural and familial heritage through the use of my alter ego, I affirm joy and resilience while actively building empathy and connection.

Artist bio

Adriana Chavez (she/they) is an interdisciplinary artist based in Las Vegas, NV. She has performed and exhibited globally. As an actor and director, Chavez has worked with various theatre companies on the east and west coasts including A Public Fit Theatre Company, The LAB Experimental Theatre Company, Vegas Theatre Company, Majestic Repertory Theatre, Nevada Conservatory Theatre, Dell’Arte Company, Elke Rindfleisch Dance, Jonah Bokaer, Homunculus Mask Theatre, and Naked Empire Bouffon Company. Her visual art has exhibited at several art venues including the Format Festival in the UK, The Lilley Museum of Art, The Momentary, Holland Project, Goldwell Open Air Museum & Red Barn Art Center, Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery, Charleston Heights Arts Center, Winchester Dondero Cultural Center, Nuwu Art Gallery, and UNLV’s Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, where she was artist in residence from 2020 - 2021. Adriana has a BFA in Theatre Performance from Chapman University and an MFA in Ensemble-based Physical Theatre from Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre. Adriana is currently performing in Phenomenomaly at Meow Wolf in Las Vegas.

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AILENE PASCO

A WOMAN'S LOAD

Upcycled Materials

Artist Statement

A Woman’s Load is a continuation of A Woman’s Worth Series which began in 2023. This new addition is the largest piece in the series to date. Relating to the theme of Gravity, A Woman’s Load represents the heavy responsibilities and expectations put upon women by society. Boulders made of chicken wire and paper sit upon a platform being held up by a female figure. Each boulder represents different labels women are given and each label is attached to specific responsibilities women must uphold. Underneath the female figure and platform is another platform, as if the female figure is trying to keep the upper platform from crushing the bottom one. On this lower level, a makeshift tent can be found surrounded by personal items scattered throughout. The tent represents the young girl inside every woman, her safe space. The personal items represent things the inner child enjoys without the judgement and pressure of society. A Woman’s Load as a whole reflects a woman protecting her younger self from being crushed by the pressures of life.Majority of the materials are upcycled from the artist’s inventory and donations from the community through the Plastic Earth Project. The entire installation will be fabricated by hand. The scale of the installation reflects the importance of the message. Being lightweight and designed to be static, the installation will sit on the ground with access to all angles to fully digest.

Creating sculptures out of found objects roots from the artist’s fear of abandonment. Growing up, Ailene moved around a lot. She traveled so much that she never had a permanent place to call home. Personal items were constantly left behind or lost and forgotten. Ailene’s life was constantly reduced to whatever fit in a backpack. Being exposed to trauma since she was at a young age turned her into an adult with selective memory loss. Material possessions had a different meaning to her. Ordinary items became beacons for her memories and her past. As she got older, she started collecting more and more trinkets and knick-knacks and odd items that gave her the slightest nostalgia. She merged this obsession with the urge to create things for herself, things she can call her own. This process became a coping mechanism; a way for her to remember the past and what she has gone through. Each assemblage piece that she creates and have created is connected to a memory of an event, a person, or a place."

Artist bio

Ailene Pasco was born in Imus Cavite, Philippines in the early 80s and raised in the Bay Area of California since 1992. She was adopted by her paternal grandparents for the purpose of giving her a better future in North America. Her grandmother is a dressmaker who taught her how to work with her hands, introduced her to fiber art, showed her how to run a business, and instilled in her great work ethics. Her grandfather taught her to appreciate music and art, a passion for photography, how to use curiosity to solve problems, and respect nature at a young age. After living as an American since she was 8 years old, she was culture-shocked when she was sent back to the Philippines to finish high school. From her experiences as a “balikbayan,” her curiosity for the Philippine culture grew. This led her to her continuous research of the Philippine history. Her findings are reflected often in her art. She is a mother of three kids whom she has homeschooled since 2014. Her kids inspired her to open her business named after them, Ozzy Olly and Ox, offering design services and creation of custom textile-based works ranging from fine art to merchandise. Ailene started her art journey at the College of Southern Nevada earning two AAs and received her BA in sculpture with a minor in art history at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas August of 2019. Her work has been shown throughout Clark County, both in formal galleries and as public art installations. Ailene is a passionate advocate for public art and uses her pieces to raise awareness of pressing issues such as conservation of nature, animal and human rights. Ailene is a Public Art Project Coordinator for the Public Arts Office of Clark County Parks & Recreation specializing in community outreach projects such as the ZAP Utility Box program and the Empowerment Art project. Ailene is also a Public Art Educator/Host for the Clark County Public Art Workshop Series called Full Scope. Ailene volunteers hours weekly as a Sculpture Shop Monitor for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Fine Art Department since 2018. Ailene is skilled in fiber art/textile art such as crochet, weaving, and hand sewing/embroidery. She also creates sculptures using upcycled materials and is known for her interactive art. Ailene is also versed in the process of black & white film photography. She uses art as therapy for her anxiety and stress. Her artistic goal is to create pieces that impact lives and open minds. Her professional goal is to help other artists find their place in the art world.

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AIMEE COELLO

PSYCHOSIS

Cardboard, spray paint, house paint, paper mache, metal pvc pipe, weight

Artist Statement

Psychosis features a house whose original purpose was unclear, even to her. Revisiting it years later, she solidified its meaning into the sculpture Birthplace, the canonical origin for every iteration of her "Red Head Girl" persona. Within this universe, the specific "Red Head Girl" from Deserved Punishment for Burning Down the Castle graffitied a cryptic warning on the house, left as a message from one version to the others.

Aimee Coello is a Las Vegas based artist working in painting, drawing, and sculpture. her approach to her works consists of surreal worlds that reflect her identity and background. Her work combines saturated psychedelic visuals and bold, dreamlike colors to create a sense of confusion, nostalgia, and dread. Influenced by surrealism and cosmic horror, she explores themes of reincarnation, memory, and self-reflection. Central to her work are existential questions: What if we were given the chance to go back in time, to change a decision, change what you said, or wishing you were somewhere else? These questions become gateways to alternate realities where themes of reincarnation takes place. Coello utilizes a red-headed girl as an alter ego to examine the tension between that curiosity, and re-imagining the choices of everyday human experiences and life.

Artist bio

Aimee Coello received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2025. She currently lives and works in Las Vegas, NV. Coello has been featured in several group exhibitions, including the Desert Biennial Project, Las Vegas, NV (2025); her B.F.A. Thesis Show at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2025); You Are Here: 36°06'31.5"N 115°08'18"W at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2024); Arts in the Center: Bright Futures, Strongest Emerging Artists at the Composer’s Room, Las Vegas, NV (2024); and the Student Opening Show at the Student Union, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2024). Her public work includes a 2025 mural at Scarlet Sage for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her upcoming exhibition, To The Left, is scheduled for 2026-2027 at the Debra March Center of Excellence Gallery in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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AIYANA GRAHAM

BED

Cut up pill bottles, recycled ceramic, cardboard, colored grout

Artist Statement

This work explores the relationship to progressive disability over a short period of time through invoking the visual of a bed and recycled materials. Using pill bottles whose use spans from 2022 to the present, and broken ceramics from projects spanning from late high school to early college (2018-2021), I construct a relationship of crip time through the speed at which disability progressively affects one's life compared to the slowness of being disabled.

Influenced by the necessity for love and change, my work delves into subjects of race, gender, disability, and sexuality for the purpose of sharing, demystifying, and educating. Through a combination of personal and historical perspectives, I use textured paint, carved wood, recycled fibers, and embodied, sculptural surfaces to draw in my audiences formally with shape, color, and layering to give them access to complex issues that are often emotionally difficult to engage with. Regardless of medium, my work uses the overarching concept of ‘the body’ in order to engage with these issues, encouraging viewers to consider what is bodily about an inanimate object or strange surface, and consider the necessity of kinship with things and people that are un/like us.

Artist bio

Aiyana Graham is a painter, sculptor, fiber artist, and educator; Graham’s art revolves around bodies as a site of queer, trans, racial, and disability issues and focuses on highlighting the complex lives of marginalized people through embodied surfaces. They graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Shows Graham has participated in include: The Personal is Political; Clothesline ’23, ‘24, and ‘25; Artwork 4 Equity; and The Holland Project’s Billboard Series, as well as two solo shows, including bodymind: exploring a trans disabled present and Finding the Future: For Palestinian Liberation. They currently work in Reno, Nevada.

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ALEX PANZER

NAILS

Repurposed pallet wood, plywood, 2 x 4’s; nails, screws, salt, vinegar; wood stain; foam, 5-gallon bucket; paper, ink, wheat paste, chain, metal hinges

Artist Statement

Nails serves as a physical and visual representation of various themes of gravity, touching on the weight of large-scale social impacts and the heavy emotional toll they can impose of those affected. Nails directly and blatantly highlights the war on Gaza and the resulting innocent child causalities, at the hands of those in power. Each component speaking to different aspects of the war on Gaza and war itself.Informed by traditional and experimental [graphic] design methods, Alex’s [digital] work primarily focuses on psychological concepts, emphasizing the inner child on a personal individualized level and in broader social contexts. Visually, he achieves this with the help of cartoon imagery and other childhood references. Attempting to provoke the viewer’s mind, Alex walks the fine line between being subliminal and rather obvious. Recently, Alex has taken a slight step back from the screen to explore art and [graphic] design in the physical world. Using the following question to guide him on this journey, “How does one take something digital and make it physical beyond the traditional practice of printing it and framing it?”

Artist bio

Alex Panzer lives and works in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he was also born and raised. He graduated twice from UNLV, first with a degree in Graphic Design and a minor in Art History, then with a degree in Psychology. Alex would go on to work at the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, where he would focus on graphic design and other museum tasks gaining skills in exhibition design, art handling and much more. During this time, Alex would release his first few zines, participate, and show work for the first time in the group show, Bridging the Gap, an architecture and design exhibition hosted by UNLV’s architecture department, spotlighting six fine artists among various architects and architecture students hosted by UNLV’s architecture department. Soon after, Alex would pivot and begin working towards a career in art education. Since then, he has become an elementary school teacher, teaching the first grade and has shown work in two more group art shows, OOPS! 2 and SKETCH PARTY.

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ALEXA TAPIA

FOREVER FALLING

polymer clay, wire, chain, metal, oil paint, iron, dirt, planter

Artist Statement

In Clarice Lispector’s story "The Escape" she mentions her invented character, a man with “a funny disease”- the force of gravity did not work on him. This piece is about becoming your own gravity.

I use paint, pastel, and paper to record the experience of my surrounding landscape. Focusing synchronously on the light, shadows, and human arrangements of my home in the desert and beyond gives a quality of atmosphere that naturally emerges in my art. From this undivided perceptual approach, I have been attuned to the practice of constant looking. I work in response to the sensory awareness of a moment, finding compositional structures at red lights and neighborhood walks. This temporal devotion nurtures both my sense of the present as well as my place in the world. Affirming my environment through paint offers an anchor in the face of familial, social, and occupational isolation and relentless change. Celebrating the materiality of paint through an observational process also helps to remind me of my physical presence in a highly online age. I hope to draw my sense of place and community closer through my search for visual poetry within it.

Artist bio

My name is Alexa Tapia, I am an artist and work online in the adult industry. I received a BA in art from the University of Las Vegas, Nevada in 2021. Currently, I live and create in North Las Vegas where I have a little house that also serves as my studio space. I have shown with the great local artist collective, Scrambled Eggs, as well as Available Space Art Projects in downtown Las Vegas. My job has afforded me the flexibility and time to paint and think more freely. I continue to fall in love with more artists every day which is one of those rare and precious things that, along with art making, continuously gives me something to look forward to.

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ALEXIS MADELINE

VEGAS UNSEEN

Photographic prints on transparency paper

Artist Statement

Sin City is known for The Strip, gambling, and luxury shops, yet Las Vegas is so much more than that. As this city expands, the gravity of protecting the few natural spaces left before they become distant memories grows as well. As you look through these photographs to the land beneath, remember that everything is transient - even us.

As a neurodivergent artist, I focus on color and patterns in my work, often in the form of nature and architectural photography and abstract paintings. I play with saturation, framing, and color theory to create stunning visuals aimed at keeping viewers engaged with art for longer periods of time.

Artist bio

Alexis was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She recently graduated from UNLV
with a BA in Art, with concentrations in both Painting/Drawing/Printmaking and Photography, along with a minor in Creative Writing.

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ALEXYS QUEZADA

HOME

Mixed media

Artist Statement

An ongoing character in my illustrations are homes, simple yet expressive. In this piece I wanted to fully explore it through sculpture.

Practices include all 2-D media, photography and ceramics. My work is a reflection of myself and surroundings.

Artist bio

Quezada is the eldest daughter of three, she met Las Vegas at age seven. She studied at
Pacific Northwest College of Art. Quezada is a member of Scrambled Eggs, an artist ran art collective in Las Vegas.

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ALI FATHOLLAHI

Anti-Gravity Pants

Soft sculpture, shoes, belts, socks, ladder

Artist Statement

Ali Fathollahi’s art is a dialogue that occupies the viewers’ mind for a longer period. His works have an experiential aspect. This is conveyed to the viewer using space, lighting, sound, smell, etc. or in simpler words, the relationship between the viewers and anything they experience while encountering the piece. Fathollahi’s works consist of multiple scenarios happening parallel to one another, each complete on their own and yet, a part of a bigger whole. Multiple fragments of these pieces involve the viewers in a conversation which makes them think and question the relationships between the objects, forms and meanings behind them. A group of these objects are taken directly from the daily life. However, the function of the objects is lost or distorted through their new placement, independently or in relation with other objects in the piece.During or after the process of experiencing the piece, the viewers go through different emotions. These emotions include, but are not limited to fear, anxiety, curiosity, embarrassment, pleasure, etc. However, Fathollahi’s approach to these experiences is mixed with a sense of humor and this way succeeds to bring the viewers closer to his point of view.Fathollahi’s work during the past few years criticizes the contemporary era obsession with “Survivalism”, as both a lifestyle and an ideology, motivated by fear and nostalgia.

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ALINA LINDQUIST

Tipping Point Series:
Clark's Nutcracker, LeConte's Thrasher, and Pinyon Jay

Oil on panel

Artist Statement

This piece looks at the York Fire burn area.

Alina's work originates in plein-air painting, with direct experience of the land that is expanded upon back in the studio. She often exaggerates the features of the landscape to emphasize its particular characteristics.

Artist bio

Alina Lindquist is a contemporary artist based in Las Vegas, known for her landscape paintings of the Mojave Desert. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Anthropology, Art History, and Art from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in 2020 and is pursuing her MFA at UNLV.

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ALISHA KERLIN

HOLD IT DOWN WHILE I'M GONE

Paperweights, paper

Artist Statement

Hold it Down While I’m Gone is an installation of paperweights paired with papers that are laid on the ground in a site specific grid. The paperweights are sculptural objects that are both ridiculous and symbolic. The pages are both disposable and precious. Addressing the weighty roles I hold in life as a mother and a boss, the title “holding it down” can mean to take charge of a situation, maintain control of a place, or to handle one’s responsibilities and support others. Together, the installation is a series of choices that keep it all in place while the wind blows.

I know myself as a painter, but I don’t always make paintings. What I do make is very personal, but I leave many of the decisions up to other forces — finding, playing, observing, and borrowing. Childhood memory is a big part of the work as is my role as a mother. My job as a museum director leaks in as well. These conditions shape what I make — imperfect, quick gestures made to capture time as it races by.

Artist bio

Alisha Kerlin is an artist who uses painting, writing, sculpture, photography, and installation. Solitaire games, fallen trees, dismissive cats, measuring tapes, dangling cookies, potatoes, traffic cones, heavy roadrunners, and the carrot and stick idiom are examples of subject matter used within her artworks. She received her BFA from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and MFA from the Milton Avery School of Art, Bard College, New York. Her work has been exhibited throughout the United States, including one-person shows in New York, San Francisco, Boston, Knoxville, and Las Vegas. Her work has been included in numerous group shows, including “Greater New York” at PS1 MoMA in 2010. Interviews and reviews about Kerlin’s work can be found in publications such as Spike, Art Forum, New York Arts Magazine, and Art21.com. In addition to her studio, Kerlin is a mother to Faye and the director at UNLV’s Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art.

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PRESSYESS

ANNA NEWMAN + MEG POHLOD

BENEATH THE FAMILIAR

Cardboard, velcro, tape, found object, sand.

Artist Statement

Beneath the Familiar, an outdoor installation by PressYess (Meg Pohlod and Anna Newman), uses repurposed cardboard house sculptures to explore gravity as both a physical force and a metaphor for memory, history, and emotional weight. Blending fragility with strength the project invites viewers to consider the impermanence of material and personal histories as they interact with the shifting elements of the desert landscape.

PressYess, the artistic duo of Meg Pohlod and Anna Newman, is committed to creating community-focused, accessible art using repurposed materials. Their practice prominently features discarded objects such as shipping cartons, found photographs, and textiles, each embodying a rich history through wear and tear. This attention to the life cycle of materials informs their creative process, resulting in art that connects viewers to both the present and the past. The duo’s practice is influenced by Pohlod’s experience with site-specific community projects and Newman’s ongoing film and photo documentation of local communities.

Artist bio

Meg Pohlod is a Reno- and Bay Area–based print artist and Managing Director of Black Rock Press at UNR, whose award-winning work explores memory, disability, trauma, and family through a personal visual lens, with exhibitions and residencies across the U.S. and abroad.Anna Newman is a project-based artist, curator, and award-winning filmmaker whose work—spanning photography, installation, and documentary—explores themes of place, history, and the stories of artists, engineers, and innovators.

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ANNA NEWMAN

RUMINATION (COMSTOCK)

Continuous hand braided Pendleton wool blanket trimmings, antique bedspring from the Comstock Lode, metal family farm numbers from Central California

Artist Statement

The hours between 2 am and 4 am are my time of rumination. Exploring domestic objects and ephemera from the Victorian Era to the present, I suspect this is not a new phenomena, and I am constantly surprised by our inability to learn from history. Those who do not learn from history, whether personal or global, are doomed to repeat it.

There is a moving story in every undervalued place, and I like to tell those stories through undervalued materials. The built environment expands, and I bear witness with art, incorporating found objects and obsolete technologies to explore the costs of our relentless drive to solve problems via technology.”

Artist bio

Anna Newman lives and works in Reno, Nevada. Leaving a successful career in Silicon Valley to focus on a career in art. Anna is a project-based artist whose work resonates with history even as she creates fresh objects and images with beauty and power of their own. Her documentary films have been exhibited at Sundance and many other film festivals as well as museums in the United States and Canada, including Design Exchange, Toronto, Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland, and Stanford Libraries. Anna holds a MFA from the University of Nevada, Reno and is a BA graduate of Mills College. Recent exhibitions include SCENE, a collaborative exhibit in Seoul, South Korea, and co-curation of This Side UP, a Sparks, NV exhibition centered on cardboard, and Clothesline '25, the third annual survey of fiber art presented in Reno, NV.

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APRIL BERMUDEZ

ORBITAL DANCE

Brown paper, gesso paint, rocks of various size

Artist Statement

With a dancer as the axis, painting a spin that creates the rings of a planetary orbit; the embodiment of life and existence, painted with twist and turns, resulting in a continuous path.

Every one of us has had events that shape who we are. For me, I choose to use my experiences as a means to understand existence and the chaotic magic of life. My experiences have informed my life and my soul; and now, my art.

Artist bio

April Bermudez (American, b. 1978) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work has been informed by personal experiences and the continuous deciphering of life. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she tells stories of her past, while seeking to define the complexities, absurdities, and marvels of existence. Whether presenting her direct experiences, or serving as a mirror to the experiences of her audience, Bermudez challenges the conceptualization of art to stretch beyond the conventional boundaries of medium or style.Bermudez studied art at Cerritos Community College and Pasadena City College. She has participated in numerous group shows, and has garnered acclaim and recognition from The Consulate of Mexico in Las Vegas, Nevada and the City of Las Vegas. Recent press includes profiles in Bold Journey, Canvas Rebel, Shoutout LA, and Hidden Gems. The artist lives and works in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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ARI RAMIREZ CARRASCO

VARIATIONS THROUGH SPACE II

Chairs

Artist Statement

Variations Through Space II explores human connection and how we gravitate towards each other. Humans want to be part of more, part of a community.

Driven and inspired by social commentary as a Latina artist, my work often explores human experiences, especially with mental health, through movement. I explore how it affects us, how movement itself can be a very beneficial tool when we want to work through certain emotions and events, and how art unites us. Movement can help us process things, express ourselves, and it can often be used to make commentary on events happening all around us. I use different textures, tempos, and mediums to communicate this with audiences. Depending on the topic at hand, my work can be created for the stage, for film, and be site specific. I believe finding the right medium for movement can amplify the impact of the work, as audiences can connect with its message more.

Artist bio

Ari Ramirez Carrasco is a dancer and choreographer based in Las Vegas, NV. Her love for dance led her to attend College of Southern Nevada, as well as the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography, as well as a certificate in Pilates.
Her choreographic work over the years has been presented virtually and on stage, often through different dance festivals. Ari combines different skills for her work, such as music editing, makeup, directing, and dance on film. She has found a passion in education as well, with being a teaching artist in the Las Vegas valley.

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CALANDRA CASTANEDA

BABY'S FIRST TRAUMA

Moss, dried flowers, fairy lights, faux moths and beetles, cyanotypes on children’s underwear, repurposed toddler bed and mattress, metal bed frame, black table cloth, rug, work lamp, tissue paper, pearl ribbon trim, childhood photos, journal, miscellaneous pens, bedside table, table doily, original painting memento, stuffed animals, children’s shoes

Artist Statement

While working one this piece, I had a lot of breakdowns and a lot of big emotions that flowed through me. I am grateful to have been given this opportunity—not only to create art that speaks for me but also to share that with others and open up the conversation. I feel extremely blessed that I was able to express my pain in such a beautiful way,

When I was about 3 or 4 years old, I was molested and sexually assaulted by my uncle. To this day my uncle walks freely and is in a happy relationship with my cousin who he has 4 children with. This is something I have carried with me my entire life, and it continues to haunt me in new and unknown ways. I want to share my story so that I may encourage others to feel less alone, more seen, and less dirty about something that was done to them. Too many people—those closest to me and those who aren’t—have been sexually assaulted and/or harassed in this world. And too many have been shunned into silence; well I say no more. With this piece, Baby’s First Trauma, I want to bring awareness to this topic while expressing some of my personal experiences with sexual trauma through imagery and poetry. In this piece, I am exploring the discomfort within my own body as well as the ways that my traumatic experiences have made me cringe at anything relating to sexual acts—even when consensual. I refuse to be told that I am wrong for being upset and for talking about this pain; I won’t let others around me feel as ashamed as I once have.

Artist bio

As an artist who loves to work with imagery—found, created, etc.—I find it very cathartic to create pieces that are personal and unique to my circumstances. Recently I’ve been very interested in working with sculptural forms as it helps me to form clearer ideas of what I’m attempting to convey. I love dark humor, horror, and whimsical stories, so I try to add these elements to my work. I love to tell a story with my work, and whatever that may be I try to make it as special to the situation as possible.
Pieces such as To Make a Long Story Short: This Is My Real Father (2024), I address the seemingly simple relationship between a father and child—similarly in the piece His Warmth (2024), I challenge the norms of what an intimate relationship with a lover looks like.

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CAMILE LOVAZ

GOING, GOING, GONE

Oil paint on canvas, acrylic paint on acrylic board, wooden frame

Artist Statement

Separated by dimensions of glass and canvas, overwhelming despair pulls flesh and bones to the ground as something greater watches from behind; but who will save us from this, you or I? A piece that explores an inner monologue of hope, open to interpretation of who will reply.

My deep admiration for La Virgen de Guadalupe has led me to explore the relationship and separation between the divine and humanity. Growing up in a Mexican household where this imagery was common, I currently illustrate the dynamic relationship between young Latinas and religious icons. My muses represent a woman of Mexican descent who has been split into two, with one muse who visually represents ethereal imagery wishing to become one again with her counterpart. While the other muse, who visually illustrates human life and flesh, constantly rejects and refuses to reunite. Neither muse is wrong or right, good or evil; it’s their interactions with one another that show their perspectives and beliefs about one another. Through the depicted power imbalance in my muses, I reference the inner conflict of finding balance between the pure and the irregular; the expectations and the reality, our actions and their consequences. I use oil, acrylic paint, and digital programs to make my work, along with uncommon surfaces for my paintings, such as found objects. I thus challenge the idea of what can be considered a sacred object."

Artist bio

Camile Lovaz is a Mexican-American artist who was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She began creating artwork that explored her identity as a Latina, illustrating the deep roots in traditions and the impact of opposing forces, whether outside or within the community. As she worked her way to exploring religious iconography and sacredness in her culture, Lovaz began to question the separation of divinity and humanity. Through her fictional muses’ ambiguous interactions, she dives into the internal conflict between accepting one’s religion and critiquing its interpretation. Lovaz received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2025. She has exhibited her artwork multiple times at the university throughout her BFA experience, with her most recent being the UNLV BFA 2025 Thesis Exhibition. She has also exhibited her cultural artwork in local organizations and spaces, such as Chicanos Por La Causa and The Composer’s Room. Lovaz is currently volunteering at UNLV at the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, where she shares her passion with other artists, earning the chance to support her community through educational and interactive events, thus expanding the art scene across the city.

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CAMRYN MAHER +
DAVID DELFIN

YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER, BUT YOU CAN'T MAKE IT DRINK

Yarn, ribbon, glass, ceramics, A-frame sign, astroturf, solar powered yard lights

Artist Statements

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink (2025) by Camryn Maher and David Delfin is the duo's first collaborative piece. Presented as a diptych, the two sculptures draw upon each artist's primary medium and individual practice, coming together to create a single work interfacing with usage debate over Nevada public lands and expressive social politics. Created specifically for the Desert Biennial Project, the work responds to the event's theme of gravity through the use of "A-frame" yard signs and its engagement with the site—public lands at the Apex dry lakebed.

"I create artwork exploring my emotional connections with myself, others, and the world around me. I maintain a process-based, research-focused, multi-disciplinary art practice grounded in collective and individual connections. I am motivated by memories, feelings, and experiences, my existence as a part of nature, and my reality navigating these as a chronically ill disabled person. I focus on processes such as time-based collecting, conscious and subconscious ritual, and personal research in service of data collection. In my artwork, themes of vulnerability, recognition, and repetition demonstrate a need for increased awareness and empathy in movements throughout the world around us". - Camryn MaherDavid Delfin is an artist based out of Reno, Nevada with a primary focus and sculptural practices. Their work consists of a curated combination of found, crafted, and faux objects. Delfin uses daily objects as culture references or markers as a foundation such as, dishware, clothing, or food. - David Delfin

Artist bios

Camryn Maher is a mixed media and installation artist who creates work about emotional connection and navigating nature, others and herself as a chronically ill disabled person. Originally from the Great Basin, Maher graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a Master of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Visual Art. Maher’s work and curatorial projects have been featured in group and solo exhibitions at venues including Millepiani Gallery, Sheppard Contemporary, Holland Project, Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery, and the Winchester Dondero Cultural Center. In collaboration with research groups, her work has been published in practical interdisciplinary research projects internationally. Maher is a founding member of the Reno-based art collective ART PARK Reno. Currently, she serves on faculties at the University of Nevada, Reno and Great Basin College as a Professor of Art.

David Delfin is a born-and-raised Nevadan growing up in Dayton. While attending The University of Nevada, Reno (2018-2022), he studied sculpture through the Fine Arts Program. Delfin joined The Holland Project in 2023 and have served as Gallery Manager since 2024. Delfin’s work has been exhibited in spaces including the UNR Galleries, The Holland Project, Sierra Arts Foundation, Curve Line Space, and the upcoming Desert Biennial Project.

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CASEY HURLEY

THE FOUNTAIN

Found kitchen table and chairs, cloth, candles/candle wax, candle holders

Artist Statement

Home is with you wherever you go.My art inhabits the liminal space between waking and sleeping, on an endless journey through my psychological underworld. I take inspiration from dreams and real life strangeness, the human condition, religious trauma, and the ephemeral beauty and nightmare of life and am heavily influenced by surrealism, mythology, and personal experiences with mental illness. Through my art, I explore how memory and fear can permeate throughout the layers of one’s life and inform the ways one acts, thinks, sees the world, and sees themselves. My artistic practice focuses mainly on oil painting but also includes acrylic painting, gelli-plate printing, and experimental sculptural work using fabric. My work has an emphasis on dark atmospheres and surreal, dreamlike moods as a way to express lived emotions representationally, and abstractly. Many of my pieces operate as self-portraits, whether literally or symbolically, where I investigate the effect of my experiences on my mental health, self image, and artmaking. My self portraits rely on the processing of materials, religious iconography, and personal symbolism.

Artist bio

Although I was born in Texas, I have spent the majority of my life in rural Nevada, and in the past few years I have been living in Reno. I graduated from the University of Nevada Reno in 2022 and received a Bachelor’s of Art with an emphasis in painting. While at UNR I showed work at a few group shows including Masks à la Fini in 2021, the advanced drawing group show Nothing is Hidden in 2022, and the Student Art Show in 2022 in which I won 3rd place. In April of 2024, I had my first solo show Fire From Heaven through the Holland Project. I was also in Holland Project's fundraiser show All In earlier this year in April.

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CESAR PIEDRA

BITE CLUB/TALL GRASS

Wool, wood, paint, obsidian

Artist Statement

Bite Club/Tall Grass is a reflection of my experience caring for axolotls, during the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlighting their development from larvae into juveniles.

My art practice is facilitated by introspection. I pose questions about cultural, societal, and personal expectations that stem from my background. This method of working allows me to challenge those norms and in turn subvert the expectations, to then arrive at works of art that are informed by history, personal stories, and contemplation. I believe that this style of work hooks the curiosity of the viewer and invites them to dwell on the materiality, iconography, and concepts to arrive at their own questions and start a conversation."

Artist bio

Cesar Piedra is an interdisciplinary artist, born in Southern California and raised in Northern Nevada. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in ceramics and a minor in art history at the University of Nevada Reno. His Art practice is informed by the rich history of the Mesoamerican and Mexican-American cultures. Piedra’s mash-up of Mesoamerican and contemporary subject matter and iconography allows him to make connections to the ancestral culture of Mexico to share, critique, and explore conversations about the evolution of culture.Exhibitions2025
All In - The Holland Project in Reno, NV
Valentine’s Auction - UNR Student Galleries South in Reno, NV2024
Clay-Mart; A Scrambled Eggs Pop-Up - Market in the Arts District in Las Vegas, NV
Hand Wash Only - The Holland Project in Reno, NV
Best of Show - Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, NV2023
Hija/e/o/x(s) de Su- - The Holland Project in Reno, NV
All In - The Holland Project in Reno, NV
Valentine’s Auction - UNR Student Galleries South in Reno, NV

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CHARLENE ELMA

GROUNDED

Cyanotype collage on paper, hardware, fabricated drafting table

Artist Statement

Grounded is an oversized pop-up book of a flower that anchors her roots while simultaneously wishing she had wings to fly. The sinking of the roots play a vital part in the flower's inherent beauty and growth, but nonetheless, the flower longs to be elsewhere.

As a sentimentalist, my practice archives found objects, phrases uttered by people I love and natural systems. I use cyanotypes, an alternative photographic process that creates rich blue images, to soften and immortalize the objects I choose to record.

Artist bio

Charlene Elma is an artist and graphic designer whose work is rooted in curiosity and experimentation. She uses the cyanotype printing process to document the ways in which mechanical objects mirror systems in nature; no matter how large the factory, precise the tool or big the feeling.Her work has most recently been featured in the following exhibitions:Reflections, Clark County Public Arts, 2023
Never a Cat’s Paw, Scrambled Eggs, 2023
Provoke the City, Guerilla Art Show, 2024
Sketch Party, Scrambled Eggs, 2024

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D. K. SOLE

STICK SHADOWS

Tinfoil, paper, glue, paint, shadows

Artist Statement

I imagined them like centaurs: half physical stick-object, half shadow-object created by the sun. On a bare lake bed, gravity and shadows both decide to go straight down.

I use sculpture, drawing, and photography to estrange myself from everyday objects like bottle caps, supermarket circulars, and scraps of discarded plastic. I admire artists who are inspired by cheap materials (like Richard Tuttle), awkward shapes (like Alice Mackler) and boring repetition (Bernd and Hilla Becher). Every time I see a fallen stick casting a shadow, I think, “I can't do better than that."

Artist bio

D.K. (Deanne) Sole is a Las Vegas-based Australian artist. She works at the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, where she practices curation and edits the museum’s art writing publication, “Dry Heat.” Her art reviews have been published on the Couch in the Desert website. Her artworks have been exhibited in Florida and Colorado, but mostly in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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DANIEL OGLETREE

LOST IN A FALSE COUNTRY

4"x4" fence posts, acrylic latex paint

Artist Statement

Lost in a False Country is a series of seven trail markers that lead to a hidden underworld beneath Dry Lake.

I create work about the distinction between tools that help us navigate the world (a dark void we know little about) and those that manipulate, mislead, and distract from the task of confronting the unknown.

Artist bio

Daniel Ogletree is a Part-Time Instructor at UNLV and CSN and a works with Clark County Wetlands Park to plan art exhibits and events. He earned an MFA in printmaking from the University of Tennessee in 2014, and in the intervening years he has exhibited work around the world, including China, Poland, New York, and Hawaii. In his free time, he pursues outdoor adventures with his wife, Kay Leigh, his son, Paul, and their dog, Laika.

DANIEL PINEDA LUNA

102025 (YOU CAN'T STAY HERE)

Linocut, ink on paper, paraffin wax, wooden dowels, string, on MDF base

Artist Statement

My work represents a new symbol to warn future humans about the dangers of invisible radiation from spent nuclear fuel and nuclear energy production. I use linocuts inspired by topographic maps and the Nevadan desert landscape to design each face of the spikes, which then are soaked in paraffin wax to create these ghosts of the future.

My work is inspired by a sense of isolation wherever I go. Themes of loneliness, memory, and American urban decay motivate my work. My printmaking is guided by solitude, depicting foreclosed and displaced homes within my community or proposed long term nuclear storage landscapes for the future. There is repetition observed in these places and printmaking allows me to continue that pattern, both representing real locations and imaginary ones. My vision as an artist is to share these experiences and document places people might not have an appreciation for. In an ever-changing environment, the houses and natural landscapes we view today might not exist in a couple of years. Even for imagined landscapes, my prints are a record and recognition for what might come, if humanity is to survive for the next millennia. I acknowledge the changes in American landscapes both urban and natural, and appreciate what short amount of time I have of community and nature in the face of immense isolation and decay.

Artist bio

Daniel Pineda Luna is a first-generation printmaker and MFA graduate student at the University of Nevada, Reno. He finds inspiration within the Nevadan desert landscape, focusing on the interplay of isolation and human intervention with nature. Incorporating all there is to relief and screen-printing he creates his interpretation of what a future dealing with nuclear waste storage markers might look like. In addition to printmaking, Daniel also enjoys book arts and loves to incorporate language into his work. Daniel has been involved in several group shows at UNR, most prominently Feel the Rush, Entangled, Chromascapes, and Continuum MFA group shows and his solo mid-way exhibition Total Isolation. Other group show participation includes exhibitions with the Holland Project such as For Good Luck and All In.

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DANIELA CASTANEDA

MOM'S FIRST CAR (1987 FORD MUSTANG GT)

Cardboard, cellophane, tissue paper, adhesive and acrylic paint

Artist Statement

My upbringing influenced the concept of rebuilding a car to life by working with materials that have been used to make traditional and contemporary piñatas. My childhood experiences riding in this car reminded me of the colorful moments of innocence and rite of passage.

My artwork focuses on color and sentimental themes while working with repurposed materials such as wood, tissue paper, cardboard and paint. Building with such materials gave me the opportunity to make something new and rich. My roots as a Chicana and passion for classic cars gave me the foundations to mimic the aesthetics of candy color paint jobs and blending this into contemporary Mexican piñata making. The outcome of my work creates dialogue on the themes of femininity and resilience. But pushing me to research intersections of ideologies, family dynamics, the role of women in Latino households, religion and Death.

Artist bio

Daniela Castaneda is from the Bay area of San Jose, California, and was raised in Stockton, California and Las Vegas, Nevada. She is a Chicana artist and a first-generation college graduate from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art degree, concentration in Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking, and receiving her Associates of Art from the College of Southern Nevada in 2022. She is a Docent at UNLV- Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, where she guides K-12 students in museum tours and workshops. Also, engages in research and collections management.Her most recent artistic endeavor led her to travel to Mexico City to photograph for the Day of the Dead celebration based on the Mario Basner Passion Project Grant fund 2024. She has exhibited and won “Best in Show,” experienced category at Life in Death Art Exhibition and co-curating photo exhibition at UNLV.

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DAVE ROWE

BETTER FROM A DISTANCE

Wood, LED, generator, screws, extension cords

Artist Statement

Landscape as a theme unifies many of my works, but this is the first time I have utilized neon or light in this context. The neon lines both complement and challenge the desert landscape, responding to the mountain ranges surrounding the exhibition site.

My work explores ideas related to the American landscape and experience. History lies not just in the heroic moments, but in the daily events and inevitable cycle of time. Environment, both built and natural, chronicles these changes and helps us understand the importance of familiar spaces.

Artist bio

Dave Rowe is an artist and educator focused on three-dimensional work. Born and raised in the American midwest, his work examines connections between landscape, the built environment, history, and nostalgia. His work has been shown nationally, and he has participated in numerous artist residencies. His most recent solo show, Fields is on display at the Las Vegas City Hall through December 2025. He is also an educator and administrator, having served as Associate Professor in Sculptural Practices at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, and is the current Chair of the UNLV Department of Art. He resides on the east side of Vegas with his cats, Jake and Dinos.

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DAVID TOVAR

RING AROUND THE ROSIE

BPMCC 6KPRO, SONY NXCAM, JVC HANDYCAM

Artist Statement

An experimental short film following a former mentee, now mentor, as she leads a hesitant cohort from hesitation to engagement.

When I considered what I could showcase at the DBP, I realized I was more compelled in using the DBP itself as the backdrop of an experimental film. As I currently teach at two different institutions that made me into the artist that I am, I wanted to craft a visual narrative about mentorship and mutual trust. The film follows Rose, a former youth participant of an arts program who now steps into the role of mentor for the next wave of young creatives. Early on, both Rose and her students are uncertain about each other and the experience they will come to share. As Rose and the group practice truly seeing - the artworks, the land, and one another - the distance narrows. This film encapsulates how a mentor's positive attention, sharing of leadership, and intentional dialogues transform a room of strangers into collaborators.

Artist bio

David's passion for education and youth mentorship has earned him the roles of Film & Video teacher at Las Vegas Academy and Teaching Artist at The Rainbow Company Youth Theater. In 2023, David created an original course titled “Script to Screen”, which earned Abby Rey Studios a $15,000 grant through the Nevada Future of Learning Network.David’s short films DRY EYES, UNDERWORLD, and SUMMER BODY were selected to be screened at Fergusons Downtown for Eccentric Artist’s Film Showcase in 2023, 2024, & 2025. David also had films screened at the 48 Hour Film Festival & 49 Hour Film Festival, and was awarded Best SFX Makeup, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best FX.The workprint of DRY EYES’ extended cut was featured in OOPS!, curated by Bailey Anderson for UNLV in April 2023.In 2024, David operated camera and acted for a locally produced feature film now screening on airlines across the world, City of Second Chances, as well as directed The Rainbow Company's first-ever production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.In 2025, David was selected to join Sneak on the Lot’s Summer Workshop in Burbank, CA, to receive on-set film training and be a part of his very first Hollywood production.

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DIONNE STEVENS

SUCKERS

Paper mache', acrylic

Artist Statement

This work considers the mechanics of being misled to trust a disingenuous system, driven by a cruel colonial agenda.I admire the way artist Niki de Saint Phalle was able to process complex emotion & pain by producing exuberant work. She said, “There is nothing more shocking than joy.” While I don’t entirely agree with the statement, I do aspire to find & create joy as an act of defiance.Paper mache' is a celebration of materials that could easily become trash. A zero-waste ethos is applied to practice whenever possible.

Artist bio

D. Stevens is an artist based in Reno, Nevada from San Francisco, CA- working primarily in paper mache' & mixed-media collage. This is attributable to diverse materials, relevant to a background in hair, special fx & prop making.Solo Exhibitions:2025
Pours From A Cracked Vessel - ServAPool Flux / Holland Project in Reno, NVGroup:2025
Unapologetically Queer- Harvey Milk CFA SF/CA 2025 What We Like - Vera Project in Seattle, WA
Hungry Thirsty - FramesORama (K&K) in San Francisco, CA2024
Life Is Delicious - Curve Line Space in Los Angeles, CA
Dinner On The Bridge - Downtown Reno, NV
Mixed, Matched, Made Whole - The Depot Gallery in Sparks, NVMusic Videos:2025
"TDOS" by Rotary Club - Iron Lung RecordsCover Art:2024
Sphere Of Service by Rotary Club - Iron Lung Records

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ELLIE RATLIFF

DOUBLE PLANET OR BINARY SYSTEM?

Gouache, watercolor, colored pencil, chalk pastel, and found objects on paper

Artist Statement

A double planet (a.k.a. a binary system) is an astronomical phenomenon where two independent planets orbit a common center of gravity, effectively orbiting each other. I use this contradictory framework to reflect on the push and pull of being a woman in a traditional, hetero-normative relationship while still trying to be a non-traditional individual

I’m fascinated by the relationship between the individual and universal; the sensations you thought were entirely your own until you found out everyone else has already experienced them. It’s a humbling yet comforting experience to realize you’re not entirely unique, and it’s a dichotomy that offers endless opportunities for play and exploration. I lean into these themes by using reference photos I’ve taken myself to construct a composition, often one that’s visually collaged. Materially, I use whatever I can get my hands on, often incorporating materials like gouache, colored pencil, and chalk pastel into my mixed-media process."

Artist bio

Born and raised in Las Vegas, NV before relocating to the East Bay in 2025, Ellie Ratliff is a working artist and muralist. In 2025, she received a BFA in drawing, painting, and printmaking, as well as a BA in writing and rhetoric from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. During her time in UNLV’s 2024 BFA cohort, she exhibited in the Student Union Gallery, Grant Hall Gallery, and Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery. Additional exhibitions include Showgirls! The Legacy of Glitz and Glam at Sahara West Libraries Galleries, Stone Soup with the Desert Biennial Project, Black Life Ordinary at Rotunda Gallery, You’re Fired! and Strobe with the Las Vegas Collage Collective, From Somewhere at Grant Hall Gallery, and I Need Space to Roam at Left of Center Gallery.

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EMILY SARTEN

TOPSY

Fabric, wood, water, pulleys, rope, chain

Artist Statement

25 camels were brought to Nevada on October 18, 1857 to help blaze new wagon routes by the US Army Camel Corps. In 1861, after they were deemed unsuitable for the harsh landscape, they were released into the wild or put in zoos. This piece honors their unusual place in the history of our state.

Emily Sarten's artistic practice is an exploration of nostalgia and its intersection with American culture. Through her work, she delves into the realms of memory, sentimentality, and collective experiences. Drawing from a diverse range of visual and conceptual references, Sarten creates multidisciplinary pieces that examine the complexities and contradictions of American identity. With a keen eye for detail and a deep appreciation for the cultural icons and symbols that shape our collective consciousness, her art invites viewers to reflect on the transformative power of nostalgia, challenging them to question the narratives that define American culture.

Artist bio

Emily Sarten was born and raised in Tucson, AZ. She received her BFA in Photography from Arizona State University and her Masters of Fine Art from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2022. Her work has been shown throughout the Southwest and internationally. She is currently an educator and artist in Las Vegas.

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ERIKA PETERSON

ROBUST

Ceramic

Artist Statement

This piece is the first of a series of monumental scale busts of gender ambiguous character. The title is a bit of word play using the model's name, Ro.

Art is my spiritual practice, through art I cast spells. Working primarily in ceramic and bronze, I use the human figure as my foundation for creating new mythologies and parables, free from the moral baggage of religion. My materials speak to permanence and transformation: clay becomes stone through fire, metal flows like water before freezing in time. The figure in my work serves as both storyteller and story, a bridge between ancient sculptural traditions and contemporary narratives.My work is a confluence of the physical, emotional, and spiritual. The physical demands of sculpting develop both strength and sensitivity. The emotional aspect emerges through the stories embedded in each piece, while the spiritual manifests in the ritualistic nature of my practice. Through my work, I explore how the past, present, and future intertwine. Through my practice, I become both preservationist and mythmaker - creating artifacts that speak to what we choose to leave behind and what I find sacred in the ordinary.

Artist bio

Erika Peterson is a multidisciplinary artist and self-proclaimed humor expert, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She completed her BFA from Cornish College of the Arts in 2005, focused on sculpture. She worked for 18 years in the jewelry industry, specializing in hand fabrication and design for production. Today, Erika is pursuing her MFA at UNLV. She primarily works sculpturally, often in cast or fabricated metals and ceramic, but will utilize any readily available materials. Much of her work is figurative, addressing both human and non-human forms. She investigates concepts of gender, grief, mythology and memory.Exhibitions:2025
California Sculptor’s Symposium Group Show - Camp Ocean Pines, in Cambria, CA2024
The Roots International Art Project, online
World of Ceramics - Marin Society of Artists in San Rafael, CA
Sculpture & Assemblage Group Show - Marin Society of Artists in San Rafael, CA

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ERIN TARRANT

ARE WE REALLY TRYING OUR BEST?

Clay, oil paint, paper, wood, wire, acrylic paint, homemade acrylic nails

Artist Statement

My piece is based off a combination of the theme of rat kings and herd mentality. The wanting to fix a problem and the gravity of the situation does not always align with solutions.

I touch on harsher topics about the body and real life situations that can impact children and adults both physically and mentally. I use mostly the female/nonbinary body and experience as an inspiration for the subjects. I like using animal symbolism and a lot of color to give reality and connection to what you are seeing. The symbolism with animals gives a childlike innocence almost like an old style cartoon with a harsh twist. I make both large scale and small scale pieces with mixed media elements. Texture is an important part of my work, It helps represent the gory effect of situations."

Artist bio

I am an adopted nonbinary artist that was born and raised in Las Vegas. A main part of my subject is inspired by my own experiences and others that are shared through similar or different situations. I want to get people to start thinking about my artwork. My body of work revolves around the body or social problems and symbolism in animals. I use all types of media but I am mostly drawn to paint, oil pastels and clay.Recent Exhibitions:2025
Dickstruction - UNLV Grant Hall Gallery in Las Vegas, NV2024
Sketch Party - Fremont Photo Co. in Las Vegas, NV
I Need Space to Roam, Left of Center Art Gallery in Las Vegas, NV
VESSEL (+ Video Interview) - UNLV Grant Hall Gallery in Las Vegas, NV
90th Anniversary Fashion Magic Sculpture, Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV
OOPS! 2 - Core Contemporary in Las Vegas, NV
Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition (Best in Show) - UNLV Donna Beam Gallery in Las Vegas, NV
Ethereal Aura Group Show - UNLV in Las Vegas, NV

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ÉTIENNE NUÑEZ

ESCAPIST

Metal, fabric paint, latex balloons, various fabrics, found and donated materials

Artist Statement

Escapist explores gravity as both a physical force and a metaphor for societal burdens—depicted through a plastic bag rising past a fence etched with symbols of oppression (capitalism, racism, climate change). The piece invites viewers to reflect on their own struggles and the possibility of liberation.

My work emerges from a dialogue between personal narrative and broader cultural influences. In my 2D practice, I reimagine my photography and family photos, blending them with found materials or transforming them into drawings and paintings. My sculptures begin similarly, reshaping cherished or discarded objects. I step back often, reflecting on their journeys and the impact these materials carry. This cyclical process—observation, reflection, empathy—helps me uncover deeper meanings within each piece."

Artist bio

Étienne Nuñez (she/they) is a first-generation Filipino American artist and biology student in Las Vegas, aspiring to become an ichthyologist protecting Mojave Desert aquatic life. Though science drives their career, art remains a vital means of communication and processing the world. Initially a private practice, Nuñez now shares their work locally—debuting in Sketch Party by Scrambled Eggs. They work fluidly across drawing, photography, sculpture, and painting, often beginning with sketches or digital collages before moving to physical materials, embracing diverse tools and inspirations.

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EVA SHIPLEY

WINDOWS

Organza, thread, acrylic paint, ink.

Artist Statement

Windows is an arrangement of four panels of colorful patched organza fabric hung to emulate a series of stained glass windows. The panels each depict scenes from childhood, based on family photos, showing different relationships and memories.

My work explores the way photography and textiles can preserve and distort memory. I use family photographs as my source material, as these physical documents of life can reshape the way we remember past events. I fragment a photograph’s elements and distort its colors to simulate the way memory can be influenced by outside sources. My textile practice uses both the mediums of photography and patchwork to connect memory to domestic labor and traditions. Both mediums exist constantly in the background of daily life, and yet they are often overlooked as serious cultural documents. Family crafts and family photos hang importantly in households, lining walls and covering beds, outlasting the people who made them. This work lives in the tensions between mediums and remembrance.

Artist bio

Eva Shipley is a painter and fiber artist based in Reno, Nevada. Shipley earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2025, and has been featured several times in the university’s art and literary magazine, “Brushfire,” and has been featured on the cover of the North American art and literature zine “Bed Zine.” Shipley has also exhibited her work in spaces in Reno, both in a university space and independent galleries. Shipley has recently shown work in her university thesis show Artifact & Inheritance (2025), her solo show Awakenings (2024) at The Holland Project’s satellite gallery, a group show of fiber art Hand Wash Only (2024) at The Holland Project, and a solo show Crowded Spaces (2024) at the Sparks Library.

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FAWN DOUGLAS

IN RELATION

Mixed media, canvas, acrylic, charcoal, ribbon, metal jingle cones, thread, (94’ x 12”)

Artist Statement

I will create this 12” x 108” (1 ft x 9 ft) flat canvas tapestry adorned with flowing ribbons. The piece will contain multiple colors that can be found in the surrounding landscape from sandstone to desert blooms. This canvas tapestry will include designs of abstracted local flora and fauna surrounded by geometric basket patterns. It will portray a syncretism between petroglyphs of the Southern Paiute and other Indigenous peoples who have occupied and traveled these areas. This land art is non-invasive and conveys symbols representing our lands here in the Mojave Desert. The intention and message is that we can be connected to the lands, as gravity holds us close to Too-veep (Earth).

My art practice draws me closer to my Southern Paiute culture and Nuwu identity. I have learned much through the lessons of our tribal elders and traveling to our ancestral lands and sacred sites in Southern Nevada. I have painted these landscapes and I am inspired by the rock stories told through petroglyphs. My process combines both academic research and traditional Indigenous teachings. I regularly speak with my elders and listen to them talk about our history and culture. My art translates these oral traditions for the viewer. Many pieces operate as a filter that keeps the integrity of sacred information that my people hold dear, while allowing Nuwu culture to be shared with a broader audience.

Artist bio

Fawn Douglas is an Indigenous artist, activist, and proud member of the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe. She also has roots with the Moapa Paiute, Southern Cheyenne, Creek, Pawnee, and Scottish. She is the co-founder of Nuwu Art, where she does art, runs programming and does cultural consulting. Fawn also organizes with the non-profit IndigenousAF, works as a Cultural Engagement Specialist with MeowWolf, and serves as an Art Commissioner for the City of Las Vegas. Her studio practice includes drawing, painting, sculpture, performance, and textile. Fawn earned her MFA with presidential honors at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).

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GATORAGENT

REZAR POR TI

Mixed media

Artist Statement

This piece explores the disorienting shift experienced by immigrants and society as a whole in the wake of political upheaval and shifting legislation. Set within the theme of gravity, the 8’x10’ print presents a world turned upside down—except for the Mexican flag, which remains upright, anchoring the composition in defiant stability.

My work explores the intersection of experimental storytelling and visual media, primarily through videography and photography. I am drawn to unconventional narratives and abstract compositions that challenge traditional formats, inviting the viewer to engage with moving and still images in unexpected ways.Currently, I am interested in expanding the scale of my work, whether through a self-standing video installation or a large-format print. My goal is to create pieces that command physical presence, challenging the boundary between viewer and image, and deepening the interaction between art and space.

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_GMIKZ

FRAGMENTOS DE UN RECUERDO...EL ROSADO QUE ODIO

Mixed Media

Artist Statement

A door stands as a threshold between my past and present, memory and reality. This interactive work draws on nostalgia and invites others to participate in reflection. It becomes a shared diary for anyone to speak to their inner child.

Gómez-Zelaya (pronounced cel-AH-ya) — boasting my elongated Latinx surname is always a pleasure. _gmikz emerged as a juxtaposition of what my name is, a compressed echo of its fullness.Born in Queens, NY, I’ve had the privilege of growing up surrounded by art, which shaped my deep affinity for experiencing, understanding, and becoming infatuated with it.My work embodies controlled chaos—utterly deranged yet meticulously managed. It’s honest, outspoken, and unapologetically loud. While photography is my foundation, my practice has evolved beyond the “simple image” into large-scale assemblages that merge diverse creative mediums.Color is a cultural inheritance—something deeply woven into my upbringing and identity. Those vibrant hues, instinctive and familiar, interact with muted tonalities in my work, creating contrasts that invite the viewer to pause, feel, and explore.Each piece reflects my inner chaos, visually unleashed to stir emotion, provoke thought, and offer space for personal interpretation."

Artist bio

_gmikz is a mixed media artist whose work explores memory, identity, and cultural storytelling through layered textures, vibrant color, and experimental form. Found objects are essential to their practice—what is often discarded or overlooked becomes a vital element in shaping each piece. Influenced by lived experience and cultural memory, they use contemporary techniques to create immersive, emotionally resonant works that challenge dominant narratives and elevate overlooked materials. With a background in community arts and curatorial projects, _gmikz is committed to accessible, impactful work that invites reflection, honors resilience, and embraces the complexity of personal and collective histories.

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HAIDE CALLE

MASKED

Masked, ice, helmet, goggles, head, repurposed fabric, branch

Artist Statement

This piece showcases the emergence of protest armor which continues to feel more necessary when it comes to resisting government control in the US and needing to speak up on inhumane actions like ice raids.

I make artwork on my reflective experiences growing up through a childlike perspective and the use of fantasy to create comfort in navigating where I belong. Being informed by my Otomi heritage and dealing with displacement and the discomfort I feel living in the US, I created these morphing bodies as they become my shields and my way of cultural maintenance. With the use of repurposed material I aim to recontextualize waste in today’s society and create a space for people to connect and create their own narratives to an evolved public memory of the empowering history that we carry.

Artist bio

Haide Calle was born in Hidalgo, Mexico and got her BFA at UNLV. Calle has exhibited in Left of Center Gallery, Holland Project Gallery, and Core Contemporary. Her work has been reviewed by Desert Magazine and KNPR. She has curated a group show in the Left of Center in 2024 that has been reviewed by The Las Vegas Weekly as well. Calle lives and works in Las Vegas, Nevada and makes multidisciplinary work as well as helping grow her community.

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HEATHER LANG-CASSERA

DID YOU HAVE FEATHERS?

Clay, metal, cord, paint, cardboard, canvas, balloons, ribbon

Artist Statement

Featuring a flying dinosaur, this piece explores gravity as both a physical and metaphorical force, anchoring fossils in the earth and imagination in the sky, evoking the beauty found at the intersections of science and wonder.

Driven by curiosity, juxtaposition is the backbone of my creative practice. My work explores seeming dualities: fire and flood, repetition and redundancy, vulnerable witness and autonomous self. I am drawn to contradictions that shape both internal and external landscapes and the spaces in which opposites blur and even collide. My explorations embrace the terrifying splendor of our natural world, from larger-than-life ancient oceanic fauna to modern-day flora blooming discreetly in sidewalk crevices. In downtown Las Vegas, I work across mediums from vitrified ceramics to the vivid sprawl of literary language. My work does not seek to resolve incongruities. Rather, I invite the audience to revel in their own curiosities, to both take control yet self-surrender, to investigate what it means to thrive, curiously, within dichotomies.

Artist bio

Heather Lang-Cassera is a multidisciplinary artist. She served as the 2019-2021 Clark County, Nevada Poet Laureate, was a 2022 Nevada Arts Council Literary Arts Fellow, and was named 2017 Best Local Writer or Poet by the readers of KNPR’s Desert Companion. She is the Poetry Editor for Black Fox Literary Magazine and teaches Creative Writing at Nevada State University. Her newest collection of poems is Firefall (Unsolicited Press, 2025). Recently, Heather’s ceramics have been included in exhibitions at the Charleston Heights Art Gallery, Clark County Wetlands, Grand Gallery in Las Vegas City Hall, Sahara West Library, Winchester Dondero Cultural Center, and Art 321 in Casper, Wyoming, among elsewhere.

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HUE

CANARY LEFT THE COLD MINE

Tyvek, wood rod, latex paint, sumi ink

Artist Statement

This set of 6 yellow canary kites is my way of exploring my reactions around the gravity of U.S. society as it’s spiraling towards a possible fascist future. As one flies the kites, they’ll see words written in ink into the wingspans conveying messages as reminders of what’s at stake of being lost if we don’t hold onto it.

Hue is a gender-queer Chinese cultural worker and multidimensional artist based in Las Vegas, pondering ways to return home to the soul through making art in various mediums. They create artwork in community with sentimental items to regenerate the objects with new life. Their garments, performances, and community initiatives act as invitations to connect with the yearning for closeness and embodied rage in a world that is ever changing and often horrific. They attempt to counter the latter through imagining radically queer and delicious futures, slowness, and “Interbeing,” a Plum Village philosophy rooted in ethical living, mindfulness, and compassionate action.

Artist bio

Hue is a multidisciplinary artist rooted in social practice, fashion, and sculptural installations. They're currently based in Las Vegas, NV, the ancestral lands of the Nuwuvi. They earned a BFA in Fashion from Parsons the New School of Design, and have also studied at Central Saint Martins. They have worked for fashion companies Thom Browne, Adam Selman, Werkstatt NYC, and SavagexFENTY. Currently, Hue is an art handler and archivist at MGM Resorts. Previous exhibitions include: Unseen Territories, (2025), Las Vegas, In Relations, Barrick Museum (2024), Las Vegas, Son de mi Ser, Grant Hall Gallery (2024), Las Vegas, and Hanging By A Thread, Left of Center Gallery (2024), Las Vegas.

• Website
• Hue
• Cloud House

IKA PEARL

FROM BONES TO BALLS,
I LOVE YOU

Mixed media

Artist Statement

Ika Pearl’s work reimagines the rocking horse as a ritual object—part relic, part altar. Suspended between two carved forms, a framed painting acts as both portal and axis, inviting viewers into a dreamlike space where memory, grief, and play converge.

My work moves through language like breath through bone—part poem, part ritual. I begin with stream-of-consciousness writing and sacred nonsense, building into paintings, drawings, soft sculptures, and talismanic objects. Each piece becomes a relic of emotional weather, shaped by grief, humor, and the sacred absurd. I treat sadness with reverence and irreverence—befriending it, dressing it up, letting it dance. Through symbols, psychic listening, and intuitive play, I explore tenderness, mystic intimacy, and personal myth. Art is how I pray, revolt, and remember. It is a way of sculpting feeling, laughing with pain, and creating sacred space for transformation.

Artist bio

Ika Pearl (b. 2000) is a Las Vegas-based multidisciplinary artist working in painting, drawing, soft sculpture, and language-based ritual. Their work explores the sacred absurd through mysticism, humor, grief, and personal myth. Moline earned their BFA from UNLV in 2024. Recent exhibitions include Flies on My Rubies, INAUDITX (UNHEARD), She Cares!, VESSEL, Queer Pop!, and EVERY MORNING AND EVERY NIGHT I’M THINKING ABOUT CHANGING MY LIFE….Through intuitive processes and talismanic objects made from felt, thread, and found phrases, Ika Pearl invites tenderness, transformation, and psychic listening. Their practice treats art as both revolt and reverence—poetic altars to what breaks, mends, and remains.

• Website
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ISAAC ROMAN QUEZADA

THE GRAVITY OF VULNERABILITY

Wood, plexi, parachute string, paint

Artist Statement

Invitation to touch tips, the gravity of vulnerability!

Working with what I can find. Inside and out, connecting bridges and making more space for undereducated artists and victims of abuse.

Artist bio

I’m Isaac Roman Quezada (they/them) a 27-year-old Latinx multidisciplinary artist and curator based in Las Vegas. My work is a rich exploration of identity, expression, and the boundaries between playfulness and restraint. Navigating the intersections of their pansexuality and Latinx roots, I attempt to engage in an ongoing dialogue about personal and collective experiences, pushing and pulling between whimsy and gravity.As a self-described "scrambled eggs" art handler, they approach curation and the handling of art with a keen sense of humor and intuition, all while maintaining a deep respect for the transformative power of each piece. Whether through painting, sculpture, or mixed media, their work invites the viewer to feel the tension between exuberant expression and the quiet weight of its absence. The difference between these states is not subtle—Isaac Roman Quezada's pieces make it clear when they are playing, and when they are not.With each stroke and each sculpture, Isaac Roman Quezada challenges expectations, blurring the lines between lightness and seriousness, and creating a space where both can coexist.Group Shows and Curations2025
INAUDITX x Holland Project
INAUDITX x SPCKFRT2024
VESSEL2023
Lucky Gut
Never A Cat's Paw
OOPS!
Scrambled Again

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ISABEL WHITLOCK

MAN IN THE MOON

Felted wool, batting, false eyelashes, aluminum wire, velour, sequences, string lights

Artist Statement

The gravity of the world feels heavy and inescapable, we are forever bound to her. The gravity of the moon, however, is weightless and free to be whoever and express however he wants. My piece for the Desert Biennial Project explores the expression of gender that isn't tied to a specific binary.Isabel is a soft sculpture artist, using needle felting and sewing as their medium to envision how an astrological from would express itself while exploring their own gender identity and expression. Isabel is deeply inspired by friends and the community in Reno, Nevada with the desire to use art as a tool to connect with people and bring meaningful relationships into their life. As they integrate into established communities and intentionally build upon their own, the core elements are creativity, passion, respect for humankind, and love for the Universe we share.

Artist bio

Isabel has had work displayed at the Holland Project's Patchwork - A Community Fiber Exhibition in 2024 with a trio of Stars with clown inspired make-up. Isabel has also been emerging into the maker's space by vending art with their best friend and business partner at different local events in Reno, NV.

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IVY GUILD

EBULLITION

Vacuum-formed PLA, Great Basin wool

Artist Statement

Ebullition (2025) is a portal that erupted from the ground, disturbing the surface of the playa. Situated in the desert, the piece is covered in Great Basin wool that blends with the dirt tones of the ground. This piece marks a new opening between the above ground and underground ecosystems of the high desert.

Ivy Guild is an interdisciplinary artist and educator invested in researching present and post-Anthropocene worlds to illuminate the non-human life of speculative environments in a human-centric world. She immerses herself in queer ecologies of intimacy and survival, investigating environmental justice in anthropomorphic vignettes. Solastalgia propels her to shape sanctuaries and evolved beings that not only survive, but thrive amidst human detritus. Guild considers herself amoebic in her continuous adoption of new art mediums, often hybridizing analog and digital practices. She has a penchant for collecting remnants and scavenging raw natural materials. Her work manifests in multimedia installations that merge organic and inorganic materials. Guild’s recent work engages fiber practices centered on natural dye research, and biological mimicry of desert dwellers such as insects, cacti, insects, invasive plants, and geological formations.

Artist bio

Ivy Guild, a Reno-based artist, received her MFA in Studio Art from the University of California,
Irvine in 2021. A native to the desert, Guild was born and raised in Phoenix, AZ, and moved to
San Diego in 2012 to pursue a degree in Marine Biology. Four years later, she graduated with
dual degrees in Visual Arts and Art History. Guild is an Assistant Teaching Professor and area head for Visual Foundations in the Department of Art, Art History and Design at the University of Nevada, Reno. Her work is in the permanent collections of San Diego State University and Smith College, amongst others.

• Website
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CARALEA COLE +
IULIA FILIPOV-SEREDIUC

SKY BURIAL

Cast aluminum, ceramic, wedding dress, barbed wire, tire shreds

Artist Statements

In their installation, Sky Burial, Iulia Filipov-Serediuc and Caralea Cole reckon with the deadly weight of the destruction of the sacred Buddhist practice of Sky Burials. In Buddhist practice, once the loving has departed, in a final act of compassion, the departed bequeath their bodies to vultures, the sentient creatures who can consume their flesh and transport the departed’s spirit to the afterlife: corpses are suspended in trees for the vultures to consume and carry. This ancient, sacred practice is dying, as human’s corruption of the environment is killing off the sacred vultures.The Heart Sutra was given to the Buddha’s main disciple when the Buddha himself was lost in deep meditation on Vulture Mountain. All form is emptiness,” the sutra tells us. “In emptiness there is no form, no feeling, no perception, no thought and no consciousness. No eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue no body, and no mind, no form no sound, no smell, no taste, no texture, and not mental image.” From a Western perspective, what has more weight, more gravity than this? Eventually, for all of us, there will be that moment when we are sacrificed. Suspending a corpse in a tree is giving back to the world of forms––emptiness back to emptiness—but the world of forms is where we live. The bodhisattva is one who returns to the world of forms again and again––out of compassion for the suffering of others––and reaches out to aid them. In Buddhist practice, once the loving has departed, their bodies are empty. In a final act of compassion, the departed bequeath their bodies to the sentient creatures who can use them: corpses are suspended in trees for the vultures. In Sky Burial, Filipov-Serediuc and Cole meditate on the ancient sacred ritual of Sky Burial’s corruption through the destructive actions of men. They introduce their own sacred symbols (dead vultures, animal hearts cast in metal, barbed wire snaking around and under a wedding dress, a cast aluminum bridesmaid’s dress atop a pyre) a to look at the simultaneous weight of men’s destruction of women, through the creation of the similarly hostile and poisoned environment they create.

Iulia Filipov-Serediuc's work addresses gendered violence against women through the visual language of penetrating and perforating to evoke the feeling of bodily invasion. Using sound, light, and surveillance, she creates sociological lures and traps. By distorting the bodily qualities of bone, flesh, and form, the work questions the sanctity of self-hood and safety. Filipov-Serediuc fabricates scenarios to elicit a connection with the viewer and their own experience with bodily harm.

Artist bios

Iulia Filipov-Serediuc is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice consists of sculpture, painting, installation, and non-traditional materials and processes. Filipov-Serediuc enjoys building within her community, most proudly as a co-founder of the Arts Community Coalition Nevada 501(c)(3), Desert Biennial Project, and My Boyfriend Is Out of Town. Her work has been shown in Nevada, California, New Mexico, Arizona, and New York in over 15 exhibitions since 2023. Filipov-Serediuc graduated with her BFA in studio art and is currently pursuing an MFA from the University of Las Vegas, Nevada.

• Cara's Website
• Cara's Instagram

• Iulia's Website
• Iulia's Instagram

JASON ABREGO

LA GRAVIDAD DE NUESTRAS HISTORIAS (THE GRAVITY OF OUR STORIES)

Ceramic and raku glaze

Artist Statements

Immigrants are scared now more than ever and I want my piece to inspire immigrants to share their stories. These stories need to be heard before we lose them to time and current events.

With a concentration in ceramics, my practice is inspired by the empowerment of the minority. Being LGBTQ+ and a Latino, it wasn’t hard to see the mistreatment of people deemed as the minority. Yet, they stand up and fight for who they are and the life they deserve. To me, that deserves to be immortalized and shared with the world.

Artist bios

Hello to everyone taking the time to read this! My name is Jason Abrego. A gay, Latino, Las Vegas raised, rave-loving, and ceramic-loving person. My medium of choice is clay due to its flexibility of uses. Clay has been use for forever and the form itself is like therapy in a ball of mud. Exhibitions include several UNLV galleries, the Opposing Forces at City Hall, The Nevada Clay Guild at the Sahara West Library, and the OOPS! at Core Contemporary.

• Instagram

JENNY CERRONE

CONFETTI

Coat racks, string lights, twine, pages from my journal, acrylic paint

Artist Statements

Confetti is a visually striking piece which features some of my most vulnerable and innermost thoughts on display for all to see - in the fragmented form of paper fortune tellers. By engaging the viewer with my own vulnerable moments, Confetti challenges them to explore their relationship with vulnerability and consider what they may need to release.

I am a multimedia artist with a focus on vulnerability. Inspired by my cumulative emotional experiences, as well as my life experiences as a Las Vegas native, I produce work that is visually captivating, most often through stained glass mosaics and foundry. I enjoy playing with light and its relationship with color, and I especially love toying with iridescence. Utilizing scrap and recycled materials, as well as found objects, I articulate emotionally evocative pieces out of items that may otherwise be cast aside.

Artist bios

Jenny Cerrone is a multimedia artist born and raised in Las Vegas, NV. Her work fosters spaces of and for vulnerability, drawing on themes and motifs from her memories and emotional experiences, as well as her desert upbringing. She often explores these ideas through mosaics and metal casting, but she enjoys experimenting with different mediums. Jenny is a current student in the Bachelor of Arts program at UNLV, where she has a concentration in Sculpture. She has previously displayed work at Left of Center Gallery in Las Vegas, and she has work in multiple shows this fall.

• Instagram

JESSICA SAMANIEGO

DREAMS DON'T WEIGH A THING

Oil on canvas

Artist Statements

I am creating this piece to explore the feeling of freedom that comes from defying limitations—emotional, physical, or societal. By painting myself and some of my closest friends who aspire to dream big, I want to express the power of resilience and transformation, where no weight or boundary can hold us down.

As a Mexican American artist, my work explores themes of identity, transformation, and emotional vulnerability through the lens of cultural heritage and family. Drawing from my experiences as the eldest daughter of an immigrant mother, I use oil paint and pastel to capture the complexities of generational memory, womanhood, and personal healing. Butterfly imagery frequently appears as a symbol of fragility and resilience. While my style leans toward realism, I often experiment with materials to deepen emotional resonance. Through color, symbolism, and intimate storytelling, I aim to create work that invites reflection, connection, and space for transformation.

Artist bios

Jessica Samaniego is a Mexican American artist based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her practice centers on themes of identity, transformation, and emotional vulnerability, often using oil painting, pastel, and public art to reflect her lived experiences as the eldest daughter of an immigrant mother. Her work has been exhibited in Empowered Women of Clark County (Best of Show), Big Softy, LOVE 2025, and You Are Here at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She has also contributed to large-scale public artworks, including Welcome to Fabulous Chihuahua in Mexico and Zap 16: Fly Away with Me in Las Vegas.

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JK RUSS + FOREST V KAPO

STONE WEIGHT WISH

Canvas, found wooden objects, collaged rocks, string, post-it notes, pens

Artist Statements

In 2016, JK Russ and Forest V Kapo collaborated on an interactive installation Stone Blind in the Las Vegas 18b Arts District, where passers-by were invited to write on post-it-notes their responses to the question “Where – or what – is home to you?” Within the 2025 context of mass deportations of immigrants who have been striving to create a safe home for their families, Russ and Kapo have further developed this earlier project, with an invitation to contribute to a tree of wishes.

JK Russ:
I enjoy developing collaborative projects where people of all ages contribute to the final result. Communal events are great opportunities for learning and building stronger communities, focusing creative energies on transformative actions.Forest V Kapo:
Embracing the wide band of mythical light and darkness that is in the space of every room, mind and heart, I work to create productions that are elegant, sturdy, weighted in theatrically but most importantly have a sense of alchemy. The aim is to touch the heart and inspire the imagination, and to contribute to a world of wellbeing.

Artist bios

Originally from Aotearoa, New Zealand, JK Russ was recently featured in Southwest Contemporary’s Radical Futures edition. In 2024, her collage work was exhibited in two-person shows at La Luz de Jesus gallery, Los Angeles, Thermostat Art Gallery, Palmerston North, Aotearoa/New Zealand and featured in “Viva Las Vegas!” at Donna Beam Gallery, UNLV.As an Indigenous artist, Forest V Kapo has proud tribal affiliations with Te Atiawa and Ngāti Raukawa and endeavors to create future-forward performances with a socio-political focus. Concerned presently and primarily with climate change, indigenous identity and gender politics, Forest is at heart an alchemist intrigued by the story and the telling of.

• JK Russ' Website
• JK Russ' Instagram

• Forest V Kapo's Website
• Forest V Kapo's Instagram

JOHN MCVAY

U.F.O. PRIEST

Record player, microphones, guitar pedals, 4 channel mixer, tinfoil, priest collar, sacramental robe

Artist Statement

The U.F.O. Priest will lead the congregation in a live ritual to call down the Heavenly Aliens from the skies to come and party with us down here on Planet Earth. Our salvation depends on it.

Deconstructing the performance of masculinity and the influence of the media on social conditioning are themes that inform my paper artworks, noise music, video/live performances, installations, and soft sculptures.

Artist bio

John McVay (he/him, b. 1985, American) works and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. McVay teaches art at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he earned an MFA degree in Fine Arts. A transplant to Las Vegas, McVay has spent most of his life in Arizona, between Phoenix and Tucson. McVay actively exhibits his work in Nevada, Arizona, and California. Recent shows include a performance art piece at Ground Zero Studios in Phoenix, AZ, Dickstruction at Grant Hall Gallery, UNLV, and the V.S.: Wresting Art Show at Sahara West Library, Las Vegas.

• Website
• Instagram

JORDYN RAE OWENS

BEYOND THE MATRIX

Archival pigment print and collage

Artist Statement

This work explores my relationship to the unseen—both within my subconscious and ancestral memory. By drawing what lies in the dark into the light, I ground collective history into physical time, giving form to what once felt intangible.

Jordyn Rae Owens is an artist from Reno, Nevada, whose work explores identity, ancestry, and the unseen. Through photographic mediums, she draws on personal experiences and messages from her ancestors to create art that connects personal stories with collective memory. Jordyn is committed to creating inclusive spaces that uplift underrepresented voices

Artist bio

Jordyn Rae Owens is an artist born and raised in Reno, Nevada. Similar to her daily meditations, her art practice is a contemplative process, one that brings awareness to her thoughts, feelings, and perceptions. Jordyn utilizes photographic mediums to explore the past, present, and future self, often incorporating materials found in the archive of her life. Some memorabilia presented throughout her work include journal entries, old family portraits, letters, and cherished items from her childhood. By exploring her inner world, Jordyn’s creations reveal the evolution of identity and the powerful effects of introspection.SELECT SOLO EXHIBITIONS:2025
Love Governs Form - Metro Gallery at Reno City Hall2024
Protecting Ours - The Holland Project in Reno, NV2023
Involution - Erik Lauritzen Gallery in Reno, NV
Introspection - Jot Travis Gallery in Reno, NVSELECT GROUP EXHIBITIONS:2024
Matched, Made Whole - The Depot Gallery in Reno, NV
For Good Luck - The Holland Project in Reno, NV
Of the Sol - The Holland Project in Reno, NV2023
Veracity - UNR in Reno, NV
Taking Space - Cafe Capello in Reno, NV
Future Perfect - UNR in Reno, NV

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• Instagram

KALEB WESOLEK

TAXI TABLE

Acrylic and polymer clay on wood

Artist Statement

The Taxi Table functionally serves as a coffee table but symbolically represent themes of gravity, hyper-commercialization, Las Vegas, and design. The sculpture resembles a classic Las Vegas taxi that looks and feels as though it is protruding from or embedded into the ground.Wesolek most closely identifies with analog practices like drawing and painting, though he is also well-versed in the anatomy of design. His work embodies a spirit of push and pull between the worlds of art and design, sometimes merging the two, or giving way to one or the other. Conversations in his work take place between nihilism and themes of wonder, rooted in the curiosities of life and optimistic living.Wesolek seeks more figurative forms and welcomes the nuances of design to inform his compositions. While structure, technique, color, and letterforms all serve as descriptors of his current practice, line and shape have naturally become the most consuming. Systematic linework commands his drawings, while methodical shapes characterize his paintings.Continuing to evolve as an artist, Wesolek explores sculpture as well, drawn to the dimensionality it offers. His introspection extends to materials, inviting viewers to reflect on their perceptions of physical being.Wesolek’s renderings emerge from neurotic waves, but shape a path toward contentment in the act of simple living.

Artist bio

I’m Kaleb Wesolek, an artist and designer from the desert of Las Vegas. Born on January 1st as the eldest of three, my inclination to create began young. That passion continues to drive my work today, fueled by desires of evolution and cultivating a love for life.Earning a degree in Graphic Design from UNLV instilled in me an understanding that design principles extend beyond aesthetics—they inform my processes as a thinker and as a human. Art and design have served as outlets for reflections on my own cognition. My journey to understand and live with OCD has shaped my identity as a creative. While compulsions can sometimes feel debilitating, I have learned to view this as an innate gift.My work is often characterized by obsessive mark-making and a loyalty to structure. To create is therapy, and therapy offers a look into more intuitive, unstructured creation. I seek out this liberation in my practices.Selected Group Exhibitions:2025
Big Softy, Clark County Public Arts2024
The One Motorcycle Show2023
Modern Romanticism, Curated by JK Russ
Lucky Gut, Curated by Scrambled EggsSelected Solo Exhibitions:2023
Sport Social
Portraits of Temporary People

• Website
• Instagram

KAY LEIGH FARLEY

ANTIMONY

Digital game, computer, mouse, keyboard, desk, chair

Artist Statement

Antimony is an interactive game installed on a computer at the biennial lake bed, where players solve puzzles to uncover a family legacy and the burden of inheritance. As they prepare the mysterious antimony cup through clicking, dragging, and typing, players must choose whether to follow ancestral rituals in search of a cure or break from tradition.

My work explores personal and collective histories, using digital media to explore how trauma, ritual, and resilience shape identity. Through interactive storytelling, motion graphics, video, and creative coding, I create experiences that mirror how wounds are processed, distorted, and mended over time.

Artist bio

Kay Leigh Farley is a new media artist that uses emerging technology to communicate personal experiences. Her work incorporates narrative, digital artifacts, and video to deconstruct narratives and landscapes. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University in Visualization and an MFA from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in Transmedia Design. She has exhibited and screened work at venues including The Wrong Biennale, The Knoxville Museum of Art, and the AIGA Conference , and is in collections in the Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo in Vitória, Brazil and the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, Wisconsin. Kay Leigh is currently teaching in the Graphic Design and Media program in the Department of Art as an Associate Professor.

• Website
• Instagram

KARA SAVANT

WESTERN LANDSCAPE (DOWNWINDERS NO. 2)

Plywood, lino-print, sound

Artist Statement

Downwinders No.2 is inspired by my long family history's exposure to Nevada's Atomic Bomb Testing Sites. This piece serves as a homage to my relatives, dedicated to those who wore dosimeters to school, unaware of the repercussions caused by the bright light on the horizon.

I have been practicing as a 3D artist for nearly a decade. During my studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, I was drawn towards creating my own environments and quote on quote tableaux’s- truly controlling the narrative within the space. Once I finished my undergrad program I continued to work with objects and materials in the same way but began to shift my focus into “landscape” works, more interested in what keeps me grounded in Nevada. I began reducing my visual aesthetic and redirecting focus to minimalistic design with heavy-handed titles that add a certain layer of seriousness through a tongue-in-cheek approach. Almost a decade later I still am creating works that speak to nostalgia, home, Nevadan culture, and all that makes this place unique.

Artist bio

Kara Savant is a fifth generation Nevadan, strongly rooted in her home state. As a child, she spent countless hours with her six siblings constructing forts out of recycled wood and hardware found out in the rural hills of Elko, Nevada. Her infatuation of creating something out of nothing later translated into her 3D art practice where she now spends her time using found objects and various building materials to construct works of art that speak to the home, gender roles, and everything in between. Kara has had work on display all over Nevada, in California, and Italy.

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KAYDEE DOHS

WEIGHTLIFTERS: I BELIEVE THAT THOUGHTS CAN CHANGE YOUR BODY

Wood, acrylic paint, wire.

Artist Statement

My piece represents the cycles of Bipolar disorder and its complexities. There is emphasis on neurology and and the human body.

I’ve never been good with words, so I steal them from others and create visualizations of them in order to express what I want others to see. Music is a great inspiration for my work, as I keep a collection of lyrics and poetry as starting points for my concepts. There is an emphasis on the human body and neuro-graphical design. It’s a form of art therapy that I partook in without even knowing that it was. As someone with bipolar disorder, there is an emphasis on layering in order to convey the complexities of the emotions that come with the illness. It is a taboo topic that many people remain uneducated on. There is the need for understanding, and art is my way of sharing an experience that is difficult to explain with words. The process in which I create neurographical designs starts with sporadic movements and no plan. It’s followed by tracing back on the lines I’ve created with a more thought-out and careful hand; representative of recovering from manic-depressive episodes and putting the pieces back together.

Artist bio

KayDee Dohs is a Las Vegas-based artist having graduated UNLV with a degree in painting, drawing, and printmaking. She is active in the local zine community having made appearances in the "Bizarre Zine", the "Mundane Zine", and the "Trash Zine" curated by A4 Zine Club at UNLV. She also attended UNR for 2 years, and placed third at a juried art exhibition held at UNR in 2019. She is currently employed at Test Site Projects in Las Vegas, which specializes in framing, art handling, printmaking, and general art services. She has also studied psychology at UNLV, utilizing her knowledge of that discipline as a framework for her concepts.

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KAYLA LOCKWOOD

TACTILE OASIS

Hand-crocheted objects made from jumbo chenille yarn

Artist Statement

Tactile Oasis offers a moment of softness within the harsh desert landscape, presenting hand-crocheted objects inspired by tumbleweeds and cacti that echo desert flora through color and form. This gentle intervention contrasts crafted comfort with environmental austerity, inviting reflection on the tension between human touch and the desert’s stark, arid conditions.

I explore how memory, domesticity, and loss complicate the idealized vision of home as a stable cornerstone of the “American Dream.” Through sculpture, textiles, video, and found objects, I expose the fractures beneath postwar ideals and gendered labor expectations. Domestic spaces in my work appear fragmented, vulnerable, and unresolved—sites shaped as much by care and grief as by comfort. Using materials like coffin-shaped coffee tables, metal high heels, and dissolving ceramic urns, I reveal the tension between nostalgia’s polished surface and the unstable realities of memory, dismantling myths of permanence, prosperity, and belonging embedded in American domestic life."

Artist bio

Kayla Lockwood is a multidisciplinary artist whose work examines domesticity, memory, and the myth of the “American Dream” through sculpture, textiles, video, and code. Blending traditional craft with digital media, she reveals the instability beneath postwar ideals and capitalist promises. Recent exhibitions include Honey, I’m Home! (solo, 2025), Dickstruction (curation, 2025), and Stone Soup at the Desert Biennial Project (2023). Lockwood earned a BFA in Art & Technology from the University of Oregon and is currently completing her MFA in Fine Arts at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

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KEEVA LOUGH

CASSATION IN WHITE: GRAVITY

Ponchos, stereo, lights

Artist Statement

"Cassation in White: Gravity combines the form of the cassation, a form of music typically performed outdoors and associated with children and games, with an educational lesson about living in outer space. A group of performers enact small events themed around the relationship between human bodies and the planet.

Keeva Lough is an artist using photography, video, and performance to explore education, gender, social structures, and the body. Narratives are a way to organize information and make sense of the world. Lough uses narratives as a way to call into question the systems of thought that organize societies."

Artist bio

I don’t know how to tell you this, but Keeva Lough was born in the great state of Texas. She received a BA in Film & Media Studies from the University of Oklahoma in 2012, and in 2023 received her MFA in Art from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Her work has been shown in Oklahoma, Missouri, Maryland, and Nevada, and featured internationally at the FORMAT Photography Festival in the United Kingdom and the Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival in France. She currently resides in Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world.

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KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

SIGNS FOR HOME, SIGNS TO NOWHERE

Ponchos, stereo, lightsThree Motorized Signs, Poplar, Redwood, Concrete, Acrylic, Galvanized Steel, Motorized Parts

Artist Statement

A series of motorized signs inspired by the ones I often found in the culturally diverse neighborhoods I grew up in. They move at different speeds in a subtle conversation understood only by each other. The facade of each sign comes from abstracted floor plans of the maternal familial houses I grew up in, based entirely on memory, the signs represent a simulacrum of home, encapsulating emotions I associate with home: devotion, love, and pain. The three signs serve as a means of advertising my personal and somewhat hazy interpretations of home, evoking a sense of misaligned longing. The ultimate destination the signs advertise is "nowhere" since the signs communicate a place uniquely in my memories and perceptions. The abstract nature of the paintings is ambiguous, prompting viewers to impose their own narratives onto the artwork, further complicating the meaning and interpretation of the signs.

I am interested in creating communal spaces of reverence and devotion. My work acknowledges the role of immigration in the greater diasporic histories of the United States and the unseen factors and conditions attached to labor’s extensive chain of power. I address the physicality of labor with refuges that render construction work a visible process of materiality and shared knowledge. My work not only creates Zones of Contact for introspection but also connects to the communities in which it exists by engaging with hidden stories and histories shared by the communities in which the work exists. Aesthetically, I draw inspiration from my initial sensory encounters with the Catholic church and the neon-soaked expanse of the Las Vegas desert, my home. I delve into the language of light, color, and architecture. The sensorial spectacle in my work intersects with articulating spiritual spaces, augmenting the contemporary baroque display's experiential and commanding presence. A characteristic of my practice lies in my recontextualization and abstraction of words, a deliberate injection of instability into language. This instability creates situations that push the boundaries of communication, inviting viewers into a realm of constant reevaluation of language. Everyone sharing the anxiety of unfamiliarity with language and knowledge. The visually glitched language becomes a physical manifestation of experiences often lost in translation. By interweaving personal memories with collective cultural experiences, I construct narratives that meld the intimate with the communal, offering a nuanced exploration of the American experience.

Artist bio

Krystal Ramirez is from Las Vegas, Nevada; she works in sculpture, photography, installation, and fiber arts. She earned her BFA in photography at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and an MFA in Art Practice from Stanford University. She has been an instructor of record at Stanford University and the University of Nevada Las Vegas. In addition to teaching and being an artist, she is a photojournalist and has worked with media companies such as Vox, NPR, and The Intercept. Krystal has shown work nationally, including the Nevada Museum of Art (Reno, NV), Barrick Museum of Art (Las Vegas, NV), New Mexico State University Art Museum (Las Cruces, NM), SOMArts (San Francisco, CA), and Gallery 400 at the University Illinois Chicago (Chicago, IL.)

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LARA JAYNE LUZANO

DEFLOWER

cyanotype on fabric, lace ribbon, silk ribbon

Artist Statement

deflower is a work on sexual assault inspired by the artist’s personal story of deflowering. The faux underwear feature impressions of deconstructed flowers, evoking themes of premature loss of innocence and post-assault traumas of the female body.

Lara Jayne Luzano is a multimedia artist whose work explores the feminine experience. She utilizes the many practices within photography to create artwork that dives into young girlhood, female sexuality, as well as the intersection of femininity and her culture. She often works with found objects and seeks inspiration from her personal experiences growing up as a Filipino-American woman. Her last major artworks include a documentary piece titled Ode to My Childhood Bedrooms, which focused on navigating the tribulations and depression that came with adolescence, and her most recent work, Lumad, another documentary artwork focusing on connecting to her Filipino culture.

Artist bio

Lara Jayne Luzano is a Filipino-American UNLV graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Art with a concentration in Photography. She participated in curating her first gallery exhibition in December 2024 titled The Power of Her Perspective. She was a curator and featured artist in the multimedia photography exhibition, Persona in Flux, held in the Spring of 2025. She is set to curate another photography exhibition in August of 2025. Her art has also been on view in the 2025 Juried Student Art Exhibition at UNLV.

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LANE SHEEHY

OUT OF TOWN

Acrylic on canvas

Artist Statement

Meditating on our move from Vegas to LA, we created this painting to show the blessings and struggles of change.

Lane and Kateyah both approach making art for art’s sake, drawing from their experiences and environment to portray their worldview. Lane’s research-driven methods coupled with Kateyah’s focus on experimentation and process mutually inform and build upon one another. They source materials that hold varying significances—such as concrete, textile remnants, and found or archival imagery—and use them to build layered relationships between object, surface, and space.Lane’s background in studio art, graphic design, and technical theatre generates a multidisciplinary approach to creating installations that integrate photography, drawing, sculpture, and video. Kateyah’s background in printmaking and graphic design manifests in an emphasis on the dynamic relationship between intuitive gesture and structured composition, as well as explorations of material transformation. Together, they merge their specialities to expand on visual installation practices in ways that invite audiences into textured and contemplative environments.

Artist bio

From Las Vegas and now based in Los Angeles, Lane Sheehy and Kateyah Toni Reed collaborate on 2D and installation-based work rooted in environment and personal history.Kateyah works between abstract expression and calculated design. She holds degrees in Art and Graphic Design from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her practice emphasizes experimentation and investigates how intuition and structure coexist through painting and silkscreen. She has exhibited internationally, including a solo exhibition at Art & Adventure Gallery in South Korea and at South Square Studios and through the Torrance Art Museum.Lane is a multidisciplinary artist from Las Vegas. She holds a BFA in Studio Arts from UNLV and was awarded the Mario Basner Passion Project Fund grant in 2024. She has exhibited with Clark County Public Arts, Left of Center Gallery, Available Spaces Project, Torrance Art Museum and Scrambled Eggs, and founded the artist-run gallery South Square Studios.

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LAURA ESBENSEN

TENSION/TRAJECTORY

Concrete, epoxy, gelatin, cellophane, vinyl, light

Artist Statement

Tension/Trajectory is an ambiguous shrine, carefully arranged glowing objects dropped in the open desert, as a continuation of previous work exploring body, otherness, and science fiction. The installation touches on gravity as a governing force of inevitability and omnipotence–everything is impacted and influenced, physically and metaphorically.

Esbensen’s work connects with the contemporary grotesque and utilizes humor as a proposition of hope, presenting a playful haphazardness alongside potential toxicity. Her abstract, theatrical sculptures are made of construction materials and assorted plastics that explore the blurry boundary between the authentic and the artificial.

Artist bios

Laura Esbensen is an artist living and working in Las Vegas, Nevada. She holds a BA in Studio Arts from the University of California, San Diego and an MFA in Fine Arts from Lesley University. Recent exhibitions include solo exhibition SOMA at Core Contemporary, Las Vegas, NV, and group exhibitions Our Imagined Future at Bell Projects, Denver, CO and Subtle Force at Union Grove Gallery, Huntsville, AL. Esbensen is a recent recipient of the Nevada Arts Council Project Grant, which culminated in a workshop and exhibition in April 2025.

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LEE LANIER

I AM DIVINE

Wood, copper leaf, custom electronics

Artist Statement

I love old stories. Hence, when creating public murals, sculptures, or canvas paintings, I focus on history, such as historical figures, locations, and events; or literature, such as plays, parables, and mythology; or local landscapes, flora, and fauna. The stories often come from a wide array of sources, both historically and culturally; nevertheless, I try to tap into Universal themes that are – hopefully – relatable to a wide range of people. The themes are often metaphysical and cover such areas as creativity, industry, perseverance, and exploration. Despite the many differences in beliefs and values held by people, I truly feel that we have more in common than we do not. At a minimum, I trust that my artwork inspires conversation and thought.

Our unlikely presence in this harsh and grinding Universe should remind us that we are all divine and should be cherished.

Artist bio

I’m a contemporary narrative painter and muralist who lives in Boulder City, Nevada and runs a gallery in the Arts District of Las Vegas. My colorful paintings breathe new life into historical, literary, and mythological stories. I dabbled in fine art my entire life but only turned to painting in a serious manner in 2015. I worked professionally as an animator for over 30 years, spending time at Walt Disney Studios and DreamWorks. Of late, my paintings have joined 10 solo shows and 80 group shows at 40 galleries and museums in 9 states. I’ve painted three dozen murals for cities, counties, school districts, corporations, and non-profits in Nevada, California, Colorado, Ohio, and Alabama. For fun, I participate in Southwest chalk festivals, build animatronic sculptures, and attend in artistic events such as Burning Man. An enthusiastic supporter of community arts, I co-founded the Dam Short Film Festival in Boulder City and sat on the board of the Las Vegas Arts District.

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LEILU HART

MEET ME IN MY REMEMBRANCE

Mixed media

Artist Statement

Rejection of holiness and dedication to men in dreamscapes of memories I have created.

Leilu Hart’s work examines the gendered associations society assigns to inanimate materials, highlighting the emotional connections people form with objects. Rooted in their nonbinary and queer identity, they challenge societal norms that shape perceptions of trans, femme, and queer individuals. Fiber is at the heart of their practice. They often work with yarn, fabric, felt, and other soft materials, mediums historically tied to “women’s work” and dismissed as simply craft. By embracing these traditions, Hart reclaims their significance and invites a reexamination of their cultural and artistic value.

Artist bio

Leilu Hart is a mixed media artist based in Las Vegas, NV. As a queer femme nonbinary artist, their pieces delve into themes of relationships, sex, memories, religion, and trauma. Their work has been exhibited across Nevada, including several fiber based group shows and their recent solo show Flesh & Form at South Square Studios. They are currently pursuing a BA in sculpture with a minor in history at UNLV, and are set to graduate in 2026.

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LOUISE AHRENDT

OUR PUSH/PULL TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER

Myself, handmade cooling neck wraps, white board and pens

Artist Statement

For my performance piece, I will be offering my gravity and presenting the challenge of competing notions: pulling people in or pushing them away. While presenting the offer of choosing the comforting feeling of a neck cooler vs. the discomfort of connecting with an unknown person, I'll have red, white and blue materials and attire, but will not be discussing politics, thus challenging any preconceived notions. The idea of being held in my orbit could also put someone on the defensive and what will be the response.

I’ve always been an artist, especially in my soul. That’s what I’ve worked and lived to do, along with some “Clark Kent” jobs along the way. Those gigs you take to make rent, buy food, but then, after hopefully not much time, you’re back to being the true you. For me, that’s an artist.For years I worked in advertising, design and illustration, creating images that communicated client’s ideas, sometimes challenging, but always within their structures. Now I’m creating art reflecting myself.
As a multi-disciplinary artist, I work in a variety of mediums; acrylic to textile and now performance art.

Artist bio

Louise Ahrendt was born in Michigan and has lived and worked in Henderson, Nevada since 2021. Prior to moving, she lived in Chicago. This is where she poured herself into projects for Fortune 500 companies such as McDonald’s, Kraft Foods, Seattle’s Best Coffee and Outback Steakhouse. These experiences readied her to return to her fine art beginnings and create art that is more poignant and personal.Ahrendt’s work is seen in exhibits at Las Vegas City Hall, Clark County Rotunda, Wetlands Park, Squishy Studio, Slonina ARTSpace and The Honeycomb Project, exhibiting in galleries and art centers across Nevada from 2025-2028.

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LUKEWÄRM

FLOWSTATE

Projected video, sound, performance

Artist Statement

Flow State is an experiential installation consisting of a projection onto the Apex dry lakebed and a performance of ambient vaporwave. This work ponders the existence of the surrounding landscape and the timescale necessary to create such a space; water combines with the force of gravity to become a tool that carves and shapes the landscape, creating new landforms and bringing sediments elsewhere.

Through travel, one enters a state of transience - vulnerability, both physically and emotionally, as one goes from one place of safety to another. This feeling of liminality is pronounced when looking out at the land while traveling, and especially while driving - watching the landscape slowly morph and change over time, becoming something else. Witnessing this reminds us that, much like the human body, even the grandiose, massive landforms we see were formed through natural processes and will eventually erode to nothing again. My experiential work allows viewers to inhabit this liminal mindspace and explore the realm between reality and hypnagogia.

Artist bio

lukewärm (Luke Rizzotto) is a Reno-based digital media artist, musician, designer, and educator whose practice examines memory, nostalgia, and yearning. He graduated in 2019 from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a BFA and in 2024 from the University of Nevada, Reno with an MFA. He has recently exhibited through the Friends of Black Rock-High Rock in Gerlach, Nevada, Solarpunk Surf Club in Lexington, Kentucky, Plexus Projects in Brooklyn, New York, Le Germinal in Newport, Québec, and the Cookhouse Gallery at the Chelsea College of Arts in London, United Kingdom.

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LUVRIOT

PLEASE STOP CROWDING ME

Felt, yarn, poly-fill, packing peanuts, thread, canvas paper, oil, clay, acrylic

Artist Statement

"The gravity of grief is an unexplainable feeling that touches the souls of all, the pull of it varies for those it reaches, in some cases it feels as though the pressure bears immeasurable weight. My human formed plush sculpture yearns for isolation, with the title Please Stop Crowding Me, the environment reflects the want to flee from the interrogation of others and find comfort in isolation during a moment of mourning.

Through storytelling within my artwork I awaken a childlike spirit driven by the examination of the individual, family upbringings and childhood nostalgia. Abandoned and transitional places influence my environmental settings to express the isolation and dissociative state I’ve experienced as a caretaker. My fabric sculptures are large scale plushies reminiscent of 2000s children's media while my oil paintings embed the figure into an uncanny dream-like landscape. Sharing my personal experiences through my work brings awareness and comfort to those who struggle with grief, mental health and family turmoil. "

Artist bio

Las Vegas local, Luvriot, is a multi-disciplinary artist who creates dream-like visual depictions of experiences and emotions inspired by the examination of the individual, family upbringings and childhood nostalgia through the materials of paint or plush. She is currently enrolled at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas striving for her Bachelor of Fine Arts.LuvRiot has displayed around the Las Vegas valley while also participating in group exhibitions within Los Angeles, California. Interested in public art, she has created imagery for the AMP program, Ward 3 Proud Banner project, and the Parking Meter Art Wraps project in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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LYDIA SILIC

DOMINION

Toned Cyanotype and polaroid emulsion on watercolor paper, luggage tags

Artist Statement

Nothing. Nowhere. Sacred. A lament where even the most awe-inspiring parts of creation are no longer treated as sacred.

Lydia is a multimedia photographer exploring connections between subject and surroundings and past and present. Her work is grounded in themes of land, femininity, and an exploration of her experiences as both an individual and an artist. At the core, she aims to create a visual memoir that is tangible and raw–always accompanied by a heavy dose of personal nostalgia. Currently, her work is influenced by the marriage of textile and analog with modern practices.

Artist bio

Lydia’s work has been featured in Clark County Public Arts’ FOLK (2025) and Digital Love (2024), Kindergarten Mag (Issue 26), and Beyond Thought Journal (Spring 2023 & Spring 2024). She was also selected for the UNLV Student Juried Exhibitions in both 2023 and 2024.In 2024, Lydia curated From Somewhere, an exhibition at Grant Hall Gallery in Las Vegas, NV, showcasing the work of eight local artists exploring themes of familial ties, culture, and loss. She is the recipient of Honorable Mention for her piece Näherin in the 2025 Clark County Public Arts exhibit FOLK.

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MANUEL PEREZ

ANCLA EN LA ARENA (ANCHOR IN THE SAND)

Oil on Canvas

Artist Statement

This piece is about my Puerto Rican heritage and how I carry it with me. My childhood memories from the island and knowledge of its history keep me grounded during these turbulent times.

The majority of my recent work centers around action figures, dolls and other toys. They grapple with themes of nostalgia, identity, and the enduring power of human experience, recognizing that these themes are intertwined with the objects we create, collect, and cherish. The act of painting itself is a form of self-exploration, allowing me to process emotions and connect with deeper layers of meaning embedded within these seemingly mundane objects. My self-exploration through painting is not merely personal; instead, I believe engaging with my individual experiences allows me to connect to wider cultural and historical stories.The action figures I choose to include in my work are not simply neutral objects; they are imbued with the cultural values, myths, and ideologies of the societies that produce and consume them. As such, they offer a rich site for exploring the complex interplay between individual experience and collective identity.

Artist bio

Manuel Perez is a visual artist, as well as an art educator based in Las Vegas. He received his bachelor of fine arts from Virginia Commonwealth University and is currently a graduate student at the University of Nevada Reno in the Interdisciplinary Arts program. Most recently he has shown work in group exhibitions on the UNR campus at Lake Tahoe, Wiley Coyotes at the West Charleston Library Gallery, and VS Wrestling Art at the Sahara West Gallery.

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MARK KAUFMAN

THAT TIME JEAN ARP ROLLED A PERFECT GAME

Gravity, chance, found objects including bowling balls, prepared ladder and artist stools

Artist Statement

Where gravity and chance collide. Galileo is said to have dropped unequal weights of the same material from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to demonstrate that their time of descent was independent of their mass. While gravity is a rock-solid law of nature. Chance tests the boundaries of nature, you never know what will happen.

My work consists of ink, paper, wood, paint, found objects and ephemeral ideas. No matter what form it takes, the mark making and structure straddles the delicate tension between balance and discord, narrative and abstraction, existing images and new forms. While it’s not always a direct line from a swirling field of black to seeing the world with perfect clarity, the purpose of the work remains the same, guide the viewer towards an understanding of contemporary culture and our relationship to it.

Artist bio

Mark Kaufman (b. 1960) is a multi-disciplinary artist and designer known for bold, monochromatic drawings and collages which straddle the dark spaces between cultural narrative and minimalist abstraction. Born in Jersey City, NJ, now living and working in Las Vegas, NV, Mr. Kaufman studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York between 1978 and 1983. His work has been exhibited in galleries across the country including Seattle, Portland, Austin, New York, Detroit, and is in the permanent collection of the People’s History Museum in Manchester, UK. He has most recently been part of group exhibitions at SPCKRFT, Rotunda Gallery, and Core Contemporary Gallery in Las Vegas.

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MARY SABO

CHANCE, AGAIN

Foam, plaster, cement, bookbinding cloth, acrylic medium, paint

Artist Statement

In November 1996, an event took place at Whiskey Pete’s Casino. “Chance: Three Days in the Desert,” was explained by its main organizer, writer Chris Kraus, as “a philosophical rave and summit meeting between artists and philosophers, chaosophists and croupiers, mathematicians and musicians.” Participants included artist Mike Kelley and French philosopher Jean Baudrillard. This project is a further simulacra of Whiskey Pete’s Casino, and an homage to the temporary, fading nature of postmodern structures in the American Southwest.

My work combines elements of painting, drawing, sculpture, and digital collage to construct and explore hidden realms within our world and culture. I am driven by the exploration of fantasy, nostalgia, decay, the absorption of content, and the processing of information.

Artist bio

Mary Sabo is a visual artist and arts administrator living and working in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is drawn to dirt, rituals, mythology, and conspiracies. Mary graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a BFA in sculpture, and has shown work and participated in projects throughout the Mojave desert and beyond.

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MATTHEW COUPER

GRAVITY FED

Mixed media, water

Artist Statement

I use figuration and anachronistic tropes in my work to bridge gaps between isolated events that present issues of water problems, restrictions and shortages. I aim to create work that is familiar in the perspective of art history, which also nods toward the idea of history repeating.I live in Las Vegas, USA, only 30 minutes from the largest man-made water reservoir in the country. The contradiction of living in an arid, desert city yet being so close to the ever-dwindling southwest coast water supply makes one pause for thought when looking at the statistics of the water usage compared to the snowmelt feeding the rivers that lead to the reservoir. I research the usage of water in my area and recent scientific advances in desalination, recycling plants, exploratory drilling and short-term ‘straw’ methods for providing water to the population. Although I adhere to Anton Chekhov’s maxim: ‘The role of the artist is to ask questions, not answer them’, I still believe that art can pique interest socially, politically and environmentally to create awareness about specific global issues and the 'social currency' of such things.

Matthew Couper is a multidisciplinary artist whose works primarily explore themes of survival, isolation, and humanity's precarious relationship with its environment. His artwork reflects on the seclusion and isolation of his South Pacific origins while juxtaposing it with the harsh desert environment of the American Southwest, where he now resides. In a post-Covid world, his art forms a dialogue between past and present, incorporating talismans of impending anthropocenic issues and introspective psychological spaces. His works grapple with the tension of an overpopulated world facing overconsumption and dwindling resources, creating a compelling commentary on survival and adaptation.

Artist bio

Matthew Couper is an Aotearoa/New Zealand-born artist currently living and working in the USA. His artistic practice draws from a diverse range of art historical movements, including the Italian Trecento, Russian Non-Objective Painting, and Spanish and Mexican Baroque. These influences act as vehicles to explore themes of survival and the psychological effects of social isolation.His work has been exhibited internationally in solo and group exhibitions including art fairs and biennales throughout the United States, Mexico, France, Germany, Spain, China, Philippines, Australia and New Zealand. He is represented in public institutions including Bibliothèque nationale de France; Cirque Du Soleil Collection in USA & Canada; Idem Paris; Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the USA, NZ and Italy; The National Gallery of Australia; Sarjeant Gallery, NZ and Barrick Museum of Art, USA

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MEGHAN DRAGON

DESERT TIDEPOOLS

Oil drum lids and acrylic paint with a rebar frame

Artist Statement

When I think of gravity, I’m drawn to two forces: the grounding pull of the earth beneath us and the shifting tides shaped by the moon. My piece for the Desert Biennial Project unites ocean and desert, weaving imagery from both environments to reflect the interconnectedness of land, sea, and the forces that bind them.

My work explores the patterns, textures, and interconnections of nature, capturing the intricate details of flora and fauna from native habitats. Whether hiking through the rugged landscapes of the Mojave Desert or studying native species during a residency at Great Basin National Park, I immerse myself in the environments that shape my work. My murals, paintings, and drawings invite viewers to slow down and connect with the often-overlooked details of their surroundings, sparking curiosity, appreciation, and ultimately, a deeper commitment to conserving the world’s wild spaces.

Artist bio

Meghan Dragon is a Las Vegas–based artist and educator whose work explores the subtle connections of the natural world. With nine years of experience teaching elementary and middle school art, she combines her background as an educator with a dedicated studio practice, creating art that inspires curiosity and encourages appreciation for fragile habitats. Her work has been exhibited nationally, with pieces currently on view in Las Vegas and Reno, NV; Sunrise City, FL; and Pacific City, OR. She is a recipient of a Project Grant for Artists from the Nevada Arts Council and has been selected for the 2026 Clark County Public Arts Temporary Public Art Project. Meghan has participated in residencies at Aviario Studio in Portugal, Great Basin National Park in Nevada, and the Hive in Spokane, WA, and is currently collaborating with the Mystery Ranch at Avi Kwa Ame National Monument.

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MIKAYLA WHITMORE

TBD

TBD

Artist Statement

tbd

Artist bio

Mikayla Whitmore is a queer artist and photojournalist, working within the realms of photography, sculpture, and installation. In conversation with landscape, they utilize concepts of space & existentialism to convey their observations with the romanticization of the West, queer experience, and the appreciation of the sublime in the often mundane. After obtaining their BFA in Photography from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, they have continued to exhibit and create work for a variety of projects and venues across the US and beyond, including the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art (NV), David B. Smith Gallery (CO), and the inaugural Live in America festival at The Momentary (AR). They have contributed work to various media outlets, including Rolling Stone, ESPN, The New York Times, The Guardian, High Country News, and Vanity Fair.

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MOLLIE MILLER

TRIBUTE TO SPACEFARER

Concrete pavers and acrylic paint

Artist Statement

Tribute to Spacefarer is a large-format comic that tells the story of a desert town's first space traveler.

I come from a background where a person's value to the world is predicated upon being funny. Unfortunately for me, that quality comes out most naturally in text when there has been adequate time to think about what I say. My comics are inspired by sitcoms, funny animal friends, workplace drama, and questionable ethics.

Artist bio

Mollie Miller is a comic artist, painter, and soft sculptor. Her work has been shown at the Winchester Dondero Cultural Center and Scrambledeggsxyz's Sketch Party show.

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NAES PIEROTT

MY STARS

Fabric, beads and thread

Artist Statement

This piece centers on my family and friends—the people who ground me and keep me connected to the world.

I am a Black woman artist deeply engaged with the Black community. Through my quilts and cyanotype images, I use fabric and photography to share stories of the Black American experience and, at times, the experiences of other marginalized groups. Recently, I have been experimenting with innovative ways to tell stories through the fabric, exploring its potential as a medium for expression and connection.

Artist bio

I earned my BFA from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2023 and am currently pursuing a Master’s in Education with a concentration in Curriculum and Instruction, specializing in Educational Technology. My work has been exhibited in numerous galleries across Nevada, including the Donna Beam Gallery, Nuwu Art Gallery, Rotunda Gallery, Couperruss Studio, Serva Pool Gallery, Left of Center Gallery, the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, and the Chamber Gallery.Originally trained as an oil painter, I continue to enjoy painting, but my artistic focus has shifted toward fabric-based works and cyanotype processes.

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NANCY GOOD

FLAGGED

Unprimed fabric, acrylic, latex, airbrush, oil pastel, string, rope, metal pipe and bases

Artist Statement

Conveying the importance of art and the gravity of life without it, Flagged is meant to spontaneously interact with the environment it's in. Even with the short duration of the DBP, wind, weather, gravity is expected to transform this installation.

As a conceptual abstract artist (and musician) with humanist, philosophical leanings, a long-standing mission is creating thoughtful and dynamic interpretations of the vastness of human experience, from
grief to joy, loneliness to community, shame to reconciliation, fear to acceptance, apathy to compassion... the list is endless. Seeking to communicate universal truths, the ultimate goal is that of finding common ground and connection during times when the loudest of voices seem to seek division and conflict. I often do this by inviting unexpected kinetic interaction and engagement (with even physically shallow 2-dimensional works) through the use of color theory, hidden symbols, typography, and repetitive patterns intentionally layered throughout a work by means of different finishes or light-reactive pigments.Using acrylics, airbrush, UV pigments, latex, inks, collage and assemblage, freedom of expression is unhampered and I am able to create, in full collaboration with any and all chosen materials, the human
emotion or experience I am personally experiencing at the time, researching and interpreting, and/or the energy I wish to convey. Deeply influenced by biological forms and vibrations, I most often represent
a conceptual theme in the form of what I may envision as its most primal state – dividing cells. From cerebral synapses to the electricity that flows through our physical forms, at our core, we are a mass of pulsing, vibrating molecules, always in some state of re-creation and decay.

Artist bio

Mostly known for mural-sized, physically-interactive 2-dimensional paintings, as well as digital art, and works on paper, Las Vegas artist Nancy Good's studio practice is deeply-rooted in self-discipline, dedication, and unwavering passion to create strong contemporary art that compels dialogue and human connection. Influenced by synesthesia related to vibration and eclectic DNA revealing connections with cultures the world over, Good's work weaves the materials and tools of modern times while also honoring the visual languages of her ancient ancestries.A published and award-winning artist, Good’s work is regularly seen in exhibits across the country in high profile locations such as Las Vegas City Hall, Clark County Rotunda, Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art (UNLV), Doyle Arts Pavilion in Costa Mesa, San Diego Museum of Art, Reno/Tahoe International Airport, Nevada Humanities, Meow Wolf Las Vegas, MGM properties, St. Mary's Arts Center, HERE Arts and Superchief Gallery in NYC, Nashville International Airport, Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau, Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, and galleries in the Southeast, New York, Montana, Nevada and California. Her work is also found in important collections throughout the world. Good has received four Congressional Commendations for her artistic contributions, and has been inducted into the National Association of Women Artists, a 135-year old professional arts organization.

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NANDA SHARIFPOUR

GROUNDED BY MY HOME

Installation

Artist Statement

Nanda Sharif-pour is a multi-disciplinary artist residing and working in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sharif-pour’s previous works involved traditional mediums exploring both psychological states and sociological roles. During the past few years of Sharif-pour’s art practice, she has been expanding her themes across different mediums, such as installation, sculpture, and video-installation.Nature itself and the relationship between modern human and nature is among her main subject matters. To enhance the results Sharif-pour aims to create through her art, she creates experiential works in which the viewers can physically engage with the piece.

Artist bio

Nanda Sharif-pour was graduated from MFA program at UNLV in 2019, MFA program at Azad Tehran University in 2006, and BA program in Graphic Design from Azad Tehran University in 2003.She has shown her work in over 48 group and solo exhibitions in United States, Turkey and Iran since 1999 to present. From her most recent exhibition attendance Meanwhile, a few feet away from you, The Window Gallery at the Marjorie Barrick Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. 2022. Still Motion, The Marjorie Barrick Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. 2022, and Bullfrog Biennial, Beatty, Nevada, U.S. 2021 can be mentioned.She has taught art related topics in United States and Iran since 2005. Sharif-pour has participated in many public and private art projects working with organizations and companies such as Neon Museum, Zappos Company, Clark County, and more.

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NICK GIORDANO

MARROW

Canvas, acrylic, oil

Artist Statement

This painting explores gravity not as a weight to resist, but as an ever-present force that guides balance, surrender, and precision. Through the Tai Chi principle of sung and the pressure of gravity, inner relaxation can be attained and channeled into a wellspring of vitality.

Artist bio

Nick Giordano is a painter currently based in rural Nevada in the small desert town of Pahrump. Intersecting movement and paint, he is influenced by the mind’s ability to rewrite dysfunctional habits and form positive outlets of expression through art. His exposure to Eastern influences, including Zen and Daoist philosophy, shape the layered nature of his practice. His work as a painter investigates fulfillment in collaborative, collective healing-focused art making that fosters growth and transformation.

Select Solo Exhibition:2025
Layers of Perception - West Charleston Library in Las Vegas, NV.2024
Reframing the Mundane - University of Nevada Las Vegas, Grant Hall in Las Vegas, NVSelect Group Exhibitions:Desert Biennial Project, Gravity (October 2025 ) - Apex Dry Lakebed, Southern Nevada.
Allergic to Ignorance' (April 26 – August 26, 2025, currently on view), Your Catalyst Gallery,
Pahrump, NV – Curator, Artist
An exhibition challenging notions of steadfastness and isolation
'OOPS! 2' (September 2024), Core Contemporary, Las Vegas, Nevada
'Stone Soup' (October 2023), Desert Biennial Project, Jean Roach Dry Lakebed, Southern NV
'Big Mind' (March 2023) - UNLV Grant Hall – Co-Curator, Artist
Student Exhibition (2022) - UNLV Student Union, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
Greyscale Tattoo Exhibition (2020) Anaheim, CA – Artist

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NIKO NAVALTA

A CONVERSATION

Acrylic, acrylic pen, found object

Artist Statement

“A Conversation” features a pair of two chairs facing each other, inviting the viewers to participate in a scattered discussion between two absent characters.

Niko Navalta is an artist whose main focus is storytelling. Taking inspiration from many sources, such as literature, comics, and animation, they have recently begun venturing off the page and into the third dimension. However, they have not abandoned the practice entirely, as seen in their digital comics and zines.

Artist bio

Niko Navalta is a multidisciplinary artist who recently received their BFA from UNLV. Their artwork has been shown at “Introductions” At the UNLV Student Union Gallery, “Clark County Zine Club” at the Winchester Gallery, “Our 9th Island: Art of the Hawaiian Diaspora” at the Henderson City Hall Gallery, “Harmony in Diversity” at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, and “BFA Thesis Show: Spring 2025” at the Donna Beam Gallery.

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NUNI ALLEN

DRAG ME TO ECSTACY

Dance Performance

Artist Statement

The performance piece I will be making for DBP tells the tale of a soul drowning in vices

Nuni’s photographic work employs the use of the female gaze to help highlight the beauty in pain, love and hate, while applying the philosophy of yin and yang to explore the complexities of femininity and masculinity. Nuni reimagines spaces using narrative and storytelling to engage in complex and difficult topics.

Artist bio

Nuni Allen is dancer and a recent BFA graduate from UNLV with a concentration in photography. Through her 8 years of experience she has fine-tuned her craft in creative portraiture while making it uniquely her own. Her most recent exhibitions (both for the BFA) explored the use of sculpture with photographic elements as a way to see how her work communicates to a viewer and if her message is successfully delivered.

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PATRICIA SUSLO

FURTHER

Embroidery thread and paint on screening

Artist Statement

This work will allow visitors to view plants in an imposed perspective sewn into a mesh screen. The screen will stand at a distance from the mountain and depict five rows of embroidered plants which will receed into the enviornment by scale.

I am interested in semiotics, the hand in artwork, and perception. Autonomy is the most consistent theme in my work. I’ve explored this idea through representation, figurative work, drawing, printmaking, and writing. I am especially drawn to etching, drawing on paper, and poetry.
Autonomy is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as both “the right or condition of self government,” and “the capacity of an agent to act in accordance with objective morality, rather than under the influence of desires.” Through this lens my work has dealt with concepts of isolation, perceived self, gender, and ownership. I am interested in a person’s ability to reconcile their private and public lives, and how these versions of personalized and projected characteristics can be used to understand ourselves more deeply.

Artist bio

I was born and raised in Nevada and received my Bachelor of Fine Arts at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City. After seven years of residence in New York, I returned to Nevada in August of 2024.
I had the pleasure of showing in Here and Now at Rotunda Gallery in December of 2024, and I am looking forward to my participation in the 2025 Desert Biennial Project.

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QUINDO MILLER

CHURN

Wood, motor, sand, steel

Artist Statement

"We live in a country that does not care. It will eat you alive and churn your guts into profit.

My work examines the intricate relationships between home, identity, and survival, drawing deeply from personal experiences growing up in Guam and living in Las Vegas. Through video, installation, and mixed media, I explore the emotional, cultural, and material layers that shape our existence, often focusing on the tension between natural and constructed environments, as well as inherited family tradition.Across my work, I am interested in the unseen rituals and inherited practices that influence how we navigate our world and dedicate home. From the delicate balance of desert ecosystems to the intimate ways of my lineage, my installations analyze resilience, adaptation, and survival. Whether through the persistent growth of a weed or the nuance of a family habit, I invite viewers to reflect on how we adapt, grow, and thrive in spaces where we may not entirely belong.

Artist bio

Born in Guam, Quindo Miller spent their formative years developing an interest in isolation, rituals, and repetition as they explored the island territory’s jungle environment. In 2012, after moving to the mainland United States, they earned their BFA at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Miller’s work investigates and expands their early preoccupations through the mediums of painting, drawing, installation, video, and sound. They have exhibited at venues in Nevada, California, and New York, including the Goldwell Open Air Museum, 5th Wall gallery, La Matadora Gallery, the Las Vegas Contemporary Art Center, and Hereart. In 2015 they exhibited in Uttarakhand, India, as part of their PECAH artist residency. Miller currently lives and works in Las Vegas.

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REESE WALLACE

UNTITLED

Concrete, gold, cattle bones

Artist Statement

A material exploration that examines the permanent changes we have made to the Great Basin.

My work is intentionally nostalgic, often about the space left unoccupied, a semi-autobiographic memoir told by an unreliable narrator. There is an inevitability to the people we are, that we are primarily the result of hyper-specific circumstances that we do not control or remember clearly. Art for me is the process by which I examine how I arrived at this exact moment. The work combines traditional oil painting and drawing practices with non-traditional substrates to create tension between subject and material. The work invites the viewer to observe the dissonant spaces between the facts of our lives and the reality we live in.

Artist bio

Reese was born in Lemoore, California, in 1990, but grew up in the suburbs of Salt Lake City to be closer to a family cattle ranch in rural Uinta Basin. Reese Left Salt Lake in 2017 and began attending the California College of the Arts in Oakland to attain his BFA and strengthen the conceptual, interdisciplinary aspects of his work. Since 2023, Reese has been a current and participating member of Oakland's and San Francisco’s artist communities, exhibiting in both group and solo shows at Blue Stream Gallery, Soma Arts Center, and FM Oakland.

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RICARDO RUBALCABA PAREDES

MI COMUNIDAD

Natural materials, including rocks, stones, flowers and other ephemeral products.

Artist Statement

"Mi Comunidad" will be an ephemeral reimagining mosaic/ painting art piece based on a painting of the same namesake. This piece is a reclamation for Black, Brown, and Indigenous Gender Nonconforming folx (we never see ourselves represented), centers themes of chosen family and representation, and is ultimately a practice in belonging and fostering community.

My painting practice depicts candid moments of Queer Black, Brown, and Indigenous folx engaging in daily performances of culture, emphasizing the idea of culture as resistance. My work builds on the legacy of Joteria (an art genre focused on the intersectional experience of being Queer and Mexican/ Chicano/a/e/x), drawing inspiration from Queer Chicano multimedia artist Jerry Terrill and Afro-Cuban American painter Harmonia Rosales' reimaginings of Renaissance masterpieces with the Orishas. Currently, my work is informed by my mutual aid practice, people's resistance (Free Palestine, Sudan, and Congo), fluorescent lighting, and the poetix of Arab American genderqueer punk poet-performer Andrea Abi-Karam.

Artist bio

Ricardo's artistic practice intertwines with their mutual aid practice. In 2025, Ricardo, alongside Ruby Barrientos and Jordyn Owens, helped start Of the Sol, a collective of BIPOC artists from Reno, NV, mobilizing to cultivate an intersectional space for BIPOC artists. In 2023, Ricardo helped co-organize Reno Community Art Closet, a mutual aid project (re)distributing free art supplies to address discrepancies in access. In 2023, Ricardo was shown in Hija/e/o/x de Su by Cesar Piedra and Geovany Uranda. In 2024-2025, Ricardo helped curate a series of exhibitions for Of the Sol at the Holland Project, including their solo show Visceral.

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ROMINA VILLARREAL

ICARUS FALLEN

Vinyl and wax

Artist Statement

"This life-sized sculpture captures the moment after Icarus’s wax wings melt mid-flight leading to a collapse acting as a metaphor for the climax of excess and the beauty in falling. These wings will lie melted in a sea of stars, reflecting on where we land when hubris gives way to gravity.

I am enamored by the body. My life is spent depicting humanity in their natural settings in order to evoke emotions ranging from euphoria to tension. I seek out moments that show the ephemerality of life. Working with acrylic, wax and thread I render the stories of those who would otherwise be forgotten.Utilizing both candid imagery and cultural motifs, I create psychic spaces that are accessible to the afflicted but a window of voyeurism to those on the outside. I seek to display the unseen and unspoken realities of the majority oppressed by the leaders of our capital dominated lives."

Artist bio

Romina Villarreal is a mixed media painter with an emphasis on figurative expression. Through this, she explores the life and experiences of stigmatized groups. Her work delves deep into the complexities of mental health, sexuality, ethnicity, and spirituality.Spawned in the city of San Antonio, Texas, Romina is a proud Chicana artist with a heart for serving marginalized communities.Romina has earned a BFA in painting and a minor in psychology from the University of Houston and a M.F.A in studio art from The University of Nevada, Las Vegas.Since 2023 She has exhibited in two solo shows: Oh Joy! And Sangria. She has also shown in the 2023 Desert Biennial Project, Patchwork at Holland Gallery, and With the Land through Clark County Arts.

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RORA BLUE

I'D RATHER BE HERE

Mattress, pillows, bedding

Artist Statement

"I’d Rather Be Here is a series depicting my bed in various outdoor landscapes. These are the places I’d rather be, when I am stuck in bed for long periods of time due to my disability.

I live in a body with bones that ache, a heart that beats twice as fast as everyone else’s, and fingertips that go numb. Most of the time my body does not feel like mine. Gender dysphoria, coupled with conditions that impact my vision leave me looking down at my body as if it is someone else’s. This is not a tragedy; it is simply a fact of my existence.Queer and disabled people are often viewed as unnatural. I respond to this in my work through using natural materials and imagery of the outdoors. My sculptures, photography, and installations reposition the queer and disabled body as being synonymous with nature. Outdoor spaces can be inaccessible, and it is important for me to reclaim my body’s relationship to the environment.I introduce an alternate trans-disabled reality by utilizing transgender and disability-specific medical objects that are commonly disposed of or hidden away. Through the overlaying of photographs on top of hospital fluorescent lights, weaving flowers in between bandages, and suspending images of the sky within IV bags, I propose a world in which bodies like mine are cared for and celebrated."

Artist bio

Rora Blue is a queer disabled artist living and working in Reno, Nevada. His current work utilizes soft sculpture and installation to relate queerness and disability to nature, invisibility, and celebration. Blue is the recipient of the VSA Emerging Young Artist Award of Excellence from the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington D.C as well as the International IphiGenia Gender Design Award awarded at the Museum of Applied Art in Cologne, Germany. His work has been exhibited in group exhibitions spanning nine different countries and he has been written about in publications including the New York Times. Blue received his BFA in New Genres from the San Francisco Art Institute and MFA from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2024.

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ROSE MILLER

KEEP ME GROUNDED // WEIGH ME DOWN

Metal, chain, clay, beads, ribbon, and string

Artist Statement

Keep Me Grounded // Weigh Me Down is about the love of one's hometown and the desire to leave it for something different.

Rose Miller’s work often begins as an exercise in scavenging. Her first step is to collect; she digs through the depths of her mother’s old footlocker full of family memories, documents the graffitied walls of bar bathrooms, and listens to the lyrics of beloved songs. She takes these things, either as material or as inspiration, and rearranges them. Her practice revolves around the process of tearing apart and stitching back together, sometimes literally via collage and assemblage. Other times, she’s digitally layering images or scrawling borrowed text onto photographs. Though she’s currently working to move beyond two-dimensional spaces into sculptural ones, the core of her work remains the same.

Artist bio

Rose Miller works with collage, photography, and has recently taken an interest in sculpture. She’s local to Las Vegas, and at the time of writing this is pursuing her BFA at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her work has been shown in various group shows, including Oops (2023), Scrambled Egg’s Sketch Party (2024, as a collaboration with her cohort), as well as the BFA midway show You Are Here: 36°06’31.5’’ N 115°08’18 W (2024) and the 2025 BFA thesis show. She’s also done work as an intern with Artists 4 Democracy, a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging political action via art and informational events. Outside of art, she’s also a writer. Her most recent work has been written for local art blog Couch in the Desert, where she’s published review pieces on local art exhibitions.

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SAPIRA CHEUK

NOVEMBER 2024

Mixed media

Artist Statement

"Around the time of the 2024 US presidential elections, prior to the first ceasefire in Palestine, when talk of abortion bans and nuclear proliferation were taking over our collective consciousness, this work emerged. At that time, what I felt was described succinctly in Ugly Feelings by Sianne Ngai: “Disgust… I can’t move beyond the negative feeling, there is not even room for action. It is a mediation of utter despair”.

I explore proprioception and bodily ways of knowing, examining how physical experiences create understanding. My work investigates interpersonal memories, aesthetic labor, ownership, physical isolation, virtual connections, and trauma's cellular effects on psychological recovery. Though these themes are wide-ranging, my aesthetic remains rooted in ink and paper. Born in Hong Kong, Chinese Sumi painting heavily influences my practice. I use specific blends of soluble and insoluble inks creating characteristic smooth gradations and abrupt fractures within each figure, representing my immigrant experience negotiating between two different cultures, values, and operating systems through art.

Artist bio

Sapira Cheuk is an ink painter and installation artist born in Hong Kong and based in Las Vegas, NV. Her work blends sumi and india ink, symbolizing her mixed identities. Cheuk has exhibited at various venues such as the Institute of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, Royal Society of Art London, and Yellowstone Art Museum. She works for the Nevada Arts Council, teaches at College of Southern Nevada, chairs City of Las Vegas Art Commission, and serves as a National Endowment for the Arts grant panelist. She holds a BA from UC Riverside and MFA from Cal State San Bernardino.

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SARA JEAN ODAM

CRY IT OUT!

Wood (cheap, scrap, found, ply, etc,) cut into various sizes of tears, sitting in wood platforms so they can be free standing, paint, painting tools, people

Artist Statement

"The inspiration for this project comes from the ongoing desire for connection through an invitation for collective grief. This is an offering for everyone to be sad about a really sad time.

I paint to connect. My paintings are rooted in observation, empathy, time, and attention. My direct experience of home, people, and the language of oil painting offer endless opportunities to playfully wrestle with the dark and scary parts of life. Intimacy, loss, death, transformation, letting go, and failure are themes never far from my mind. I am bewildered by how to engage with - in life and in painting - people, objects and spaces embedded with meaning while knowing that the very nature of impermanence means they will all go away.My paintings exist in the realm of representation but explore abstraction through mark making, space, and color. I am driven by suggestion, gesture, and the feel of things, echoing the way broken mirror shards signal life lived in a room or a handwritten letter offers a snippet of a person in a particular place and time. The act of painting itself is a visceral pathway for my curiosity to wander and try out new ways of seeing and question my ways of knowing.Painting is a life-giving way to travel in space and time through art history and my personal history. To study the sacred and mundane and how these elements become puzzle pieces in stories I construct about life and how to live a good one."

Artist bio

I am a painter and educator interested in connection, observation, and transformation. Born in 1980 in Chicago, Illinois, I’m a midwesterner at heart, and spent 20 formative years studying and working as a painter on the east coast, primarily in Brooklyn, before landing in Vegas in 2020. I hold a BFA in Painting from Boston University. I’ve attended residencies at Chautauqua Institute and Vermont Studio Center. My work has been exhibited in Boston, NYC, and in Las Vegas at Available Space Art Projects, The Marjorie Barrick Museum, and the Donna Beam Gallery amongst others. My work has also been commissioned for television, Broadway and several Spiegelworld Production Co. projects including “Absinthe” at Caesars Palace, Superfrico at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and Diner Ross at the LINQ. I recently completed The Canopy Program through NYC Crit Club and am working toward a solo show at The Studio at the Sahara West Library in Las Vegas in early 2027. Since fall 2024 I’ve been a part-time faculty member at UNLV in the Painting Area.

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SASHA MOSQUERA

UNTITLED

Oil on canvas

Artist Statement

My piece has to do with gravity and a cat's “righting reflex” which allows a cat to orient themselves during a fall.

Sasha Mosquera is an interdisciplinary artist whose work is grounded in personal experience and her love of cats. She uses the feline form as an entry point to create playful and colorful images that reflect emotions or ambiguity. Sasha paints portraits that depict how cats live between worlds, both in domestic and wild environments. As an artist living in Las Vegas, Sasha is inspired by the community cats that surround her and her work is therefore directly influenced by their personalities and nature. The colors in her work are inspired by the painter Quinquela Martin.

Artist bio

I was born and raised in Las Vegas, where my lifelong connection with cats began at age twelve. By sixteen, I discovered my first feral and became fascinated by the colonies living in storm drains throughout the valley. Since then, I’ve documented their lives through photography, which I then translate into paintings. Since graduating with my BFA in 2023, I have had work shown in small exhibition spaces including the Alumni Center and Grant Hall Gallery at UNLV. I showed at Core Contemporary as well.

SHAHAB ZARGARI

BAR JEDDAK

Wood, paint, metal, concrete.

Artist Statement

"Bar Jeddak will be the first time since 2022 that the Martian city miniature created for the film 'The Crystal Crypt' will be on public view, this time with a custom stand for this exhibition.

I seek to tell stories concerning the human condition, often dealing with themes of race, politics, and morality, as well as the superficial misconceptions that often arise from such topics."

Artist bio

"My name is Shahab Zargari, and I am an Iranian-American filmmaker, record label-owner, and musician who currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada."

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SOGAND TABATABAEI

NARRATIVE IN FORMATION

Wood veneer, paper, fabric

Artist Statement

Domestic objects, rich with symbolism, reinforce the concept of narratives in my work. In this piece, I focus on dining sets—more than just functional furniture, they are silent witnesses to daily life. The dining table is a gathering place where stories unfold, memories take shape, and a sense of belonging emerges. Yet it also holds traces of absence—what has been lost and who is missing.

Inspired by Persian storytelling traditions, my work examines how personal and collective narratives shape memory, identity, and history. I draw from lived experience, folklore, and overlooked details in everyday objects to preserve stories that might otherwise be lost. Working primarily in collage, I combine drawing, textiles, and found materials to explore the layered meanings objects carry and the boundaries of materiality. Through this process, I aim to highlight how the intimate and the ordinary can hold deep symbolism, offering a space for reflection and connection across time and place.

Artist bio

Sogand is a visual artist and arts educator based in Reno. She holds a BA in Painting from the Tehran University of Art and an MFA in Visual Arts from the University of Nevada, Reno. Using drawing, textiles and collage, she explore the intersection of memory and identity, drawing on personal experience, cultural narratives, and everyday objects that bear the traces of life. Beyond her studio practice, Sogand serves as an Arts Learning Specialist at the Nevada Arts Council. She has held teaching positions at institutions including the University of Nevada, Reno; Truckee Meadows Community College; and the E.L. Cord Museum School at the Nevada Museum of Art.Her most recent solo exhibitions include “Stitching in Silence, Beneath the Skin” at Red Mountain Gallery, Truckee Meadows Community College (2024) and “Blood Blooms" at Sierra Arts Foundation Depot Gallery (2024). Her most recent group exhibitions include “From the Collection of...” at The Depot Gallery (2025), “ArtPrize 2024 and 2025” Grand Rapids, Michigan, and “Reassembly Required” at Rotunda Gallery at Clark County Government Center, Las Vegas (2024).

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STARRR ZAHRA

GROUNDED STARRR

Cardboard, Aluminum paint, duct tape, mix media

Artist Statement

Grounded Starrr for Desert Biennial Project is an experimental expansion of my 2-Dimensional craft turned into reality.

I am inspired by life because I have come a long way to be where I am now, and see myself going even further than here. That is why sometimes my art is concrete and other times it is very expressive, even abstract like no matter what instrument I am utilizing. There are so many colors, so many moods, so much to experience. Through reflections with my past and present reality with trust in a higher power, I am able to build much understanding of life and situations. Nevertheless, that whimsical-surrealness is capturing being transient and alive in this world.

Artist bio

Starrr Zahra was born as a refugee in Kenya, Africa raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. Growing up, Starrr loved art. She graduated from the College of Southern Nevada with my associates of Arts. Starrr has featured in many group exhibitions with Clark County Public Arts. She solo exhibited the Sun is Always Shining with the Library District of Las Vegas - Clark County at Centennial Hills in 2023; even participating in live art Chalk-it- Up. Her mediums range from oil painting, acrylic, to NuPastel, and simple Pencil and pen. Starrr’s practice offers whimsical and surreal stories of adventure, heroism, and self-reflections.

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STEPHANIE SUMLER

THE LIBERTY BOAT

wood, cardboard, acrylic paint

Artist Statement

The LIBERTY BOAT is a reminder of what we fear we could be losing as a society. Inspired by the popularly photographed "monolithic" sunken boat in Lake Mead during the pandemic, the luxurious and non-essential powerboats only the affluent can purchase reap havoc on our hope for the environment, love, and liberty.

Stephanie Sumler is an interdisciplinary artist based in Las Vegas. In 2013, she graduated with a bachelor's degree in visual and public art from California State University-Monterey Bay. Her concentration includes illustration, sculpture, video, and her work explore her response to topics such as current events, pop culture, and religion.

Artist bio

City of Las Vegas - Aerial Gallery - 2024 - "One Day at a Time" (public art banner project)

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TANJA HESTER

DISPOSABLE SACRA III

Unfired ceramic and paper clay

Artist Statement

My current focus lies in reflecting the beauty of the care required to live in a disabled or chronically ill body, a beauty that often approaches the sacred. I'm drawn to materials that mirror the ephemerality of health and youth, especially in rapidly degrading bodies like my own, and love using non-lightfast pigments, decomposition elements like mold and mycelium, as well as biodegrading materials like paper clay that are in essence in solidarity with me, breaking down alongside my body.

"Disposable Sacra" is a long-term meditation on the sacrum, said to be the site of the root chakra and the source of our life force, but also the source of my greatest pain. The piece reflects both reverence in the care required to mold so many sacra and society's indifference to women's pain.

Artist bio

Tanja Hester is a chronically ill and disabled artist living and working in the Sierra Nevada. She received a Spotlight Nevada exhibition at the 2025 RTIA show, was awarded the Hallberg Award at Sierra College in 2024 (including an exhibition in the Ridley Gallery), won RTA watercolor artist of the year in 2024, and won best in show at the Sierra Watercolor Society 2024 exhibition. She is currently an emerging artist mentee at the Artists Co-Op Gallery in Reno and will have an exhibition there in January 2026.

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VALENTIN YORDANOV

BORDERLAND

Painted wood

Artist Statement

Dynamic Mohave Desert inspired open plan sculptural artwork connecting the environments elements desert lake, sand, sky to visually merge together becoming one , transforming the work into a harmonious extension of its natural surroundings.

Inspired by the phenomena of urban generation, globalization and changing environment. Valentin Yordanov is a contemporary explorer. His Geometrical Abstract paintings act like a travelogue, impressions of locations he visits or dreams about. Mountains, roads, rails and raising constructions offer a dynamical view of a changing environment around us. They are complex of layer and directions. As maps, Valentin Yordanov paintings take us on tour in impact of the invisible world around us. The geography itself becomes unsettled. The ground twist awkwardly in time and space, brightly colored shapes, plan drawings, high-impact graphics each place becomes with the logo ‘non-place’, a triumph of color and shape .Valentin Yordanov was born in the city, seemed to have always been able to capture that uniqueness in the works he dedicated to the city, with bold colors, elongated vantage points and cartoon aesthetic.
He makes vibrant paintings and installations centered on themes of travel, tourism, globalization and urbanism.

Artist bio

For more than a decade, Valentin Yordanov has been an artist in residence in beautiful Las Vegas. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Bulgaria, and then was awarded a scholarship to pursue his study at the Bucharest National Academy of Arts, Romania and Bulgaria. His studies included intensive drawing trips and major exhibitions around Europe, including Vienna and Budapest. After completing his education, this urban explorer was on his way to enlarging his mental maps, discovering the new world, and setting up his studio in Las Vegas.Valentin Yordanov is part of art collectors around the world including The Mayor of Las Vegas, Meow Wolf, Life Is Beautiful, The City of Las Vegas, MGM International, Nevada State Collage. He has exhibited extensively including solo exhibitions Deser Oasis, Nevada Humanities, Las Vegas 2025, Viva Las Vegas, Donna Bean Fine Art Gallery (2024), Seoullo 7017 Skygarden, Seoul, S.Korea(2024), Art Expo Beijing, Beijing, China, Art Capitol Mural,Building 63,Seoul, Korea (2017) ,The City of Las Vegas, NV, USA (2017), Nobu Hotels Art Collection 2023, Art Combining the factual precision of traditional street maps with his own interpretation of the local environment, these large scale composition documented the artist’s perception of the great cities of Europe, Asia and North America.

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VEZUN

KILLDEER

Cardboard sculpture / installation

Artist Statement

With my artwork, I explore my hidden inner dimensions. I pursue the ambiguous roots of my thoughts and feelings in my artistic practice. I use various media and mix these often. I strive to create work that people identify with and connects with them on a deeper unconscious level.

Underneath this cardboard sculpture, I used wood, plastic and metal to build an armature. The previous temporary public art commission, "Pepperwing" was damaged and destroyed by the public. So, I wanted to make this one would last the duration of the exhibit. It did last. And you can sit on it. Also, the park has certain environmental concerns. So, for this piece, I made my paint by mixing glue and water with ground charcoal, conte, chalk, and pastel. I look for ways to decrease the amount of acrylic and polymer that I use to create work.

Artist bio

The son of immigrant parents, Vezun grew up with a culture clash present in his thoughts. A self-taught Las Vegas-based visual artist, Vezun's career path has been outside of the mainstream. He has self-published, exhibited in shows, been published, shown in film festivals, received grants, and done public art. With his work, he experiments with formats, styles, techniques, and organizing color palettes but his work is about him going inward.

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