By Maria Palma
This weekend is the last chance to see the June exhibitions at the Sierra Arts Foundation gallery, which resumed operations following Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s newest COVID-19 recommendations. Art patrons can enjoy the exhibits free of masks if they are vaccinated.
UnchARTed Waters, a collaborative exhibition with the Down Syndrome Network of Northern Nevada (DSNNN), is available for viewing through June 26 at the Sierra Arts Foundation Main Gallery at 17 S. Virginia St. in Reno.
Jenifer Renzel’s Menagerie exhibition debuted on June 5 and is available for viewing through June 27 at the Depot Gallery at 831 Victorian Ave. in Sparks.
The UnchARTed Waters collaborative art project recognizes and empowers artists with developmental disabilities to express their creativity through movement, motion and wonder. The exhibit is a combination of collaborative and individual art pieces with a mixture of more than 50 pieces of paintings, framed texture sculptures, resist dye techniques on fabric and printmaking.
All proceeds from purchased art pieces will go directly to DSNNN to help increase awareness and support for those with Down syndrome in northern Nevada.
“Sierra Arts Foundation is honored to work alongside DSNNN to showcase the talent of the artists in their fold,” said Tracey Oliver, executive director of Sierra Arts Foundation. “Everyone has something to express, and art offers every single person a means to express those feelings in ways that make sense to them. We are proud of this exhibition and believe it to be a must-see experience.”
The Menagerie exhibition pays homage to child-like imaginations with an extensive collection of monsters, odd people, cartoon characters, demons, gnomes and other mystical beings. Renzel uses various mediums, such as assemblage, paintings and drawings, to capture creativity through the lens of a child.
“One of the many admirable elements of Renzel’s work is her ability to re-envision mystical fantasies in a sophisticated manner,” said Oliver. “She is able to maintain the creativity that comes with these bold characters but simultaneously morphs it to appeal to a mature audience.”
All exhibitions are free. The Virginia Street Gallery is open from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 12:00 p.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturdays. The Depot Gallery is open from 12:00 p.m. – 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Sierra Arts Foundation is following the recommendations of the CDC and requiring face masks only for those who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine.
For more information visit www.sierraarts.org.
