An artist's study of the Nevada skyline: a digital perspective

Nolan Preece knows a successful exhibit in an art gallery depends on both the hanging and the work.

Preece, a curator and teacher, spent Monday putting up the remainder of his "Nevada Sky" exhibit in the art gallery of the Bristlecone Building at Western Nevada Community College.

The 10 pieces in the exhibit are familiar to him because he spent two road trips this past summer taking the photographs. The first five photos of "Nevada Sky" are from a trip on Interstate 80.

"There were these fantastic clouds that kept changing," the 57-year-old said. "I rolled the window down and shot right out there at two-thousandths of a second on the freeway. These are all taken going 70 mph."

The second five photos of "Nevada Sky" were taken from Highway 50 on a trip to visit his wife, Jean Chambers, a researcher who sometimes works in Austin.

"I did stop the truck a few times on this," Preece said. "I was traveling alone."

Also on display are 10 pictures Preece shot in Virginia City called "Walls." The photos feature exterior and interior walls from St. Mary's art center, a blacksmith shop, the electric plant and a wall behind the Bucket of Blood Saloon.

An artist's reception for Preece is scheduled today from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the art gallery of the Bristlecone Building at Western Nevada Community College. The exhibit continues through Feb. 25.

"Showing your work is kind of a confirmation of your profession," he said. "It's like scientists when they publish."

Preece does all his own mounting and framing, and just finished a show in the Prim Theater at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno.

Preece plans to spend some of the remainder of this year working on 32-by-40-inch pictures of walls.

"I want to pull together a show," he said. "You're always thinking in terms of a show."

n Contact reporter Maggie O'Neill at moneill@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.

See the art

What: Photographer Nolan Preece's "Nevada Sky" and "Walls" exhibit reception

When: 4:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Preece's work will be on display through Feb. 25

Where: The art gallery of the Bristlecone Building, Western Nevada Community College, 2001 West College Parkway

Information: 445-3000

For more on Preece's work, go to www.preece.myexpose.com

Quick facts:

• The Reno resident teaches three classes - digital photography, portfolio emphasis, and gallery practices - at Truckee Meadows Community College and curates three of its galleries.

• Preece owned a gallery and framing shop called "Sun Mountain Artworks" for six years in Virginia City until 2001. During that time, he showed the work of 53 artists.

• Preece moved to Northern Nevada in 1992. Before that he taught at Cooper College in Utah for three years. He also worked as a photographer for the Herald Journal in Logan, Utah.

Seven of Nolan Preece's observations about hanging work in a gallery

• It's not as easy as it looks

• The distance from the floor to the center of the pieces is generally between 57 to 57.5 inches.

• If the pieces are the same size, the exhibit is much easier to hang than if they are a variety of sizes, textures and shapes.

• As a curator, try to get a layer of plywood behind the sheetrock so you can put nails in anywhere.

• Flat paint on walls is the easiest to hide nail holes.

• Lights should be 10 feet off the floor and four feet away from the wall to appropriately illuminate pieces.

• Artists, typically asked to display work up to a year in advance, will spend that time preparing for the exhibit. Preece was asked to display his work at WNCC about a year ago.