Art will survive, budget cuts or no

Pat Fietta, who runs the art exhibits in the Lyon County and Dayton administrative buildings, thought her volunteer job was over.

The Lyon County Commissioners, cutting every scrap of fat from the county's budget, reduced the art program to zero.

"They zeroed us out," she said. "Then all the department heads and everyone at the county were upset, so (Commissioner) Bob Milz invited us to apply for a room tax grant."

The exhibits change each month and have been a premier place for Lyon County artists to display their work. The current displays - a printmaking exhibit in Yerington and pastel drawings by Amy Wachtel in Dayton - are the last to be paid for out of the county's general fund.

Fietta said the room tax grant looks very promising. She said she has also received support and encouragement from interim county manager Bob Hadfield to seek the grants.

The Room Tax Board will only do one review and disbursement of grants a year, Fietta said, and she got her request in just in time - today is the deadline.

"We are very hopeful to get some funding there," she said.

The Yerington exhibit, "Northern Nevada Printmakers' Conspiracy," is a group show featuring 14 artists exhibiting works of contemporary printmaking.

Fietta said the artists in the exhibit are by and large teachers and professors, who will be at the 3 p.m. reception Saturday to discuss their work.

"These are stone printmaking, silk-screening, true printmaking," she said. "It's quite an art."

The Yerington show runs through June 22.

In Dayton, Wachtel, a psychotherapist, offers drawings in vivid colors that feature major life themes.

"Amy's pastels are allegorical in nature, often inspired from her psychological book," Fietta said. "She uses visual symbolism bridging reality and fantasy."

That show will run through June 29.

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The Highway 50 Corridor study, which was supposed to be released in April, then May, will probably be presented in July.

The Nevada Department of Transportation study is in the final stages, said NDOT spokesman Scott Magruder.

The final stages should take about two weeks, then there will be another stakeholders meeting so those who have been involved in the process can add final input.

After that, it will go back to the State Transportation Board for a few more tweaks, after which it will be presented to the public.

• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.