‘Celebrate Us’ new artists

The Churchill County “Celebrate Us” project is displaying new artwork from local talent and is also working on upcoming events.

Julie Guerrero, executive secretary for the Churchill County manager, said the county is excited to display artwork from new artist.

“We have several talented new artist who have allowed us to display their work in the halls of our building,” Guerrero said. “We have two artists who have their work in the display case and the rest are hanging on our walls.”

Dawn Gleason came from a military family and wound up in Fallon. Gleason makes fairy houses and gardens. She said she came from an Irish family and grew up hearing and reading Irish legends and folklore, which inspired her to create fairy worlds

“Those stories led me to try and create little fairy worlds of my own,” Gleason said. “Creating fairy homes, churches, etc., brings me happiness that I like to share.”

Linda Gleason, a native Nevadan, said painting came naturally to her. She said she has no formal training and learned to paint on her own. Gleason said she has taken a few classes, but her talent comes from self-teaching and on occasions she painted with other artist while living in Sacramento. Gleason said she enjoys painting landscapes and seascapes. She said she paints images from places she’s visited, or she will make them up as she goes along.

“Like other self taught artists, I’m still learning,” Gleason said.

Dottie Wilbanks, a long time resident of Fallon, has been sharing her talent for many years. Wilbanks crafts baskets made from pine needles and horse hair. She said she came across how to make the baskets on a television program.

“After some research and finding the supplies, I became addicted,” Wilbanks said. “There are so many ways to decorate them such as heads, feathers, horns, shells and stones, to name a few.”

Lonne Sheldon, a Fallon native, is no amateur to creativity. Sheldon has crafted drift wood signs, advertising brochures and worked with raw wool. She said she has participated in numerous craft fairs and is now taking oil painting classes at Western Nevada College.

“I hope my work proves that at any age one can pursue one’s interests,” she said.

Max W. Baumgardner III said he was inspired to pursue art as a career by his art teachers. Baumgardner now lives in Japan and works as a teacher and free-lance illustrator and animator, creating art for software and print. He said he loves painting acrylic and oil, sketching, watercolor, colored pencils, pen and ink and oil pastels.

Elizabeth Cristobal, new to Fallon, became interested in art as a young girl in Southern California. Cristobal said she was inspired by nature’s beauty when she moved to Idaho in 1973, where she observed a variety of animals and birds in the wild. She prefers to paint with oils for wildlife in their natural surroundings and view the habitat in person.

Cristobal’s observations enhance her understanding of her subjects as well as its size and shape. She has also painted several portraits of family members over the years. Cristobal said she is not limited to oils, she periodically enjoys using acrylics and watercolors as well. Her portfolio also includes sketching and stained glass projects as additional mediums.

Guerrero said the Churchill County Museum has also put up a new “Fallon Faces” display. She said residents are encouraged to view the photos and help the museum identify the people, places and events shown in the old black and white photos.

With Nevada’s 150 birthday this year, Guerrero said the county is trying to tie the artwork into a Nevada theme. She said all artists are encouraged to submit any genres of art sculptures, paintings or baskets of wildlife or landscape, anything that represents Nevada.

“We accept work from any artist, youth to adult,” Guerrero said. “We would like to fill our walls with art work from residents to show case the talent we have here.”

Guerrero said an open house is planned in July for residents to come view the exhibits. She said it would be a great opportunity for residents to meet the artist and view their work.

She said the county is excited to work on a project with CC Communications in the coming month, Guerrero said, where they will display a decade of phone directory covers.

“For over the last decade, CC Communications has held a phone directory cover contest where local residents submitted photographs for consideration to be used as the cover for the phone directory,” Guerrero said. “The county is excited to partner with CC Communications to display these amazing pictures that won the cover contest. They are great examples of talented resident’s photography as well as familiar scenery from Churchill County. This display will also honor and recognize CC Communications 125th birthday. This will be a must see display, and should be up before the end of April.”

Guerrero said if people would like to have their work displayed or purchase a piece of artwork, they should contact the county manager’s office at 775-423-5136.