West Las Vegas Charette promotes public art

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 1997 | 11:10 a.m.

This project will allow artists and students, residents, community leaders and government to work together during the West Las Vegas Charette to create a vision for the future of West Las Vegas.

What is a Charette? The term charette evolved during the 1800s at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Frnace, where students' projects and drawings were picked up by a push cart and taken to the presentation room as they were completed. The term charette literally meant "on the cart" and working frantically until thelast minute.

The West Las Vegas Charette will begin Dec. 12 at Doolittle Community Center, 1940 N. J Street, as local artists, art and architecture students, architects and community members participate in a 48-hour marathon work session, creating drawings and models illustrating possibilities for the revitalization of the West Las Vegas area. The final presentation of the West Las Vegas Charette will be at 2 p.m. Dec. 14 at the center.

To kick off the three days of activity at the center, the Arts Commission is sponsoring a poster contest. Open to all area public and private schools, the contest challenges students to create posters with the theme, "A Vision for the 21st Century: Take Pride in the Westside." U.S. Savings Bonds will be awarded to winning students at 1 p.m. Dec. 13.

A slide lecture and reception for artist Houston Conwill will precede the Charette, 5-7 p.m. Dec. 11, at the West Las Vegas Arts Center, 951 W. Lake Mead Blvd.

For further information, call Lisa Stamanis, 229-4631.