Spring Valley Library art exhibit a bunch of garbage

Friday, May 10, 2002 | 8:38 a.m.

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Looking for some trashy art?

The "Trash or Treasure" exhibit, on display through June 4 at the Spring Valley Library, might be a good stopping point.

The library's Dana Marie Lull Gallery features the winning artwork from a valleywide competition that asked Southern Nevada residents to create art from recyclable material and found objects.

Artists used Styrofoam, wallpaper scraps, keys, water bottles and magazine clippings to create artwork -- dubbed "Water Smart Art" -- that would promote water conservation.

The competition was a collaboration of the International House of Blues Foundation and the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

"It is an incredible display of creativity on how you can recycle materials," Deborah Fackett, a Henderson resident who served as one of the judges, said.

Pieces include artist Mary Beth Butman's four-mask sculpture, created with telephone-book pages, 35-mm film canisters, disposable drinking cups and plastic water bottles. Butnam won first place in the Professional Artist category.

Artist Sylvia Bowman, who placed third in the Amateur Artist category, designed a wearable art necklace from leftover wallpaper scraps that were formed into beads, painted and then coated with clear acrylic paint.

Eloise Whritenour, a seventh grader at Knudsen Middle School, placed first in the Grades Six Through Eight category with a minimalist-style piece called "Water Works."

The piece is an assemblage of white rings tightly fitted onto a black background. The rings represent pipes through which water runs and were made from Styrofoam cups.

The competition was open to anyone. Participants were sought in January through notices included in water bills, posters hung in libraries and through the Clark County School District.

To introduce the program Mr. Imagination, a folk artist from Chicago who is known for his structural displays and bottle-cap art, led a workshop in February at Wasden Elementary School. Imagination's work is featured at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay.

The 41 entries included works by professional and amateur artists, teachers and area students. Categories included Professional Artists, Amateur Artists, Educator, Grades Kindergarten Through Second, Third Grade Through Fifth Grade and Sixth Grade Through Eighth Grade.

The work was on display at Meadows mall for one week during April. Winners were announced and the work was shown April 13 at an Earth Day festival at Mission Hills Park in Henderson.

"We're very happy with the exposure we got," said Caryle Hepker, an employee with the Southern Nevada Water Authority who served on the "Water Smart Art" committee.

Hepker, a retired art teacher, contributed to the exhibit a piece titled "Water Planet." It is a photo montage of water images clipped from magazines and folded into origami boxes.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority was formed in 1991 to address the area's unique water resources. Its member agencies include the cities of Henderson, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Boulder City and Big Bend Water District in Laughlin and Las Vegas Valley Water District.

"Water Smart Art" was the first project of its kind sponsored by the authority. Representatives are considering whether to make it an annual event, Hepker said.

Kim Russell, program director for the International House of Blues Foundation, said the project fits well with the mission of the foundation, which works to promote cultural understanding through music and art. Its programs explore blues music and folk art.

"The whole principle of folk art is that it is made from found and inexpensive objects," Russell said.

Fackett said of the project: "It gives everybody an appreciation of what you can do in a community effort, especially in Nevada where water is at a premium."