At age 3, First Friday shows signs of growth

By Kristen Peterson (contact)

Friday, Oct. 7, 2005 | 7:14 a.m.

Three years ago few would have imagined that First Friday, a monthly art event started as a grass-roots effort by galleries and businesses in the downtown Arts District, would see so much success.

Founder Cindy Funkhouser, owner of the Funk House at Colorado Avenue and Casino Center Boulevard, certainly had no idea -- even when 300 visitors turned out for the first event.

"I still stand there every night in awe as people pour down the street," Funkhouser said about the event on the first Friday of each month. "We're drawing 8,000 to 10,000 people a month."

To celebrate the third anniversary, today's highlights include two performances of "Joplin!" at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. by Nevada Ballet Theatre on an outdoor stage at Boulder Avenue and First Street. The performance is held in conjunction with the launch of 18b, the official new term and logo for Las Vegas Arts District.

Also planned is strolling performance art by balloon sculptor Jason Hackenwerth, whose contemporary large-scale latex installations, reminiscent of sea creatures, have been displayed internationally.

"I've seen him in New York, L.A and Miami, and I've been trying to get him to come out for the past year and a half," Funkhouser said, adding that Hackenwerth will don a costume of balloons for his performance-art piece.

Downtown galleries, boutiques, antique stores, studios and restaurants will be open as usual for a sampling of highbrow and lowbrow art, street performers, poets and jewelry makers.

Godt-Cleary Projects on Main Street will exhibit works by Raymond Pettibon, whose text and drawings referencing pop culture follow his earlier works centered on Los Angeles' punk scene (such as Black Flag and Sonic Youth); Ken Price, a contemporary Los Angeles artist known for his painted-clay blob sculptures and whimsical prints and drawings on seascapes and landscapes; and the cartoonlike/poster paintings by New York City artist John Wesley.

Down the street, S2 Art will open a monthlong exhibit "50 Years of Fabulous Neon," a display of photographic works capturing five decades of neon in Las Vegas. The then-operating signs were photographed over a 35-year period by W.R. Hannapple.

"It's a comprehensive survey of our indigenous art form, which, of course, is neon," Jack Solomon, S2 Art owner, said. "There are a lot of historic pieces from old Las Vegas ... right up to the Wynn. There are a lot of signs that are long gone."

Second Saturday

The Cultural Corridor on Las Vegas Boulevard North will celebrate Second Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with participating museums offering free admission for children (ages vary at different museums) when accompanied by a paying adult. Sites include Las Vegas Natural History Museum, Lied Discovery Children's Museum, Neon Museum Boneyard, Old Mormon Fort State Park and Reed Whipple Cultural Center.

Regional arts

Across town at the West Sahara Library, the Las Vegas Art Museum, which is exhibiting "More: Michael Reafsnyder, Painting and Sculpture 2002-2004," through Dec. 31, will open its 54th annual "Regional Fall Art Roundup." The juried exhibit features 125 works submitted by 90 local and regional artists and opens with a 6:30 p.m. reception Sunday.

Kristen Peterson can be reached at 259-2317 or kristen@lasvegassun.com.