By Becky Bosshart (contact)

Mon, Jan 12, 2009 (12:56 p.m.)

Every artist remembers his or her first sale and the joy that comes with holding a few crisp greenbacks, which can represent financial stability — or the false hope of it.

For amateur artist Raquel De Forest, that first financial transaction hasn't come. She's hoping it will at her first gallery exhibit, today through Feb. 11 at the Henderson Multigenerational Center.

"This is where my heart lies," she said, while sitting beside her giant sketchbook tied with a ribbon. "And now it's going to be recognized. I would get into this full time if I could."

But De Forest isn't leaving her day job as a teacher to pursue this creative endeavor — at least not yet.

De Forest's creative process often begins in front of the TV, with a packet of Sharpie permanent markers in various colors and her sketchbook. Her creations are eye-popping, 3-D drawings. It's hard to picture it, but when De Forest draws an angular starfish exploding in color, she is relieving stress.

She waited for a year-and-a-half for the chance to show at the city gallery, she said.

"Her work is bright, fun, colorful and I think it will be a popular show, particularly with families and kids," said Patty Dominguez, program specialist for the department of cultural arts and tourism. "Raquel (De Forest) works with children, and her artwork shows her enthusiasm and love for children."

De Forest cites her favorite project as a tattoo, a Winnie the Pooh Heffalump she designed for a friend. The Heffalump is surrounded by butterflies and flowers.

"I saw that my signature was on the bottom of it and I thought, 'Oh my lord, my name is a tattoo on a woman's thigh!" De Forest said.

She would like to get more into tattoo design — which might be a surprise given her background. The 35-year-old early childhood professional earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She graduated from Valley High School in 1992.

Her work for the Multigenerational Center exhibit has as its centerpiece "New Glory," with the stars and bars of the American flag erupting into flames that race off the page. The gallery chose this as the centerpiece because of the Jan. 20 inauguration. De Forest drew the 9-by-12-inch ink as a Sept. 11 art project with students. It is $50.

Other pieces include "Stress Management," which might evoke the tension with its sharp colors and crowded design, rather than manage it, and "Under the Sea," a trip into a geometric coral paradise. Her 12 pieces at the gallery are priced from $50 to $300.

Becky Bosshart can be reached at 990-7748 or becky.bosshart@hbcpub.com.