People in the Arts

Bassist Paul Firak of the Las Vegas Philharmonic has experienced many sides of the local music scene

Late bloomer finds home on bass: Tuesday, December 1, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Karen McKenney watches a rehearsal Thursday of a production of

Rainbow Company director like a theater mom: Tuesday, November 24, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Artist Sean Russell starts working in his studio at about 4 or 5 a.m. and paints while listening to

A painter who explores nationalist symbols: Tuesday, November 17, 2009; People in the Arts: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; Sean Russell is known mostly for his large-scale paintings and public art projects.

Artist Noelle Garcia likes to work from old family photos, including those taken during visits to se

Noelle Garcia, visual artist: Art without faces: Tuesday, November 10, 2009; People in the Arts: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; In her studio Garcia has a handful of decaying photos, Polaroids taken in the prison yard for $1 when she was a child and would go to visit her father.

Jeremy Bannon-Neches, a dancer for the Nevada Ballet Theatre, pushes himself hard because, he says,

Local man has the instinct to dance: Tuesday, November 3, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Mundo Juillerat: 'Life in pursuit of guitar solos': Tuesday, October 27, 2009; People in the Arts: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; Juillerat started out playing ukulele in Hawaii and became a “shredder” — a rock guitarist who plays fast — in various bands and production shows.

Janis McKay: Spotlight on the bassoon: Tuesday, October 20, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; “Composers have started writing music without bassoon because there are not very many of us. That concerns me."

Todd VonBastiaans, sitting in his gallery/lighting business, is exhibiting this month the work of La

King of all things vintage, kitschy and camp: Tuesday, October 13, 2009; People in the Arts: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; The November exhibit at his new gallery, Alios, at 1217 S. Main St., which also houses his business, coincides with the Vegas Valley Book Festival and features the work of Las Vegas artists who created “Drunk, a Comic About Bar Stories.”

Rodolfo Fernandez had little conducting experience when he formed the Nevada Chamber Symphony in 198

Chamber music man anchored in Las Vegas: Tuesday, October 6, 2009; People in the Arts: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; Born in Valdivia, Chile, Fernandez grew up listening to classical music on the radio and Victrola

Vikki Baltimore-Dale, a UNLV dance instructor and choreographer, has collected many pieces of art fr

Vikki Baltimore-Dale: The continuum of her life: Tuesday, September 29, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Bernard Gaddis founded the Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater and serves as its artistic director.

Won over by 'Zumanity,' now here to stay: Tuesday, September 22, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Classical guitarist Ricardo Cobo plays at his home in Summerlin with his dog, Olli, at his feet. Cob

Ricardo Cobo: 'Guitar was bewitching': Tuesday, September 15, 2009; People in the Arts: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; Cobo debuted at 17 with the Orquesta Filarmonica de Bogota, then went on to become an award-winning, internationally known classical guitarist. He toured nonstop, sometimes performing as many as 130 concerts a year — solo and with orchestras.

Religious iconography is an important element of the work of artist Montana Black, who places God or

Montana Black: Religious iconography plays a large role in work: Tuesday, September 8, 2009; People in the Arts: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; Early works included diners portrayed as holy places and triptychs of condiments and other diner ephemera — a coffee cup flanked by squeezable ketchup and mustard containers. Subjects in her figurative works are often surrounded by a glow or halo.

Candy Schneider, shown in a mock-up of a Smith Center theater box, heads the center's education and

Passionate about art education: Tuesday, September 1, 2009; People in the Arts: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; Before joining the Smith Center three years ago Schneider spent 31 years connecting youth with the arts in the Clark County School District.

Local artist Amy Sol inside her home studio in Henderson Friday, Aug. 4, 2009.

Artist Amy Sol: Experimenting with paint: Tuesday, August 18, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley: Sol’s work is impeccably clean, lyrical and illustrative. She merges manga, Japanese screen prints, children’s illustration and pure fantasy in finely detailed, imaginative landscapes, vignettes and portraits.

In a new suit, artist Jerry Misko poses in front a painting for his new show,

Artist capturing the look of a Vegas night: Friday, August 14, 2009; ART: Bright lights and neon are dominant in native Las Vegan’s vibrant works; By Kristen Peterson; Artist Jerry Misko sits on the back of a 1970s gray velour coach in his home studio — an annex off his living room. A laptop is open in front of him.

Artist Danielle Kelley poses in her garage studio on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009 in Las Vegas.

Artist Danielle Kelly: Like Vegas, always evolving: Tuesday, August 11, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people in the Las Vegas Valley

Michael Soli heads a solo acoustic series at the House of Blues.

Singer-songwriter: 'It’s not overwhelming. It’s inviting.': Tuesday, August 4, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Ernie Curcio, who has written more than a dozen plays, makes his home in the Katherine Gianaclis Par

Playwright: 'Everything I do comes back to this': Tuesday, July 28, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Bernice Fischer once said she would never live in Las Vegas. She moved here in 1973 and praises the

Bernice Fischer, arts patron: Tuesday, July 21, 2009; People in the Arts: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; Born in Brownsville, Texas, Fischer had little exposure to the arts. While in college she attended her first important concert: Brazilian opera singer Bidu Sayao and Spanish pianist Jose Iturbi.

Vicki Richardson, artist and owner of the Left of Center Gallery and studio, poses in the gallery in

Artist Vicki Richardson: Multiculturalism, front and center: Tuesday, July 14, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people in the Las Vegas Valley

Violin maker Kevin Cardiff, shown in is home workshop, first took an instrument apart, secretly, whe

Kevin Cardiff, violin maker, repairman and restorer: Tuesday, July 7, 2009; People in the Arts: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; Cardiff played 12 years in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as assistant principal violin. He knew as a child that he wanted a career as a violinist.

Shakeh Ghoukasian is dean of the Nevada School of the Arts and a Las Vegas Philharmonic violinist.

People in the Arts: Shakeh Ghoukasian: Tuesday, June 30, 2009; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; As a child, Ghoukasian was immersed in government-sponsored culture — ballet, opera, philharmonic. She attended music school until her family left Armenia in 1979 for Los Angeles.

Jazz legend Jimmy Wilkins in his Las Vegas home Friday, June 19, 2009.

Going for 100: Tuesday, June 23, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS: Conductor has no plans to retire at premature age of 88; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Toni Basil poses during The Showgirl Must Go On VIP red carpet event after Bette Midler's show outsi

"Mickey" songstress keeps close Vegas ties: Thursday, June 18, 2009; Music:; By Sarah Feldberg; Twenty-seven years after Toni Basil’s chant-song “Mickey” reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts, the homegrown Las Vegan still has the red, white and blue cheerleader’s uniform she wore in the iconic music video. “The Hard Rock Cafe asked for my cheerleader sweater, but I’m not ready to give it up yet,” says Basil, and she’s not just holding onto it because she likes the cut of the skirt.

Justin Favela says his art is influenced by

Artist Justin Favela: Tuesday, June 16, 2009; People in the Arts: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; Family, culture and television play out heavily in Favela’s art. His father is from Mexico, his mother from Guatemala.

Local saxophonist Phil Wigfall, who plays with the Nevada Jazz Orchestra, the Fat City Horns and Bet

Saxophonist interested in more than music: Tuesday, June 9, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; Phil Wigfall grew up on Nellis Air Force Base in a home filled with music — Motown, Charlie Parker, Dave Brubeck and the like. Wigfall zeroed in on the saxophone, first enamored of its beauty, then taken in by its sound.

Dancer-choreographer Kelly Roth is shown in a dance studio at the College of Southern Nevada, where

Preserving dance, one student at a time: Tuesday, June 2, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; Kelly Roth heads the College of Southern Nevada’s dance program. He is artistic director of Kelly Roth & Dancers and director of Dance in the Desert, an annual dance festival in Las Vegas.

Artist Biscuit Street Preacher of Boulder City looks at his painting

Biscuit Street Preacher: Tuesday, May 26, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; Appliance yards, industrial offices and factories are prevalent in Biscuit Street Preacher’s narrative paintings.

When he's not driving a taxi, Angel Gadzhev plays Bulgarian folk music on the gadulka. Those riding

Bulgarian cab driver has a special gadulka song for you: Tuesday, May 19, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; Bulgarian folk music was on the radio and in the streets from morning to night when Angel Gadzhev was growing up in Rakovski, a small town near Plovdiv in southern Bulgaria.

Pete Contino: Blues accordionist is a travelin' man

Pete Contino: Blues accordionist is a travelin' man: Tuesday, May 5, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; Pete Contino likes to be on the road, sleeping past noon in a room blacked out by curtains, the air conditioning blasting and no alarm clock in sight.

Jerry Schefcik, director of Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery at UNLV, says what he likes best about his j

Jerry Schefcik, director of Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery: Tuesday, April 28, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; "I get emotional about the artists. They’re here for a purpose, to do something, get a degree, find out who they are. I see myself in support of them, of service to them."

JW Caldwell's art is displayed at the Trifecta Gallery in the Arts Factory at Charleston and Casino

JW Caldwell, artist and preparator: Wednesday, April 22, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Artist Elizabeth Blau, a Las Vegas native, works in the Commerce Street Studios. Below are some of t

People in the arts: Elizabeth Blau: Tuesday, April 14, 2009; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; Home and a sense of loss are themes in Blau’s recent work. She merges abstract and figurative styles, resulting in works that are contemplative and almost poetic.

De Ann Letourneau, the concertmaster (top violinist) for the Las Vegas Philharmonic, is a mother of

De Ann Letourneau, concertmaster for the Las Vegas Philharmonic: Tuesday, April 7, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Aaron Sheppard, a Master of Fine Arts candidate at UNLV, would

Artist Aaron Sheppard 'struck over the head by something heavenly that fell to earth.': Tuesday, March 31, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley. Aaron Sheppard is a Nebraska born-and-raised artist who embodies remnants from his various lifestyles — construction worker, art student, drag performer (Barbie Q), rocker.

Myron Martin is undeterred by criticism of plans to build the Smith Center for Performing Arts.

Myron Martin, president of the LV Performing Arts Center Foundation: Tuesday, March 24, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; Myron Martin, president of the Las Vegas Performing Arts Center Foundation, in a weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Oscar Carrescia opened his shop, Carrescia's Violin House on Vegas Valley Drive, in 1977. He trains

Oscar Carrescia, musician, owner of Carrescia's Violin House: Tuesday, March 17, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Marty Walsh's Trifecta Gallery in the Arts Factory is showing the work of Glenn Fry.

Marty Walsh, artist and owner of Trifecta Gallery: Monday, March 9, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Miguel Rodriguez is seen with part of his exhibit,

Sculptor Miguel Rodriguez: Monday, February 23, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Masha Pisarenko began playing the piano at age 5 in a small town in Siberia. She performed extensive

Masha Pisarenko: Monday, February 16, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; Masha Pisarenko, pianist: A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Angela Kallus calls her acrylic-on-canvas-on-panel circular works

People in the Arts: Angela Kallus: Monday, February 9, 2009; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; Kallus, a natural wordsmith with a penchant for design, social commentary and wit, is not one to expound on herself or her art.

Chuck Jackson, music director of the Las Vegas Youth Philharmonic and director of orchestras at Silv

Meet Chuck Jackson: music director, reformed tuba player: Monday, February 2, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS: One of our weekly snapshots of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley; By Kristen Peterson; Between Silverado High School and the Las Vegas Youth Philharmonic, Chuck Jackson works with about 180 students a week. “As much as I loved playing the tuba, the greatest joy is walking into school every day and to rehearsals."

Writer and performer Kim Russell has earned an MBA, which she says helps her see the bigger picture

People in the arts: Kim Russell, arts advocate: Monday, January 26, 2009; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Rachel Julian started playing the snare drum in sixth grade band. She added instruments and went on

The 'music thing' trumps the 'practical thing': Monday, January 19, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Diane Bush holds a work that was created when she held a public

"The arts will mature because the city is going to mature.": Monday, January 12, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Tattoo artist, painter, writer and musician Dirk Vermin owns Pussykat Tattoo at Maryland and Tropica

“The only thing I have going for me is that I don’t sleep anymore”: Monday, January 5, 2009; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Pianist Philip Fortenberry performs last week at the Liberace Museum. Fortenberry is assistant condu

Like listening to Liberace: Monday, December 22, 2008; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Beth Lano was in junior high school when she first played the French horn. She says she learned a lo

"You can be doing the opera one day and Metallica the next": Monday, December 8, 2008; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Kyudong Kwak, former principal dancer with Nevada Ballet Theatre, will open his own dance company in

Bold dance step: Monday, December 1, 2008; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Robert Dorgan looks out over a wooden model of downtown Las Vegas at the Downtown Design Center, a c

“You can’t travel across the country in style without a piano.”: Monday, November 24, 2008; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Cynthia Vodovoz plays the neurotic Franz Kafka in

“I want to stir people up. I want to be stirred.": Monday, November 17, 2008; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Artist Daniel Samaniego sits in front of his drawing

"You feel like you have a license to do whatever you want here": Monday, November 10, 2008; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Wes Myles says he would like to see the First Friday events, sponsored by the nonprofit group Whirly

Wes Myles, father of downtown Vegas art: Monday, October 27, 2008; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Doug Peterson, 82, retired from UNLV in 2003. As choral conductor of the Southern Nevada Musical Art

Doug Peterson: "My church is probably on the concert stage": Monday, October 20, 2008; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

UNLV oboe professor Stephen Caplan says he doesn't bother playing the gaming tables here

STEPHEN CAPLAN: Monday, October 13, 2008; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Artist Catherine Borg is lit by a projection of her digital video installation

Catherine Borg: Monday, October 6, 2008; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Dancer and choreographer Louis Kavouras, chairman of UNLV's dance department, delights in Las Vegas,

LOUIS KAVOURAS: Monday, September 29, 2008; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Local DJ Ginger Bruner started playing the tuba in sixth grade and holds a bachelor's degree in the

GINGER BRUNER: Monday, September 22, 2008; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Artist and UNLV adjunct professor Mark Brandvik relaxes at home.

MARK BRANDVIK: Monday, September 15, 2008; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Yoomi Lee, a principal dancer for the Nevada Ballet Theatre from Korea, likes the audiences in Las V

YOOMI LEE: Monday, September 8, 2008; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley

Alexander Viazovtsev, trained in music in Russia and the United States, uses his apartment living ro

Alexander Viazovtsev: Monday, September 1, 2008; PEOPLE IN THE ARTS:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Artist Erin Stellmon says her work as an artist deals with the transient nature of Las Vegas. That's

Erin Stellmon: Monday, August 25, 2008; IN THE STUDIO:; By Kristen Peterson; A weekly snapshot of creative people living in the Las Vegas Valley.

Like Rockwell, with a twist: Monday, August 4, 2008; Expatriate Vegas artist’s work raises questions about what’s real and what’s ideal; By Kristen Peterson; Casey Weldon is a storyteller whose twists on Americana break apart Rockwellian idealism to reveal the cleverly portrayed drama of reality.