Art Exhibits on Display Feb. 10–March 13, 2025
Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) art galleries are exhibiting four new exhibitions. The exhibitions consist of two individual local artists and two group shows. The exhibitions run Monday, Feb. 10–Thursday, Mar. 13, at four locations on the Dandini Campus. There will be an opening artists’ reception and artist’s talk by Rachel Stiff by our Main Gallery exhibitor on Wednesday, Feb. 12, from 5–7 p.m. at the V. James Eardley Student Center and Red Mountain Gallery on the 3rd floor in the Red Mountain Building on the Dandini Campus. Refreshments will be available, and exhibitions are made free and open to the public.
TMCC Main Gallery: Arid, Infinite, Above by Rachel Stiff
In this body of work, Rachel Stiff examines the intricate relationship between time, space, and the ever-shifting landscapes of northern Nevada, with a particular focus on the immense skies above and the arid land beneath her feet. She is drawn to the contradictory qualities of this region. The way an open desert feels at once timeless and in constant flux. Through walks and runs and slow rambles across the Washoe Valley and her surrounding home range, she is immersed in cycles of light, color, and texture that transform the land with each passing hour, season, and year. Repetition and physical engagement with the landscape are essential to her artistic process in order to witness subtle transitions in the environment. Rachel Stiff is a painter and art educator based in Carson City, Nevada. She was born into a small ranching community in rural Montana where she grew up. Stiff holds an MFA from the University of Arizona in Tucson (2012) and a BFA from the University of Montana in Missoula (2009). Her work has been shown throughout the West and acquired by the Emmy award winning studio, Traktor Films of Santa Monica, CA. In 2013, Stiff was selected by RAID Projects for a three-month artist residency in downtown Los Angeles. After living and working in the city intermittently for two years, Stiff moved to Nevada to work at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, her work can be found in the permanent collection of the Marjorie Barrick Museum. Stiff was a featured artist in the exhibition 'Tilting the Basin', shown by the Nevada Museum Art in Reno and Las Vegas. In 2017, a series of Stiff's paintings were included in "The Nuclear Landscape” exhibition, in conjunction with the NV STEAM Conference at the Nevada Museum of Art. In 2023, Stiff was the recipient of the Regents' Award in Creative Activities which celebrates significant accomplishments that bring recognition as well as international stature to the Nevada System of Higher Education. Identifying as a true Westerner, her work examines the construction of the modern landscape and desert-urban interface through abstraction.
Red Mountain Gallery: The Artwork of Clayton Middle School organized by Delphina Martinez
This exhibition showcases the remarkable creativity and talent of sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade students. Featuring a vibrant array of drawings and paintings, the exhibition is a testament to the artistic potential of young minds when given the opportunity to express themselves freely. Students were selected for this exhibition based on a combination of their talent, creativity, effort, and attitude. These qualities not only reflect their skill as emerging artists but also their dedication and passion for exploring the world through art. By granting these students the freedom to choose their medium, subject, and format, the show offers an authentic glimpse into the unique perspectives and artistic voices of the Clayton Middle School community.
The works on display reflect the diversity of personalities, interests, cultures, and influences that shape the students' creative expressions. From vibrant paintings that celebrate their heritage to imaginative drawings that explore fantastical worlds, the exhibition encapsulates a rich tapestry of stories, emotions, and ideas. Each piece serves as a window into the artist's individual journey, offering a glimpse of their creativity and aspirations. Through this exhibition, Clayton Middle School demonstrates its commitment to fostering a supportive environment where students can explore their artistic potential. By empowering these young artists to experiment and take risks, the school encourages them to develop confidence in their abilities and to appreciate the value of artistic expression as a tool for self-discovery and communication.
Erik Lauritzen Gallery: Printmakers’ Conspiracy: Building Community Through Printmaking organized by Candace Garlock
Printmakers’ Conspiracy is a dynamic group dedicated to cultivating a thriving printmaking community in Reno and its surrounding areas. Our mission is to foster meaningful connections among artists of all skill levels who are passionate about this versatile and expressive medium. By creating opportunities for collaboration, dialogue, and creative exchange, we aim to enrich the regional art scene and elevate the practice of printmaking. Our activities include conversations, informal get-togethers, workshops, and curated exhibitions designed to celebrate the diversity and innovation within printmaking. Each event is an opportunity for members to share techniques, inspire one another, and grow both individually and collectively as artists. For this challenge, we invited members to explore the captivating process of monotype printmaking using a gelatin matrix. This approach offers a unique combination of spontaneity and control, allowing for the creation of richly textured, one-of-a-kind prints. While gelatin-based printmaking formed the foundation of this challenge, participants were encouraged to incorporate other media to expand their creative possibilities, layering diverse techniques and materials to produce dynamic works of art. This challenge brought together an impressive roster of talented artists, each contributing their unique perspective to the project: Austin Pratt, Candace Garlock, Carol-Ann Ricketts, Haley Deiro, Elaine Parks, Lynn Schmidt, Nolan Preece, Rebecca Eckland, Tina Drakulich, Tom Gilbertson Through their work, these artists demonstrated the extraordinary potential of gelatin monotype techniques, showcasing a vibrant array of textures, forms, and conceptual explorations. The resulting pieces not only highlight individual creativity but also underscore the collective spirit and artistic camaraderie that defines Printmakers’ Conspiracy. As we continue to grow, we look forward to building new connections, pushing creative boundaries, and inspiring a deeper appreciation for the art of printmaking in our community
Red Mountain Student Gallery: In Search of Light by Anthony Jacks
In Search of Light explores the concept of transition—those moments where change is subtle, yet profound. Through long-exposure photography, light painting, and multiple layers, Jacks creates images that capture the feeling of moving between worlds, where time distorts and space seems to shift. This series is about the spaces in-between, where transformation happens, and the boundaries of reality are blurred. Each piece in this series is an experiment in distortion, where light becomes both the tool and the subject, creating motion and mystery. The goal is to transport you into liminal spaces—the strange, in-between places where time stretches out, light twists, and things are not quite what they seem. By layering exposures, Jacks add depth to the scene, making these images feel like snapshots of moments just before they slip into another dimension. The title In Search of Light is not just a literal pursuit of brightness, but a metaphor for seeking the unseen, the unexplored, and the fleeting. It’s about those moments when time warps, when reality is just a little bit off, and when curiosity pulls you toward something new and mysterious.
