By Charlene Dean

Tecopa Hot Springs Resort is home to several other entities than the front office and lodging available. There is an art gallery, an outdoor stage, a four-star restaurant and it is the seat for the Death Valley Chamber of Commerce.
The area will host an event tomorrow and another in mid-February.
On tap tomorrow is an artists’ reception for a group show from the Tecopa Artist Group. The show, called “Desert Icons,” features works from Nancy Good, Mark Hamlin, Mary Burke King, Frank King, Lara Murray, Amy Noel and Skandar and Stephen Wells.
The artists’ displays include paintings, photography, sculpture and pottery. The show will be on display until March 14.
Pastel’s Bistro will be open for dinner and refreshments will be served during the reception.
Live music has been offered at the last three art events and this time is no different, other than the performer’s age.
Yestyn Griffith, a 15-year-old student, will be playing the ukelele. He said he’s been playing music in general for four years and the ukelele for two. He also plays the violin.
“I don’t sing though, I play every kind of music from classical and country to Queen.”
This isn’t Griffith’s first performance. Although he is from Henderson, he is a regular contributor to the open mic nights at Off 160 Coffee House, which seems to draw a number of both high school and college students as well as young professionals to the events.
Off 160 owner Irene Knapp recently added Tuesday evenings as open mic night, too.
Griffith has also played with a local-to-Tecopa group called Pablo Tecopa and the Dusty Butter Band.
Another event, which is ongoing when the weather permits, is night sky gazing, or star parties. Usually those events are scheduled to coincide with the Friday and Saturday nights closest to the new moon.
The Death Valley Chamber of Commerce will hold a Mardi Gras fundraiser Feb. 12 at the resort.
The party will feature authentic New Orleans cuisine like “mud bug etouffee,” cudites with alligator and pear dip or shrimp remoulade fromage la creme.
The menu includes other entrees, salads, desserts and beverages fitting the Mardi Gras theme.
Other fundraising activities include raffles of gift certificates from the resort, an assortment of Louisiana coffee samplers and southern gourmet food baskets. The grand prize is a round of golf at Furnace Creek.
Space for the Mardi Gras is limited. Tickets are $25. Call 760-852-4420 for reservations.

Special to the Pahrump Valley Times - Yestyn Griffith, a 15-year-old musician, will entertain visitors to the artists’ reception in Tecopa scheduled from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow. Yestyn has performed during open mic nights at Off 160 Coffee House and with Pablo Tecopa and the Dusty Butter Band in Tecopa.