Lack of participation in art shows disturbing to PAC members

Attendance at the local art shows and artists’ receptions is causing concern among some of the Pahrump Art Council members who create fine art.

Lloyd Martin and LuLu Brymer sat down with the Pahrump Valley Times Monday to talk about their combined art show hung at the Pahrump Community Library and to invite the public to come for the reception set from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. today.

Martin has been very active with PAC. He said, “I teach watercolor, acrylic and drawing classes for the summer youth art camps and if there’s a picture hanging anywhere in the number of galleries where PAC members display their art, you can bet I was there.”

Martin, who has been painting since he was in high school, also teaches those same types of classes to adults at the Pahrump Art Gallery on East Street during the year. He has been creating artworks for 40 years.

Although he’s had no college art instruction, he said, “I’ve taken various types of workshops over the years. I never had a desire to do anything but create good art.

“I’ve won lots of ribbons and awards and my artwork is all over the world.” He said the exposure has come from juried art shows in places like Valley of Fire in Arizona where visitors from other countries have purchased his pieces to take home.

He is on the board of the Spring Mountain Art Guild, a liaison for the Pahrump Art Guild and chairman of the Pahrump Art Gallery. His artworks sell for between $100 and $200 locally but he said when he participates in large art shows, as he will in Death Valley at the 49ers encampment this year, the prices go up.

“It’s a lot of work. You have to be on site for all four days. You not only take pieces you have for sale, but are expected to work while your booth space is open.”

Martin said he’s taking some time off, but will be teaching two classes on beginning clay sculpture in October.

Brymer said her talent comes naturally. “Everyone in my family is an artist of some form.” Brymer said she had an uncle who worked with famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

Brymer works with acrylics and pastels and not only produces art on canvas, but has been known to paint acrylic murals on the walls of local homes. Her commission work began years ago as a sign painter for bike festivals. “Word-of-mouth advertising had me traveling all over the country to design signage and I was participating in 52 shows a year.” I’ve exhibited in some very prestigious shows in Los Angeles, Atlantic City, Daytona Beach and other places.

Brymer said she enjoyed designing floats for the Tournament of Roses Parade held in Pasadena, Calif. every year. “I think of all the things I’ve done, that was the most fun. I did it for five years.

Locally, Brymer has served on the PAC board as director of fundraising and has been instrumental in organizing the annual Art &Sol Show.

She participated in the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Master Gardener’s “Art in the Garden,” which was held three weeks ago.

Her pieces, she said, depend on the size. “I’ve been known to create mostly large canvases.” Her art sells for between $100 and $500.

Both Martin and Brymer agree that something needs to change. “We need to do more advertising and while word-of-mouth does get some people coming to our shows, it’s not enough,” Brymer said.