In Las Vegas, artistic inspiration is everywhere you look. From its natural desert beauty to architectural masterpieces, the destination is filled with attractions that have fueled a vibrant arts and culture scene.

“Las Vegas is one of the most dynamic and creative places on Earth,” says Brian “Paco” Alvarez, a local curator who has spent his life and career working in the Las Vegas art scene. “We have the good fortune to have built some of the most iconic buildings in the world, which is a testament to our commitment to creativity as a way to attract global attention.”

The excitement generated by Las Vegas is a palette for artists to provoke their creative expressions and has led to unique works that can be found throughout the city. Alvarez is one of many local artists who have taken it to new heights.

 

“I have curated dozens of spectacular murals and projects across Las Vegas and around the U.S. I have also curated important projects for the Liberace Museum, The Neon Museum, Nevada State Museum, the City of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs, and the Clark County Public Arts Office, to name a few.”

Downtown Las Vegas, Chinatown and the Arts District

Alvarez cited his current work with Gear Duran, whom he considers to be “without a doubt, in the top 100 most important muralists in the United States.” Several of his murals adorn buildings and walls in Downtown Las Vegas and Chinatown, including “Spirit of Nevada” and “Vegas Rising.”

The downtown area is home to several huge murals and museums and is the epicenter of the local arts and culture scene – the Las Vegas Arts District.

When planning a visit to Las Vegas, carve out a spot in your itinerary to tour the Arts District. Whether you’re an art aficionado or not, it’s an area worth exploring, along with the many downtown murals that make for great photo ops.

“By far the best place to see local art in Las Vegas is the 18b Arts District. Especially the Recycled Propaganda art gallery and the new MAD Gallery,” Alvarez said.

Known locally as “18b,” this 18-block area, filled with studios, art galleries, antique shops, theaters, restaurants, clothing stores and other businesses, has been a longtime favorite gathering area for artists and visitors alike.

“I enjoy browsing local galleries in the Arts District,” said Joyce Guerrero, who moved to Las Vegas 20 years ago from San Francisco. Guerrero loves working with digital and traditional mediums, specifically with inks and acrylic paint, to illustrate dark surrealism themes involving portraits, emotions and sea life.

The Arts District is well known for its First Friday events at the beginning of each month to support these local artists. But Guerrero has advice for anyone who wants to get the jump on it.

“My favorite time to visit is the evening before First Friday, known as “Preview Thursday.” Galleries are usually open during this time and since there is less of a crowd, I have a better opportunity to speak with artists and gallery owners to learn more about the work,” she said.

Las Vegas native Eric Vozzola, a full-time large-scale muralist, added, “Any of the galleries downtown usually hit the mark with local artists and are a great source to view the art, and I particularly enjoy the spaces inside Art Square, like the Nevada Humanities gallery.”

Canvassing Campuses

For more examples of the budding art scene in Las Vegas, Vozzola suggests visiting the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

“Some of my other all-time favorite places to view art have been, of course, the UNLV galleries
(Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery and Archie C. Grant Hall), the Winchester Dondero Cultural Center gallery, and any of the library galleries around town that have always been highly curated by Darren Johnson,” he said.

Alina Lindquist moved to Las Vegas to attend UNLV. She uses oil and gouache paint and works on location outdoors, with her focus on the Mojave Desert. She also enjoys viewing the university’s art galleries.

“The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art on UNLV’s campus always has very well-curated shows,” says Lindquist. “Also, check out some of the Clark County Libraries galleries. They have rotating exhibits, often from local artists, so there’s always something to see.”

UNLV is also where local artist Mary Caroline Felker studied and earned an art education degree. She has been teaching art for the past decade along with painting custom murals and illustrations on and off the Las Vegas Strip, with a focus on nature.

Desert Art Blossoms

“Fifteen years ago, I moved to Vegas for a job,” Felker said. “I have stayed in Vegas for that long because, since that 19-year-old woman moved here, I have fallen in love with the art scene and mountains surrounding Vegas. My main focus has been and always will be the nature surrounding Las Vegas. I love the blooming cactuses and wildflowers that you find in the springtime.”

The desert landscape is a common source of inspiration for Las Vegas artists.

For Vozzola, the surroundings “heavily inspire my art, as most of my works contain some sort of mountain landscape and/or desert plant, wildlife, or some nod to the beautiful environment around our home.”

Lindquist agrees.

“One of the coolest things about Vegas is its proximity to some of the most beautiful desert landscapes. To name a few, you have Red Rock Canyon to the west; Mount Charleston, Corn Creek, Valley of Fire to the north; Wetlands Park, Lake Mead, Avi Kwa Ame National Monument, Sloan Canyon to the south; and not to forget the Springs Preserve right in the middle of the city. There’s always more to see in the surrounding desert,” she said.

Cultural Flavors

Where do these local artists go to fuel their passions? Some of their top choices:

New and Still Growing

As the arts and culture scene continues to evolve here, artists are continually encouraged by the increasing art community.

“Aside from it being a city with various cultures and perspectives, Las Vegas is a relatively new city compared to the rest of the world,” Guerrero says. “Because of this, the art scene has come to grow alongside the development of the city itself. This is a unique experience as we can see the development of the Las Vegas city culture through the art scene as it unfolds.”

Lindquist adds, “It’s a growing scene; you are continually meeting new people and being exposed to new ideas. Vegas is neat in terms of how diverse the community is. People come from all walks of life, and being able to share and engage with the art community is rewarding.”

Pay a visit to these galleries and exhibits during your next trip to Las Vegas and see these stunning pieces of expression for yourself! While you’re here, be sure to try these experiences in Downtown Las Vegas, and everything else that’s new in this ever-evolving destination.