By VERNON ROBISON
Moapa Valley Progress
Enthusiasts of public art gathered in Overton last week for the official unveiling of three new art installations in two local public buildings.
Chief among these was a vibrant new mural now adorning the north wall of the meeting hall at the Overton Community Center. This huge 40 ft long by 12 ft high oil on canvas painting, entitled “Through the Muddy,” was created by Las Vegas-based artist Gig Depio in 2017. Depio recently installed the piece in the community center space.
Also being unveiled for the first time were two smaller works installed in the entry hall of the Clark County Recreation/Senior Center just east of the Community Center. These two included “Source” by Overton artist Joan Dey and “They Were Dauntless” by Heidi Leavitt of Alamo, NV.
The three works were the product of a broad search in 2017 for artworks specifically designed to enhance the local community center and to celebrate the Moapa Valley community’s culture and history through art. The project was funded by the Clark County Public Arts Plan, a program that has been funding public artworks since 2013.
Thirty-two artists applied to be considered for the project. Only Depio, Dey and Leavitt were chosen as finalists. Each finalist was paid to create a smaller prototype of their conception for the work. A panel of judges reviewed the prototypes and finally selected Depio’s work for the Community Center wall.
Wednesday’s event began at the Clark County Recreation/Senior Center with a reception attended by about 30 people. Refreshments were provided by the cafeteria staff at United Seniors, Inc.
The two prototypes that were runners-up in the contest were displayed beautifully in the entry hall space.
Clark County Parks and Recreation Cultural Supervisor Mickey Sprott explained that, because so many in the community had expressed a fondness for these two semifinalist works, the Public Art Office had found additional funding to acquire the prototype pieces and enter them into the county’s public art collection as well.
“All three of these artists worked so hard, and so beautifully captured the essence of what we were looking for, that we were glad to be able to secure these two pieces and display them in this space for the community to enjoy.”
Joan Day’s work, which hangs on the west wall of the entry hall, depicts a grand sweeping landscape of the entire Moapa Valley. “I tried to capture the central lifeblood of the valley being the Muddy River and the thin strip of lush green that it brings to the surrounding desert landscape,” Dey said. “Without it, none of us would be here.”
Leavitt’s piece is a series of vignettes highlighting people, from the history of Moapa Valley, who typify the defining characteristics and values of the community. Included are scenes depicting the valley’s rich native American heritage as well as the community’s pioneer foundations. Leavitt was not able to be present Wednesday for the unveiling reception.
Included with the exhibition of these two works is a special sign-in book which is available in the room. Sprott explained that the book provides empty pages where visitors can write their stories of how they came to reside in the Moapa Valley community.
“These stories can come from people who just moved here last year as well as people whose family have lived here for generations,” Sprott explained. “We are interested in where people came from and how they came to live here. It will become a kind of oral history of the area so that these stories are not forgotten.”
After the reception, the attendees walked across the street to the Overton Community Center for the unveiling and dedication of Depio’s work. This dramatic, large-scale, figurative composition depicts a myriad of regional historical forces that have shaped the Moapa Valley community.
Moapa Valley Town Advisory Board (MVTAB) Chairman Gene Houston read a brief dedicatory statement to open the board meeting.
“This original work of art, that tells the story of the region, will serve as a backdrop to the proceedings of all Moapa Valley Town Board meetings as well as many other activities that take place here in our community center,” Houston said.
Depio said that creating the artwork had been a fascinating journey into the history of a small town. He had prepared the work after reading and re-reading the large volume “Muddy Valley Reflections” by local authors Beezy Tobiasson and Georgia Hall. From it Depio had gleaned images and events that stood out as important to shaping the Moapa Valley community.
“I’d just like to thank the community for welcoming me and for welcoming this artwork which will be exhibited here for a long time to come,” Depio said.
