First senior center art show creates interest in more

The lobby of the Douglas County Senior Center had a new appearance Wednesday as nine Carson Valley artists transformed the entry room into an art gallery for three hours.

The first-time event, organized under the guidance of art show chairman, Janice Frost and sponsored by the Young At Heart Senior Citizens Club, was a fundraiser for the senior center. Frost, who's very involved in YAH and the senior center, is also a local artist and member of the Carson Valley Art Association. Funds were raised from a silent auction of three donated pieces of art and a 15 percent commission on art sales.

"We had a lot of interest in this show," Frost said. "We sold some work and the silent auction did really well too."

Local artist J. Ramanko donated three of his paintings for the silent auction. Bidding was competitive and at the end of the show, Linda Skaggs, Paul Lockwood and Joan Cummings emerged the lucky winners of the three paintings.

The participating artists were Cummings, Ramanko, Lois Frazee, Jean Kwandros, Linda Townsend and Lada Trimble, who offers regular watercolor classes at the senior center once a month, as well as Melissa Warren, who will be offering art classes at the center twice a month.

Warren's work is shown at the Gallery Noir located in the Mount Bleu Casino at Stateline. Warren and her family moved to the Valley one year ago. She decided to become active at the center when her two sons were both in school.

"I'm a stay-at-home mom but now that both of my kids are in school I can get involved in art again," Warren said.

Always deeply immersed in the art world, Warren has been an art teacher at Berkeley High School in the Bay Area, a camp counselor at Mt. Tamalpias, Marin County, provided a program called Art for Recovery to cancer patients at Mt. Zion Hospital and when her children were smaller she provided "mommy and me" art classes through her business, Scribbles LLC.

"I use art as therapy. I created the mommy and me art classes as a means for moms to be creative and not only to give them a release from their everyday job but also to show them that it was OK for little ones to get in there and create, be covered in paint and express themselves. Kids are washable."

Warren sold a painting during the event and donated the entire amount back to the senior center.

"We are going to do this again," Frost said. "I'm not sure when, but we will do it again."

For those interested in learning how to paint, Trimble offers a once-a-month watercolor class from 9 a.m. to noon. This month her class will be offered March 14 and the cost is $15.

Warren will also be offering art classes at the senior center starting Wednesday, March 7 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and on March 21. The cost is $10 per class. The art classes will all take place in the ceramic room at the center.

For more information, call the center at 783-6455.