The Nevada Museum of Art presents an ambitious exhibition boasting over 100 paintings and thousands of pounds of bronze sculptures, through the unforgettable works of Colombian painter, sculptor, and draftsman Fernando Botero in The Baroque World of Fernando Botero.

Drawn exclusively from Botero’s personal collection, the 100 works featured in this exhibition, including previously unpublished paintings and drawings, represent the full scope of his work from a uniquely personal perspective.

Many of these—portraits of friends and family members and remembered scenes—have remained in the artist’s possession since their creation, while others he has bought back from collectors over the years because they mark significant developments in his career. For example, Still Life with a Mandolin, painted in 1957, was the first time Botero enlarged the volume of the musical instrument in a manner now identified as the artists’ own style.

“This exhibition is both thought-provoking and inspirational to audiences of all ages and is not only a show for those who appreciate modern and contemporary Latin American art. The intricate sculptures and paintings in this exhibition reflect Botero’s radical, unique and humorous style. From gigantic bronze sculptures to paintings, this exhibition is the perfect opportunity to experience Botero’s engaging and dramatic works.”

Botero’s exaggerated and rounded forms depict the comedy of human life – moving or wry, with mocking observation or with deep emotion. His first images draw upon the Spanish colonial baroque style, rich with decoration and flourish, gaudy angels and tormented saints.  Some of the key works in the exhibition connect Botero’s own past with the present of his homeland,  The exhibition also presents a section on everyday life in South America: women observed in the intimacy of their boudoir, street scenes, dance halls, and the suggestion of houses of ill repute.

Dates: May 1 through July 25, 2010 every Wednesday through Sunday.
Location: Nevada Museum of Art, Donald W. Reynolds Center for the Visual Arts, E. L. Wiegand Gallery located at 160 West Liberty Street in downtown Reno.
Cost: Museum members free; $10 adults; $8 students/seniors; $1 children 6 – 12; free for children five and under.

For more information, please call 775.329.3333 or visit www.nevadaart.org.

You can get the poop on why GROSS is GOOD during this fun, highly interactive family exhibit that just dropped into the Wilbur May Museum to help kids get the poop on why gross is good.

Oozing with disgusting science and interactive learning games, the all-new “Animal Grossology” exhibit is sure to provide a unique perspective on the animal kingdom for you and your family members.

This highly interactive family exhibit mixes education with giggles to help introduce kids to natural science. Animal Grossology is sure to provide a unique perspective on the least-loved, slimiest, stinkiest and downright yuckiest creatures on earth. For example:

• Leeches are pretty gross, but are also important to the healing process after some surgeries
• Dung beetles are nature’s living pooper scooper
• Flies taste with their feet, as well as their mouths
• Studying slime production by slugs and snails actually helps to treat cystic fibrosis
• The official name for snail slime is ectoplasm
• Cows produce almost 200 liters of saliva a day
• A single frog can devour over 10,000 flies in one summer

What: Animal Grossology
Where: Wilbur D. May Museum, Rancho San Rafael Regional Park – 1595 N. Sierra Street, Reno
When: Now through April 18, 2010
Hours: Wednesdays – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $8.00 adults, $7.00 children under 18 and seniors 62 and over
Phone: (775) 823-6500

Click Here for a PDF version of the complete Parents & Teacher’s Guide for Animal Grossology

Date: Friday, Feb 19, 2010

The John Ascuaga’s Nugget Hotel and Casino is hosting this benefit concert for the Washoe County School District Fine Arts and Music program. Warren Hill will performing February 19th at 8 PM in the Celebrity Showroom. All proceeds for this concert will benefit the Nationally recognized WCSD Fine Arts/Music program. While the program has received national recognition for it high quality education of students, funding is always an issue.

The money raised from this event will provide musical instruments, art supplies, and theater supplies, so that all students with an interest in the arts will be able to have the materials they need to study in their chosen area. We are committed in the WCSD to provide all students with the materials they need to study the Arts.

With the current recession, there has been a marked increase in requests from families for the use of school instruments, and financial assistance to pay for lab fees. Your attending this concert for the price of $32, will greatly assist the WCSD in reaching this goal. Thank you for your support, and have fun at the concert.

A Survey of Gee’s Bend Quilts at the Nevada Museum of Art – Not Your Grandmother’s Quilt

When you think of quilts you may not think of amazing works of art. However, the Survey of Gee’s Bend Quilts at the Nevada Museum of Art will definitely change your perception. The women of Gee’s Bend Alabama have been quilting as a way to keep their homes free from drafts and family members warm since the 1800s.

These talented quilters used old scraps of fabric from work clothes or pillows for example and transformed them into amazing quilts that have been heralded by the New York Times as pieces of Modern Art. The vibrant colors and varied textures make these quilts visually appealing and simply beautiful.

Walking through the exhibit evoked feelings of inspiration, perseverance and awe. To think that many of these women have overcome insurmountable challenges having no idea what ‘art’ is, but were creating magnificent works of art based on their intuition is simply astounding.

When I originally thought about going to see this exhibit, I was not too interested. After all, it’s a quilt. I can say that my opinion was drastically changed after seeing these pieces of art. If you are planning a trip to Reno and are looking for something unexpected that will open your mind and touch your heart, make time to visit A Survey of Gee’s Bend Quilts at the Nevada Museum of Art. I can assure you, you will not be disappointed. You may even become inspired to learn to quilt!

Now at the Nevada Museum of Art thru April 11, 2010

MP3’s about the Gee’s Bend Quilters from other Museums
1 Linda Day Clark_ Gee’s Bend
2 Gee’s Bend – Revil Mosely
3 Gee’s Bend – Sarah Benning
4 Gee’s Bend – Mary L Bennett
5 Gee’s Bend – Ruth Kennedy
6 Gee’s Bend – I Found
7 Gee’s Bend – Nettie Young
8 Gees Bend Quilters

Happy Chinese New Year!  The year of the Tiger will be celebrated in several locations throughout Reno Tahoe.

Join the Reno Pops Orchestra, Saturday, Feb. 6 at 7:00 PM, in a celebration of the Chinese New Year in UNR’s Nightingale Concert Hall. Follow Marco Polo along the Silk Road to China through music, and end with a Chinese New Year celebration. They will feature two young local soloists from the Huang family on a variety of Chinese folk instruments, as well as other performers. The Orchestra program includes “On the Steppes of Central Asia”, “Procession of the Sardar”, themes from “Mulan”, and some unique pieces for Chinese orchestra arranged for western orchestral instrumentation. The concert is Free, but they are always happy to receive donations to help cover the cost of the concert.

Come see a special Chinese Concert featuring Michael Tse, Jordan Chan and Alice Lau on Saturday, February 20, 2010 at the Reno Events Center.
Jordan originally entered the entertainment business as a backup dancer, before switching to a successful career as a comedian. In 1994 he released his debut Cantonese-language album and established his unique position in Hong Kong pop music for over a decade now.
Alice Lau is well known for her acting; people generally know her from her performance in “I have a date with Spring.” She is also known for her Cantonese-language music.
Michael Tse graduated from TVB’s Dance Training Class and worked with TVB as a dancer for 5 years. He then left TVB and formed a boy band called Wind Fire Sea with Jordan Chan and Jason Chu. Tse participated Hong Kong’s first modern musical Snow Wolf Lake in 1997.

The Silver Legacy will be ringing in the year of the Tiger with an authentic Lion/Dragon dance in celebration of Chinese New Year!
The lion and dragon dance symbolizes good luck and prosperity for the year to come and is an important ritual of Chinese culture. The Chinese consider Lions as guardians and are used to exorcise evil spirits and summon luck and fortune. Dragons are considered to be friendly and helpful creatures associated with strength, good fortune, wisdom and longevity.
The ceremonial lion and dragon dance will happen Feb 13-15 and 19-21,  Click here for all times. The Lion/Dragon will make its way through the mezzanine level of Silver Legacy Casino and the Mezzanine, spreading its good luck where ever it goes. The colorful spectacle will feature a parade of dancers and musicians dressed in elaborate costumes playing authentic music.

恭喜發財,利是逗來

Painted nearly 500 years ago, Raphael’s La Donna Velata or La Velata (The Woman with the Veil) traveled nearly 6,000 miles across land and sea to get to Reno, Nev. – and wow, was it worth the trip!

One of only three American cities to be graced by her enchanting  beauty, Reno proudly features the painting through March 21, 2010 at the Nevada Museum of Art and presented by the E.L. Wiegand Foundation’s Arte ITALIA. The attraction of the Woman can be explained in many ways: her idealized beauty and mysterious smile, the legend of the mistress believed to be the model for the image, and the sheer talent of the painter himself.

One of the most important – and certainly among the oldest – works of art to grace the Museum walls, Raphael’s The Woman with the Veil provides audiences of all ages a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience a distinctive and renowned work by a High Renaissance master and contemporary of such icons as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.

Three gallery spaces have been dedicated to showcase the single painting, including an interpretive area and screening room. Unique programming and guided tours are also available. The exhibition continues at Arte ITALIA, located at 442 Flint and California Ave., where additional information and film are on display.

Cost: FREE for Members / $10 adults / $8 seniors and students / $1 ages 6 to 12 years / FREE children under 5.

Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm, late on Thursdays until 8 pm.  Galleries, Museum Store and Café Musée are closed Mondays, Tuesdays and national holidays.  For more information visit: www.NevadaArt.org

Reno’s National Bowling Stadium will be open to the public for bowling from 12 p.m. until 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010.  The facility is typically reserved for international bowling tournaments, and is closed to the public.

The National Bowling Stadium in Reno is the only facility of its kind in the world dedicated to the sport of bowling. The National Bowling Stadium opened in 1995 and was dubbed the “Taj Mahal of Tenpins” by the Los Angeles Times.

• Cost: Admission is $10 per person and includes shoe rental and two bowling games.
  Additionally, the I-Werks Theatre will be open to the public. Cost to view “Ring of Fire” a film about volcanoes is $5.
• Why: This unique fundraiser will benefit the Reno Tahoe Choral Ambassadors (RTCA), three local choirs that plan to attend the World Choir Games in Shaoxing, China, in July 2010.  Local choirs participating in the project include Bella Voce Women’s Ensemble, the Sierra Nevada Children’s Choir, and “Core Jazz” from McQueen High School.
  The RTCA will act as ambassadors to encourage choirs from countries worldwide to visit Reno in May 2011, when Reno Tahoe USA hosts the American International Choir Festival. This Festival is designed to attract several thousand singers and their families to Northern Nevada.
• When: Saturday, Jan. 2 from 12 p.m. until 9 p.m.
• Where: The National Bowling Stadium, 300 North Center Street, Reno, NV 89501-1129, (775) 335-8800
• Parking: Parking is available in the National Bowling Stadium Parking Garage located at Center and 4th Streets in downtown Reno.

The sheetrock is just getting hung, the sound of grinders and hammering and drilling fills the room. It’s hard to imagine that Reno’s newest concert venue, the three-story Knitting Factory, is slated to open for business in less than two weeks.

There’s a lot of chaos as General Manager Dean Hanson goes over final touches, inspects work and helps fill the bill for January, February, March and the rest of 2010. But Hanson has the excitement of a kid who’s ready to open presents on Christmas morning.

“Nobody has ever seen something like what we are doing in Reno,” he said. “This is going to be the premier venue for entertainment and we think we have a great opportunity to give some new life to the music scene in Reno.”

So what’s the Knitting Factory all about?

Since it’s start in New York, the company has opened concert houses in Hollywood, Boise, Spokane and, now, Reno. The business plan is a midsized club that holds 1,000-1,500 guests, offering a variety of entertainment that ranges from mainstream popular acts, to local garage bands. Hanson said the company’s goal is to have entertainment at the Reno club 20-25 nights a month, all in a smoke-free, all ages atmosphere (with a restricted bar area in the top level).

“Our model is to help the music scene grow,” he said. “As the music scene grows, the partnerships grow. It’s good for up-and-coming bands, and it’s good for us.

“And Reno is going to be the pinnacle venue in our company.”

The investment is big. The Knitting Factory is taking over a building in the center of downtown Reno that used to be home to Rocky’s sports bar (and the old Levi’s factory). The top-to-bottom renovation includes a 20-foot stage and general admission area on the main level, VIP, and 21-plus on the balcony level (with seating Hanson calls “The best seating and view you can have at a concert.”), and lounge areas in the basement areas. The main entrance/exit will be through Fulton Alley.

Hanson said a premium has been placed on the sound and lighting systems to create a first-class concert experience.

So far, concert promoters have responded favorably to the concept. Here are some of the shows lined up in the opening months:

• Dec. 31 Sounds of Seattle
• Jan. 1 The Roots
• Jan. 7 Gloriana
• Jan. 8 Switchfoot
• Jan. 9 Ultimate Reno Combat
• Jan. 10 Reel Big Fish
• Jan. 15 Candlebox
• Jan. 16 AFI
• Jan. 17 Umphrey’s McGee
• Jan. 22 George Clinton and Parliament
• Jan. 23 Lil’ Rob
• Feb. 5-6 The Fab Four
• Feb. 10 Alice in Chains
• Feb. 11 Badfish
• Feb. 19 Five Finger Deathpunch
• Feb. 26 The Blind Boys of Alabama
• Feb. 27 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
• March 6 Andrew Nickatina
• March 7 The Young Dubliners
• March 15 Brandi Carlile
• March 16 New Found Glory
• March 27 No Quarter

Follow the Knitting Factory on Twitter at Twitter.com/knitreno.

The Eldorado Hotel Casino plays host to a celebration of the holiday season with the Holiday Ice Spectacular playing through Dec. 29 on the Showroom Stage.

This dazzling show is a thrilling combination of skillful ice-skating and theater. Dozens of charismatic, world-class figure skaters will lift, turn and twirl to the tune of a modern mix of classic holiday favorites. The Holiday Ice Spectacular is produced and directed by Jeb K. Rand, a former U.S. National figure skating competitor who has been featured in the Ice Capades, Disney on Ice and the famous Radio City Christmas Spectacular in New York City. Event Details

Reno Pops Orchestra presents its fourth annual holiday concert at Rock Church, 4950 Vista Blvd in Sparks on Friday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

Guest conductor Joel Munc will lead the orchestra in an assortment of holiday music including: Polar Express, White Christmas, Winter Wonderland, Carol of the Bells, Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring, and LeRoy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride.

A vocal ensemble will join the orchestra for Alfred Burt’s Christmas Carols.  The orchestra will play Coirelli’s Christmas Concerto.

In keeping with the annual holiday concert tradition, members of the audience will be invited to sing along with the orchestra. Vocalists will lead the audience in favorite carols and the words will be projected on a screen to make it easy for those who want to join in.

This uplifting holiday concert is free, but donations are always appreciated.

For more information call 775-673-1234 or visit www.renopops.org.