YOUR AD HERE »

Masters students display art at college

Griffin Rogers
griffin@tahoedailytribune.com
Colby Stephens, a student in the Master of Fine Arts Program at the University of Nevada, Reno, sets up his artwork in Lake Tahoe Community College's Haldan Art Gallery last week.
Mollie Mason / Provided to the Tribune |

Lake Tahoe Community College is showing off the mid-year artwork of eight students in the Master of Fine Arts Program at the University of Nevada, Reno, this quarter.

The exhibit, which opened at 5 p.m. Thursday with an artist’s reception in the Haldan Art Gallery, features a variety of different art styles including paintings, photography and installations.

Many of the individual works also utilize more than one technique, which is why the current exhibition is so intriguing, said Mollie Mason, 2D technician for LTCC’s art department.



“They’re pushing the boundaries,” she said.

One work of art consists of a long dress made from copied pages of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. Every “A” on the pages is highlighted in scarlet — a nod to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850’s novel, “The Scarlet Letter.”



UNR student Colby Stephens, the creator of the piece, said the “A Gown for Lady Liberty” design is part of a larger critique on Federal Reserve policies.

“It’s touching on the idea that American liberties are adulterated by Federal Reserve policy,” he said.

Stephens will also have a running engine at that college that changes speeds with the price of gold. The device uses the internet to retrieve current data.

Work from other students in the exhibition includes an arrangement of porcelain feathers, a display using handmade recycled paper, photographs of military spouses and more.

Gallery assistant Ashley Pfister said the artwork helps LTCC students broaden their knowledge of the arts.

“It’s really nice to expose the community college (students) to the master’s program,” she said.

The college is also featuring work from painter Ginny Schankerman. The exhibit, called “Seeking the Elephant,” features paintings of landscapes from the Lake Tahoe and Yosemite regions.

“Seeking the Elephant” was a phrase used during the gold rush to signify the search for riches or the ultimate find, according to Schankerman.

The UNR students’ artwork will be shown through March 14. “Seeking the Elephant” started Jan. 11 and will run through March 22.


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around the Lake Tahoe Basin and beyond make the Tahoe Tribune's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news.