The following was from an article in The View
Association works to help the local art scene
Resident works to develop group

By EMMILY N. BRISTOL
VIEW STAFF WRITER

Artists in Henderson have lamented the lack of formalized unity between them for years. It took a woman named Kitty Boeddeker to change that.

When Boeddeker moved to town two years ago, she immediately sought out the kind of artist association she expected to already exist in a town of nearly 200,000. To her surprise, there wasn't one. As she took in the streets of her new hometown of Henderson, she found the lack of gallery space unbelievable.

"This town is almost 200,000 people. You go to small towns all across America and there are thriving artists' communities. Why don't we have one?" Boeddeker said.

While she hasn't done it alone, it has taken the motivational influence of Boeddeker to get things moving, not only on the new Henderson Art Association but on the Old Town Gallery in downtown Henderson as well. The gallery will be used to show works by the association and other well-known national artists, and is considered a sign of hope to many in downtown.

"We are all for it. A gallery is a great thing," said Judy Steele, the president of the Downtown Henderson Business Association.

In fact, DHBA money has been given to the project at 10 W. Pacific Ave. DHBA receives its funding from the city of Henderson redevelopment agency and downtown is one of several identified redevelopment districts.

"Arts across America has always been an economic stimulus," said Boeddeker, the art association president. "Before we knew it, we were in a multi-partnership."

Boeddeker and the art association, as well as downtown businesses and officials in City Hall, are waiting to see if the new venture will succeed, bringing added foot traffic and possible consumer dollars into the district. The art association president said having the gallery downtown was appealing and lends an air of history to it.

"People look for that sort of thing (downtown)," she said.

The site of the Old Town Gallery on Pacific Avenue has been undergoing remodeling since the summer, getting a fresh coat of paint, new carpeting and new lighting. Much of the work has been donated by gallery landlord Leonard Smith, who owns the strip of stores along the avenue. He is one of several business owners who has also taken part in the redevelopment agency's facade improvement program. The work to improve his building's exterior was nearly complete in early October.

Boeddeker, wife of Lake Las Vegas developer Ron Boeddeker, has been able to recruit a who's who of Henderson for the gallery and art association she calls her baby.

Gallery P owner Joe Palermo, who opened at 982 American Pacific Drive last year, is the vice president of the art association along with city of Henderson recreation coordinator Sally Ahlstedt. Locals David Cox and Angel O'Briant round out the association founder and board list.

Honorary board members in the art association include Mayor Jim Gibson, Selma Bartlett, Jerry Polis, Jerry Ehrens, Alice Martz of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce, artist Roy Purcell, Tim O'Callaghan, Jerry Schefcik, Candy Schneider, George Sturman, Angie Wallin and Councilman Andy Hafen. Artist Emeritus in the association include Susanne Forestieri, Tom Holder, Tony Curtis, James Pink, Steven Liguori, Robert Beckmann, Leslie Rankin and Roberta Baskin-Shefrin.

Earlier this summer, Boeddeker and Palermo hosted a call for artists to pick those that will first grace the Old Town Gallery's walls for its Oct. 25 public grand opening. Out of the 48 artists who applied, 20 were accepted to the juried gallery.

"I wanted to have legitimacy to what we're doing," Boeddeker said.

The formulation of an art association and a new gallery in Henderson has been a labor of love for Boeddeker, who says she dabbles in art herself. She said the excitement of having both entities has sustained her through the work it has taken to get to this point.

"The patrons will come because I think people will believe in what we're doing," she said. "I think people are ready for something to happen with Water Street, the historic Water Street District."

The opening of the Old Town Gallery could be the signal of change the redevelopment agency has been looking for. If things go as planned, there will be two new galleries in downtown before the end of next year. Joel Perlman, owner of a television repair shop on Pacific Avenue, said he has plans to also open an art gallery on the same street.

Visit: Old Town Gallery
10 W. Pacific Ave
Henderson, Nevada

Phone: 702 568-5655
Fax: 702 568-2009

Web site is in progress. For information email: hendersonartassociation@yahoo.com