Explore the Galleries of Northern Nevada

It seems like winter arrived late to Northern Nevada this year.

It’s not uncommon for March in Carson City to bring with it a few long-awaited snowstorms, but it feels like just yesterday the sun was shining and spring was right around the corner. Now, after a week plus of snow flurries and icy days and nights, that idea of spring feels pretty far away.

Despite bundling up and having to drive through these snow storms, taking a few minutes to stop and look around makes this weather feel, well, missed over the mild winter we’ve had. This is the time to look up at the fog-filled mountains that surround us, the snow-heavy pines and the bliss of gently falling snowflakes around town. It’s beautiful, picture-perfect. So there’s no better time to check back in with Northern Nevada’s art scene.

We’ve been over the fantastic Carson City galleries in the past, places that celebrate the stunning natural beauty of our corner of the world in oil paintings and watercolor. But this season brings with it a new crop of artists and a new set of work around the area, and this is a chance to feature a couple of great galleries in the Minden/Gardnerville area as well. So here are some new exhibits and events to visit while you keep warm this weekend.

One of the most powerful exhibits this year is Memento Mori at the OXS Gallery at North Carson Street’s Nevada Arts Council. The documentary series (started by photographer Paul Baker Prindle) chronicles controversial events across the United States. These images may be at times horrific, but the lessons are important; Prindle aims to use these photos as memory devices. This gallery pushes boundaries of what photography means to those who experience it. If you’re interested in that conversation, this gallery is a must-see.

Photo: Nevada Arts Council, Facebook

For something on a lighter note, yet equally as thought-provoking, see the now-running Rick Parsons’ Writing From Mars exhibition at the Capital City Arts Initiative Courthouse Gallery on Musser Street. This gallery uses materials like clay, steel, salt and more in art pieces as well as a large sitting Buddha to create a sense of mindful contemplation as you observe Parsons’ work. There’s certainly much to unpack in this small but rewarding gallery, so take the trip any weekday and see what you might discover.

Photo: Rick Parsons, Facebook

If you feel like venturing further into the world of Northern Nevada art, don’t forget about Minden/Gardnerville. As you drive through Gardnerville, you can’t miss the East Fork Gallery, home to the work of a dozen local artists. There are scenic watercolor landscapes, oil paintings of Nevada wildlife and many small, collectible art pieces that are truly one of a kind. It’s the kind of place you can see, up close, the artistic talent of the Carson Valley and be able to bring some of it home with you as well.

Then there’s the Blue Brick Gallery in Minden. Located inside the historic Minden Flour Milling and Wool Warehouse building, the brick structure serves as the perfect place to view some of the best painting and photography of the Carson Valley. Take a walk through and see scenery of the surrounding area come to life through bright colors and stunning photos, perhaps showing the side of Northern Nevada you think you know so well from a new perspective.

Photo: Blue Brick Gallery, Facebook

And that’s mainly the point of great artwork anyway, isn’t it? From the difficult and powerful to the bright and beautiful, we have each end of the spectrum right here in our area. This month, take advantage of the fantastic art galleries Carson City and the Carson Valley have open to the public and experience that new perspective.

For all the events in Carson City this week, visit our Daytime, Nightlife and Community pages.