clvarts@lasvegasnevada.gov
City of Las Vegas
Mayor Oscar B. GoodmanCity Council
Mayor Pro Tem Gary Reese, Ward 3Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian, Ward 1
Councilman Steve Wolfson, Ward 2
Councilman Ricki Y. Barlow, Ward 5
Councilman Steven D. Ross, Ward 6
Councilman Stavros Anthony, Ward 4
City of Las Vegas Arts Commission
Office of Cultural Affairs401 South Fourth Street, Suite 180
Las Vegas, Nevada 89101
Lisa Stamanis
lstamanis@lasvegasnevada.gov
Office (702) 229-4631
Fax (702) 383-1129
www.lvartscommission.com
Arts Commissioners:
Arlene Blut
Nancy Deaner
Alice Denton
Alexandra Epstein
Stephen Grogan, Second Vice-Chair
Rob McCoy, Chair
Glenn NP Nowak
Maura K. Parrott, Vice-Chair
Omar G. Ramirez
Jerry Schefcik
Candy Schneider
Mario L. Smith
Arlene Blut
Arlene has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota and a Communications degree from UNLV. She has spent most of her 37 yrs. in Las Vegas involved in the arts either fundraising or in the development of the visual and/or performing. She was one of the founders of the only professional theater in Las Vegas where she also worked as an actress.When the theater closed, Arlene became Development Director of Nevada Institute for Contemporary Art. She designed, developed and implemented the public relations program which placed NICA in the national spotlight. She has served on many arts and philanthropic boards, most recently the Neon Museum, where she was active for ten years. Among her awards are the Heart of Gold Award from the Heart Association and the 1997 Community Achievement Award in Arts and Entertainment from the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.
Most importantly, Arlene is deeply committed the cultural development of our state through the education of our children and providing them with the resources needed.
Nancy Deaner
A native Nevadan, Nancy Deaner is Manager of the Office of Cultural Affairs for the City of Las Vegas. She started with the City 17 years ago as staff to the Las Vegas Arts Commission and Director of Galleries. Nancy has both her BFA and MFA degrees. A long time arts administrator, teacher, and artist, Nancy sits on several boards and commissions.Alexandra Epstein
Stephen Grogan
Stephen Grogan is an executive involved in multi-investment operations and management including: vineyards, olive oil production, private art collections and land use development for equestrian projects. He is also involved in the development and marketing of newly invented casino games. From his past careers, Mr. Grogan has been a playwright fellow, a magazine editor, management consultant and director of several public corporations. In his political career, he has been a Planning Board member and elected city official representing a constituency of 500,000 citizens. He served on numerous civic boards and agencies. Recently released, he is the author of "Vegas Die", a mystery based on the Mayor of Las Vegas being the #1 suspect in a mob murder.Rob McCoy
Rob McCoy is Director, Government Affairs for Centurylink Corporation with public policy and local government responsibilities for the states of Nevada and California.He began his career as a television news reporter and anchor. Rob joined the corporate world in 1983 and has provided valuable expertise to several companies in the areas of public, media and government relations as well as crisis communications and marketing.
As a native Las Vegan, quality of life and sustainability are issues that drive Rob’s community commitments, both professionally and personally. Rob is currently a member of several boards including the Boys & Girls Clubs, Nevada Taxpayers Association and the Neon Museum. Additionally, he serves as chairman of the City of Las Vegas Arts Commission.
Rob has both a Bachelor and Master of Science Degree in Communications from LaSalle University and is also a graduate of the Martin School of Radio & Television Arts and Sciences. Additionally, he retains professional certifications from Harvard, MIT and Cornell. He is also a graduate of Leadership Las Vegas.
Glenn NP Nowak
Maura K. Parrott, Second Vice Chair
Maura Kenny Parrott studied art history and French as an undergraduate at the University of Nebraska and the University of Bordeaux, France. She took an interest in public art as an intern at the Sheldon Museum of Art in Lincoln, Nebraska, documenting artworks for a public sculpture tour. She interned and was employed at the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha and later at The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC while completing her MA in art history at The George Washington University. Maura subsequently worked at the National Gallery of Art, Division of Research on the Collections, primarily on a provenance database project, and has lectured for the Smithsonian Resident Associates program. From 1998 to 2010 she served as Information Specialist for the Alternative Medicine Foundation, a detour forged by parenting experiences. She sat on the Cultural Arts Commission for the DC suburb of Rockville, Maryland, before relocating to Las Vegas with her family in 2002. Maura volunteered for the Las Vegas Art Museum and served on the Southern Nevada committee of the National Scholastic Art Competition prior to her appointment to the Las Vegas Arts Commission in 2006.Jerry Schefcik
Candy Schneider
Candy Schneider is six months shy of being a native Nevadan. Recently named as the Director of Education and Outreach for The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Candy's entire professional career has been focused on arts education and working with the community to enhance education. Prior to joining The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Candy worked for the Clark County School District for 33 years, first as a visual arts teacher, then as the administrator of the visual arts, and finally as the assistant director in the School-Community Partnership Program.Over the years, Candy has served on a variety of local, regional, and national boards and committees including the National Art Educators Association, Getty Center for Arts Education, National Endowment for the Arts, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts – Partners in Education, Nevada State Education Curriculum Standards, Henderson Cultural Plan, Nevada School of the Arts, Las Vegas Centennial City of 100 Murals, Lied Discovery Children's Museum, VSA Nevada, and a host of Clark County School District committees. In March of 2007, Ms. Schneider was selected by the National Art Education Association to receive the Nevada Art Educator of the Year Award.
Ms. Schneider served on the Board of the Nevada Arts Council as an appointee of the Governor from 1995 through June of 2007. She served as chairman of the NAC Board for five years, and worked to ensure the accessibility of the arts for all Nevadans. Candy's work on the NAC Board focused on increased support for arts education, individual artists, arts organizations, and policy issues. As the appointed representative of the Nevada Arts Council, Candy also served as vice-chair of the Nevada Commission for Cultural Affairs, which is responsible for reviewing and awarding $3,000,000, in grants each year to preserve and maintain Nevada's historic sites to serve as cultural centers throughout the state.
Mario L. Smith
Mario Lorne Smith Jr. aka “MINX” is a native Bahamian and partially raised in the Bahamas and Holland becoming bilingual in English and in Dutch. He has lived throughout the Islands and parts of Europe (Holland, London, Malaysia, and Indonesia) to name a few. He has a deep appreciation for culture and beauty in all forms. The pure essence of “ART” itself comes from so many unique and diverse cultures from around the world.He started designing and creating elaborate costumes and floats for “Junkanoo”, a Bahamian Festival, (Similar to Carnival in Brazil) since he was 12 yrs old. He has also performed in many “Junkanoo” parades over the years. He has done allot of art work, posters, sketches and paintings since he was a young child. He has always been very artistic and creative in so many different and unique ways.
For someone who is primarily a self taught artist, his art comes from the very spontaneous responses of his imagination, heart and soul. Through his life experiences and cultural influences he has been able to express the pain and passion in this world of change. His journey of imagery and visualization, is ever evolving, as he continues to forge thru the process of growth and enlightenment . He has created many pieces of art ranging from murals, paintings, sculptures, sketches , floats, costume design, back drop and prop work, banners and of course art on clothing and accessories.
Minx Originals was born from the sheer passion and soul of creating”ART” the touches people’s lives in a very powerful way. He truly feels there is a celebrating quality to art that is inspiring and alive. Art to him is everything he knows, understands, achieves, experiences, and is passionate about. His true desire is to create visions of prosperity, unity, peace and endless possibilities. He feels his divine god given gift of imagery and creativity is created for the sole purpose of intellectual up-lifting and spiritual enlightenment. Minx Originals is the starting point to this new adventure. So, as his story continues to blossom and unfold, his greatest pleasure is to be able to share this and to leave you with his truly poetic impressions of his soul thru his work.
Thank you for sharing this special moment and for helping create part of my history !!!!
Mario Lorne Smith Jr.
“Minx”
ZemiZi Inc. dba Minx Originals
www.minxoriginals.com