Mind your Murals

Two splashy new murals are the city's latest stab at rejuvenating the downtown Fourth Street arts corridor.

Both were commissioned by the the Las Vegas Arts Commission, the only government agency in Southern Nevada entrusted with bringing public displays of art to Las Vegas since its founding in 1987.

To date, however, progress has been painstakingly slow, due to budget and staff constraints. Along with various other sculptures and parks projects, only three murals have been commissioned by the city: The Mona Lisa Mural at the Reed Whipple Cultural Center (1992); the Rainforest Mural on the Fire Station No. 3 at Washington Avenue and Rancho Drive, by artist Jose Bellver and local elementary school students (1993); and the West Las Vegas Tile Mural at the Old Westside School (1997).

The two most recent additions are "What Goes Around Comes Around," which debuted this fall at the corner of Charleston Blvd. and Casino Center Drive, and an unnamed work by artist Markus Tracy at the corner of Boulder and First streets, which was hastily created during last month's Gateway Arts and Music Experience.

"I think it adds to the community aspect of the area," outgoing Council Chairman Eric Strain, an architect, says. "It's a draw for people to come down and walk that area, and see them up close. (Murals) help to enliven an area."

"Murals are the sign of a healthy art culture," says Robert Nelson, a full-time artist with local firm Larger Than Life, Inc., who worked on "What Goes Around." "Also, it gives the artist incentive to work harder, the hope that, maybe, he can do some of that, too."

"What Goes Around Comes Around," which covers the south wall of Quality Screen Service, is a whimsical pop-art portrayal of various round objects, from buttons to pennies to clocks. The oil-based enamel mural would normally cost $25,000, although the city was charged less than a third of that.

For those thinking of checking out the mural, Spencer suggests the best time may be on a lunch break, around 1:30 p.m. That's the time portrayed on the mural's clock, and corresponds to the shadows cast by all the objects as well.

"That's the secret to the mural," he says, laughing.

But if you're looking for a deeper meaning within the work, you probably won't find it.

"It's something dynamic, simple and colorful," Ken Spencer, Larger Than Life's owner, says with a shrug.

"It pulls you into a dreamlike, fantasy environment. The objects direct you to a youthful state of mind," Nelson says, adding that "if you're sitting in traffic on Charleston, about to shoot the guy next to you, instead, maybe you'll look at the mural and it'll soothe you."

Strain does see a theme in the piece, one that symbolizes the urban redevelopment in the area. "We wanted to add to that energy that's developed there," he said. "We talked about the motion (of the piece relating to) the movement that's going on down there, the downtown redevlopment."

Until now, most of Larger Than Life's work has been pieces commissioned by regional businesses and private homeowners.

Its first mural, in 1992, for Big Dog's Cafe and Casino, won an award from the design magazine Signs of the Times. "Everyone in Las Vegas knows Big Dog's," Spencer says. "Those murals helped separate this bar from every other bar in town."

Since then, the firm has made a name for itself with its work on other local bars such as BarKing Frog's and Timbers, and high-profile spots such as The Drink, the All-Star Cafe and the Mesquite Star hotel-casino. The firm's fees range anywhere from $500-$60,000 for a complete interior design.

This city-commissioned piece, though, the first they have done for a municipality, is especially gratifying.

"It's more fulfilling, in an expressive way," Nelson explains.

Still, landing the job proved to be a grueling two-year process.

Originally, the plan was for them to paint water tanks for the Las Vegas Valley Water District. When that fell through, the firm was asked for suggestions for other sites. After looking at five locations around town, the site at Charleston Boulevard was approved. Then the arts commission laid out the guidelines for what the piece should be.

"They were very rigid in their requirements," Nelson explains. "No people, no gaming. Very P.C. Innocuous. They didn't want to offend anybody."

Finally, the 12-member board of commissioners selected from five designs the firm submitted, choosing the final piece created by former employee David Ozuna.

The painting itself took three months from start to finish during the grueling summertime heat. A team of artists hanging on ladders and scaffolding worked from photographs taken of the various objects. They used a video camera attached to a nearby monitor to view the work from afar, to avoid the up-close perception of "just a technicolor blob," Nelson explains.

Despite the long process, the artists hope the the final product adds a brighter spot to a blighted block.

"Any time more artwork is brought in, it can only enhance that area," Spencer says. "The more there is, the more people will be receptive and enjoy it."

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