In “A High Desert Tribute” exhibition for the Capital City Arts Initiative, artist Sidne Teske presents paintings of dynamic landscapes and another series of compelling figure studies.

The free exhibit is open to the public through April 13, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., in Western Nevada College’s Bristlecone Gallery on the Carson City campus. Join WNC and CCAI for the opening reception on Tuesday, Jan. 24 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with the artist introduction at 5:30 p.m.

Thirty-six paintings offer a retrospective of Teske art from 1995 to 2022. Working almost exclusively in soft pastels, she takes the scale of her landscapes and figure studies well-past traditional small compositions into large works that measure in square feet. Her active mark-making brings viewers into each composition while the dramatic large scale commands attention.

 “Landscapes fascinate me,” she said.

Teske revealed what motivates her to paint.

 “People ask me what I find to paint in Nevada, a landscape that is viewed as harsh, boring, and colorless. I find it breathtaking, especially in the mornings and late afternoons, when the light describes the geometry of my surroundings and the colors are blinding,” she said. “I want people to realize that Nevada is worth looking at.”

Teske has received many awards and honors. In 2003 she was commissioned by the Nevada Arts Council to make three works to be awarded to the Governor, the Nevada State Assembly and the Nevada State Senate in recognition for their parts in creating the Nevada Arts Council 50 years prior (1967). In 2014 Nevada Humanities commissioned Teske to make 14 pieces for presentation to organizations and individuals who had made a difference in the arts in Nevada. Also, in 2014, she was awarded a mentorship by the Nevada Chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) to study under Caldecott Award-winning illustrator David Diaz.

Teske was the State of Nevada representative at the Folklife Festival on the Mall for the Smithsonian Institution in 2005. She created the Nevada Governor's Arts awards that were presented in 2004, and a poster she designed for the Bureau of Land Management and Nevada Rock Art Association won first place at the National Competition of the Society of American Archaeologists in 2003.

Her paintings are included in numerous collections: Renown Hospital in Reno; Interlachen in Colorado; Embassy Suites at South Shore Lake Tahoe; and Harrah's High Roller Suite at South Shore, Lake Tahoe.

 

Note: Story provided by the Capital City Arts Initiative