"Hope: 26 Inspirations" by Jeff Ross

Sierra Arts Gallery presents Jeff Ross’ photo portraits of employees at High Sierra Industries, May 5 through June 27, with an artists reception Friday, May 9, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Ross is a professional photographer whose work has appeared in a wide range of advertisements, magazines, annual reports and catalogs. His passion is photographing people, trying to capture a slice of their personality in a split second, going beyond the public face to see the person inside.

The individuals pictured in this series are people who work at High Sierra Industries, and have mental or physical challenges, or both. Some of these individuals had never posed for the camera before, and for others, the photo shoot was disconcerting. Yet Ross says that they were the most honest and direct subjects that he has ever photographed.

“They have no ego, no vanity. No preconceived self-image to thrust upon the world. They just wanted a hug or to hold my hand. And since I love large-format photography, which is not the fastest way to photograph people, I was able to develop a rapport with each of them.”
The photographs in this series are HSI images, shot on 4x5 black and white film and 4x5 Polaroid for a beautifully sharp negative. Ross composed each image upside down on ground glass, allowing for attention to form and shape in the composition.

The Sierra Arts Gallery is located at 17 S. Virginia St. in the heart of Reno’s downtown arts district. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call 329-ARTS for more information, or visit www.sierra-arts.org.

The Sierra Arts Gallery is supported by the City of Reno Arts and Culture Commission, the Nevada Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Jeff Ross’ exhibition is also sponsored by 1st National Bank of Nevada, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender.

—Exhibition: May 5 - June 27. Artists reception: May 9, 5-7 p.m.

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Arts In Education permanent gallery

Sierra Arts is pleased to present the Arts In Education Gallery, which debuted with an opening reception on June 1, 2007.  The gallery exhibits artwork by elementary students served in Sierra Arts’ Arts In Education program.

The permanent gallery space exhibits approximately 20 pieces, which rotate every two months.  On display June 1 through August 31 are works created by students who attend Double Diamond, Libby Booth, Marvin Moss, Sierra Vista and Smithridge Elementary schools.  Sierra Arts’ artists-in-residence who instructed the students are Lauren Denison, Ann O’Lear and Lynda Yuroff. A pdf download of the article that ran in Sierra Arts Magazine about the gallery's opening is available here.

Sierra Arts’ Arts In Education program, established in 1977, has continued to grow and currently serves 63 elementary schools in the Washoe County District. Numbers of residencies served during the school year range from 10 to 23 and approximately 240 students experience hands-on instruction in one of a variety of arts disciplines each year.

The Arts In Education program is funded by the Arthur and Mae Orvis Foundation, the Nevada Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

The Arts In Education Gallery is located within the Sierra Arts Gallery at 17 S. Virginia Street, Suite 120 and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5 pm, excluding holidays.  For more information, please call 775-329-2787.