The Venue The venue will be my store, Artisans Fairtrade. Artisans fairtrade features artwork and handcrafts from around the globe, all of which are obtained from fairtrade federation certified wholesalers, or directly from the artists. As of today, I also anticipate that an adjoining store, now under construction, will be available for displaying work and entertaining visitors. The adjoining and interconnected space will be my new fairtrade coffee and tea bar called “Fairly Grounded Coffee and Tea.” This space would be the likely location for live music and the serving of food. Its estimated opening is in April. Between the two spaces there are around 3,000 square feet. The Artists Week 1 will feature oil painter Ernest Lacy (lacyfineart.com). Ernest Lacy was born in Los Angeles, California and currently lives in Whittier. He was educated at Chouinard Art Institute (1949 - 1951), Kann Institute of Art (1951- 1954), Otis Art Institute (1956 - 1960), and University of California, Los Angeles (1957 - 1958). He is an instructor at Cerritos College, Rio Hondo College, California State University at Los Angeles and Chouinard Art Institute and Artist in Residence - Whittier College, California. His Selected Collections include Los Angeles Museum of Art, Long Beach Museum of Art, Pasadena Art Museum, Los Angeles Municipal Art Department, Library of Congress - Pennell Print Collection, Philadelphia Free Library, Downey Museum of Art, Los Angeles Print Makers. Ernest’s subject focus during Art Town will his work from Mexico. Week 2 will feature local potter Dorothy Peters. Dorothy Peters’ first introduction to pottery was during her senior year of high school, but after 2 years at College of the Siskiyous in Weed, CA, she married, had a family, and pottery was temporarily “put on the back burner.” In August of 2005, after losing her job to corporate cutbacks, she enrolled in the last remaining opening in the ceramics class at Truckee Meadows Community College. After 27 years she was back at the wheel. Winning second place in the student art show at TMCC was very encouraging and helped to make the decision to become a full time potter. In the summer of 2006 Dorothy went to the Tuscarora Pottery School for 2 weeks and progressed beyond her expectations. Always aware of her surroundings, Dorothy draws inspiration from her travels to other countries and from close to home here in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains. Dorothy plans to focus on “Buffalo Hair” raku-ware. Week 3 Week 3 will feature David Fambrough, a well known local artist/sculptor. David is best known and recognized in Nevada for his large metal sculptures using Volkswagen Beetles (that look like spiders) that are placed atop buildings and landscapes. David is a self-taught artist who has studied and researched art in Europe, Africa, Mexico, and Central America. After selling a very successful antique and restoration studio in San Francisco, David moved to Reno in 1970 where he became curator to Wilbur May’s extensive Impressionist art collection, African trophy rooms, and artifacts. He restored many of the antiques now in the Wilbur D. May Museum and many Virginia City antiques. His creations have been documented in numerous television, newspaper, and magazine articles, and his talent has won him worldwide recognition. He is a stand-alone artist who walks to the beat of his own unique drum, and his international acceptance is established among the avant-garde as well as the masses. David hasn’t decided on a theme for his Art Town exhibit yet. Week 4 Week 4 will feature the work of local metal-smith John Septien (http://classes.tmcc.edu/jseptien/). John began his career as a certified pipe welder when he was 19 years old. He came to Nevada as a journeyman welder and pipe fitter in 1979 and began teaching welding at TMCC. John’s personal skill in metal work and welding developed naturally as he produced and created sculpture for friends, family, and as donations to charity. He further developed his artistic talent by taking classes at UNR. He uses his technical abilities to produce sculptural pieces that generate line, shape, movement and form. He experiments with different textures and finishes on each new work of art. John hasn’t decided on a theme yet for the Art Town exhibition.