Natalia and I would like to thank Marleen and Vegas Community Online for giving us the opportunity to talk about the Contemporary Arts Collective (CAC) and its membership. We will try to keep you updated about exhibitions and art installations as well as feature a couple of artist members each month.

So without a further adieu, the Contemporary Arts Collective 3^rd Annual Arts Auction:

"Do I hear…#quot; and the auction began at the Contemporary Arts Collective 3^rd Annual Art Auction on Saturday, December 3, 2005. Approximately 150 people gathered to celebrate and bid on art by 32 artists' members of the Contemporary Arts Collective. Among the artists donating works were Jerry Misko whose work hangs in the prestigious collections at Saks 5^th Avenue; Nationally and internationally known K.D. Matheson whose works are done in all mediums, from traditional forms of painting and sculpture to more current methods of creativity, such as blending computer graphics, video and photography; and Susanne Forestieri whose figurative paintings have been shown in the National Academy and the American Museum of Illustration in New York City and reproduced in the Society of Illustrators' 28^th Annual.

Master of Ceremonies, Darren Peck of KVVU Fox 5 and Auctioneer Christian Kolberg helped to raise over $15,000 which will be used by the Contemporary Arts Collective to further its mission of introducing the Las Vegas community to contemporary art and providing a forum for contemporary artists in the Las Vegas Community to exhibit their work. Finally, a special thanks to the Sin City Sisters who added so much to the event.

In addition to the Annual Art Auction, the Contemporary Arts Collective will introduce its new exhibition Observable Inhumanity: A Result of Human Anesthesia at the CAC gallery, 101 E. Charleston Blvd., Suite 101, Las Vegas. This exhibition is a mixed media event by Artists Jorge Catoni, KD Matheson and Kate Jackson, which will run from December 21^st of this year through February 4, 2006. Receptions for the exhibition will be December 24, 2005 and February 3, 2006. The artists' exhibition statement states "Human Inhumanity is based on the reflections of reality and falsehoods, perspectives and visions of humanity and its inhumanity." Two of the three artists, Jorge Catoni and KD Matheson, are local artists that have exhibited extensively in the Las Vegas community as well as in other areas of the country. Kate Jackson resides in California but has recently been exhibited several times in the Las Vegas area. Come join us for this important installation. To learn more about the Contemporary Arts Collective call 382-3886 or go to www.cac-lasvegas.org.

Now Natalia and I would like to introduce you to three important contemporary artists in the Vegas community. They are Larry and Barbara Domsky and Lincoln Maynard.

Domsky Glass

Combining both "hot glass" and "glass fusion," Barbara and Larry Domsky has dedicated themselves for the last 16 years to learning their medium. Their unique combination of both processes is not only difficult to achieve, but is seldom seen in the world of fine art glass. They describe "hot fusion" as a process of taking rods of colored glass and cutting them into separate elements. Then layering them onto a flat glass base and finally re-melting everything into one piece. Over the last 16 years this journey of learning the medium of glass has resulted in pieces of exciting fine art, ranging all the way from glass paintings to sculptures to functional art in the form of chandeliers. Their work focuses on detail, depth, light, reflection and color. One piece suggests an underwater coral reef. Their body of work has also developed to the point that they have become nationally and internationally collected as far away as India, New Zealand, Germany, and England. Locally, their work is exhibited at Tesorini in the Bellagio, Wynn Home Store in the Wynn Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay, L Maynard Galleries and R & R Partners.

Lincoln Maynard

Lincoln Maynard's persona approaches you as bigger than life but his works instill a sense of quiet emotion. His art focuses on the use of line, form and texture to lure the viewer into a multitude of emotions. The emotions however are always backed by the ever-present colors of the desert. His works are not just two dimensional; a closer look reveals a layering of texture and materials that add dimension and impact. According to Maynard, his art is not complete until the whole can be broken down into smaller parts that in and of themselves are interesting and evoke an emotion, but then they must be put back together to form a whole.

What materials does he use to achieve this artistic goal? Maynard uses powdered graphite, sand, metallics, reconstituted cotton, canvas and whatever else that can achieve the layering of tones and form. Maynard states, "The key to my art is timing, materials, and layering."

He has been pursuing his artistic work for many years and has built a following both locally and nationally. Several of his works are commissioned and part of corporate collections. One can view his art locally at the L Maynard Gallery in Las Vegas which is located in the newly renovated Holsum Lofts.

As a final statement, the Contemporary Arts Collective, Natalia and I want to again thank the Vegas Community Online and want to wish everyone a happy holiday.

Natalia and Ed

(Photography for 3^rd Annual Art Auction done by Gabrielle Reimann)