After 82 years, an artistic piece of Nevada history has returned to the state: a decorative basket that Moapa Paiute Indians made in the early part of the 20th century. Las Vegas pioneer Helen J. Stewart (1854-1926) collected the basket, which her descendants Lawrence and Harriet Stay donated to the Nevada State Museum in Las Vegas.

Stewart, known as “The First Lady of Las Vegas,” came to southern Nevada in 1882 where her husband, Archibald, had taken over the former Grass Ranch, established on the site of the old Las Vegas Mormon Fort.

During her years on the ranch, Helen befriended the local Paiutes and collected their baskets. By the early 1920s Stewart’s collection had grown to nearly 600 baskets and was considered one of the finest in the West.

Authentic basket collections from various Indian tribes are found statewide in Nevada....

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The Nevada Museum of Art is recognizing 25 years of Elko’s National Cowboy Poetry Gathering with an exhibit inspired by the event and the people in it.

Between Grass & Sky by Nik Hafermaas depicts imagery based on western life and themes that have emerged in ranching and cowboying.

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Feeling a little Baroque? Are you a little low on Monet?

Satisfy your need for artistic enrichment with the Riverwalk Merchants Association and the West Street Market as they team up once a month to provide a wealth of arts and culture in downtown Reno. Many exhibits, events and activities are free.

Art Walks will occur the last Thursday of every month from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. starting April 30 in the downtown Reno Riverwalk District.

Information is also available online at www.renoriver.org...

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Three new art exhibits are now open at the National Automobile Museum in downtown Reno at 10 S. Lake St.

The Art Collection of Bill and Jo Janowski is in the Museum’s Changing Exhibits Gallery through June 8. The exhibit invites visitors to step into speed, emotion and adventure with artwork that takes moments of time and translates them into the art of the automobile in contemporary form. Racing is the common thread for the exhibit and specific cars, legendary drivers and activities of the sport are the primary subjects. Featured artists include Bill Neale, Niles Nakaoka and Lawrence Braun, all members of the Automotive Fine Arts Society.

The “Roadside Attractions” exhibit showcases photography by Howard Goldbaum through June 8. During a 15,000-mile trip across the nation, Goldbaum explored the artifacts of the American Roadway. His photographs capture a unique element of Americana, “roadside attractions” that express the entrepreneurial spirit....

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Self taught artist Janet Trobough makes an encore visit to the Lost City Museum accompanied by Mesquite resident, Casey Oeleson teacher of figurative sculpture classes for the Virgin Valley Artist Association. The exhibit by this artistic duo will be an display February 1, through February 28, 2009.

Displaying a variety of media, the show contains western themes and Native American women painted in rich earth tones, rustic and creatively decorated gourds using burning and staining techniques along with turquoise, silver and malachite to add the special touch. Trobough’s own soapstone sculpture and Oeleson’s sculpture is also featured.

Janet Trobough will be at the museum signing work from 1:00 until 3:00 p.m. on February 7. “It will be the perfect opportunity to find that unusual perfect gift for your valentine from the art show or from the museum store,” said museum attendant, Terri...

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