James Stanford is an American contemporary artist, photographer, and small press publisher based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is best known for his work with vintage and historical Las Vegas marquees and signage and also for his leadership in the development of the Las Vegas arts community.
Video James Stanford
Education and background
Born in Las Vegas in 1948, Stanford attended the original 7th Street campus of Las Vegas High School from 1964-1966.
In 1971, Stanford earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He later attended the University of Washington, Seattle, earning a 1973 Master of Fine Arts in Painting.
In 1978, he returned to the UNLV campus as an instructor in the Fine Arts Department.
In 1985, Stanford received his Fresco Painting Apprenticeship under the instruction of Lucienne Bloch and Stephen Pope Dimitroff, College of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Maps James Stanford
Las Vegas arts community
Stanford is a recognized leader and pioneer of the Las Vegas arts community. He served the City of Las Vegas as Chairman of its Arts Commission from 1999 to 2001, at which time he developed the Downtown Las Vegas "Lightscapes" installation, cited by Art in America as one of the top twenty public art projects of the era.
Stanford also served as President of the Las Vegas Contemporary Arts Collective (popularly known as The CAC; later renamed as Las Vegas Contemporary Arts Center). His Presidency ran from 1996 to 1999. In his time with the CAC, Stanford curated numerous exhibits and organized the collective's day-to-day operations.
In 2007, Stanford---with Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, among others---was part of an important roundtable event to discuss the future of the Las Vegas Arts District and the First Friday venue.
Stanford's artistic works had gallery representation via Trifeta Gallery Las Vegas until the gallery's closure in 2015.
Smallworks
In 1998, Stanford co-created Las Vegas-based Smallworks Gallery. Later, Stanford established Smallworks Press, a publishing branch supporting chapbook and coffee table editions of poetry and art from local Las Vegas artists, and others.
Indra's Jewels
Stanford's "Indra's Jewels" series has received wide exhibition and critical praise. Based on the principals of Zen Buddhism, the series uses digital and traditional techniques to realize historic Las Vegas signage and neon as complicated mandala patterns.
In 2016, art critic and curator Mat Gleason reviewed Stanford's Indra's Jewels and related work in the The Huffington Post, saying, "It is in the eternal nature of the multiple reflection that this artist has delivered the ultimate rendering of the Vegas experience without resorting to dated design motifs."
Zen Garden Las Vegas
Drawing upon his Buddhist and artistic backgrounds, Stanford and his wife, Lynn Morris, purchased a group of Las Vegas property in 2008 where they created The Zen Center of Las Vegas.
Currently known as Zen Garden Las Vegas, the 1.3 acres grounds were hand-designed by Stanford and its extensive gardens were created in collaboration with National Public Radio horticulturalist Norm Schilling.
Exhibits
- "Indra's Jewels", Goldwell Open Air Museum, Red Barn Gallery, Rhyolite, Nevada (2008)
- "Sense of Place", Reed Whipple Cultural Center, Las Vegas, Nevada; Las Vegas Contemporary Arts Collective (2007)
- "Wonder", VURB (The Arts Factory), Las Vegas (2007)
References
External links
- SmallWorks Gallery
- Las Vegas Contemporary Art Collective: Past exhibits of James Stanford and others
- Zen Garden Las Vegas grounds tour video
- eLearningMedia's "Indra's Jewels" documentary
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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