Rock art inspires Nevada artists

Prehistoric designs inspire modern Nevada artists

By Frank X. Mullen Jr.At the Artists Co-operative of Reno Gallery this month, the paintings, sculpture textiles and jewelry on exhibit are inspired by the humans who invented art at the dawn of time.

"When you see petroglyphs and cave paintings out in the field, they move something inside you, something deep in your humanity," said Cyril Demsdorff of Sparks, who came to the gallery Sunday for the reception sponsored by the Nevada Rock Art Foundation, which will share in 20 percent of the sales of the artwork. "That's what happens when you see these modern representations of these ancient motifs. It strikes a chord within our psyches."

Many of the local artists whose work is on display at the Co-operative are inspired by Great Basin petroglyphs, which are thousands-year-old carvings by Indians on desert rocks and by other aboriginal and natural imagery. All types of media are used.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Rock Art = First Comics?