Arts and Science Events For All Ages This Summer in Historic Silver City

SILVER CITY — Each summer, the historic Comstock community of Silver City offers free, public programming in arts and science, with separate activities for all ages at the park and community center.

Location: Silver City is located on the Comstock about about 4 miles from Virginia City, 7 miles from Dayton, and 12 miles from Carson City. The park and community center (School House) are at 385 High Street.

FREE PUBLIC EVENTS SUMMER 2016:

Reading by Shaun Griffin, Sunday, June 5th at 4pm at the School House, sponsored by Silver City Arts group. Shaun Griffin will read from his new memoir Anthem for a Burnished Land. Shaun is not only one of the West's highly admired poets, he's also been a great friend to rural communities across Nevada through his work as director of the social justice agency Community Chest Inc. He'll be reading from his memoir, a vivid record of his life in Nevada that describes the state's spectacular scenic beauty, and efforts by he and his wife Deborah Loesch Griffin to bring about social change.

Acoustic music jam sessions, 4th Saturday of each month from 3pm-5pm, hosted by Silver City Arts. This summer, the dates will be June 25, July 23 and August 27. If you like to sing, or you play a musical instrument, or if you simply enjoy music, come to the Silver City School House.

Slide guitar demo for adults by Mylo McCormick, sponsored by the Resident Artist Program in Silver City, Tuesday, June 14th at 10am at the School House. Now living in Carson City, emerging artist Mylo McCormick was born in Silver City, Nevada. Today Mylo is lead guitarist with Mo'z Motley Blues, a Tahoe/ Carson Valley/Reno area "rockin' bluesy funky dance band" that performs everything from originals to covers of Jimi Hendrix, Patsy Cline, Elle King, Dwight Yoakam, James Brown, Meghan Trainor, Prince, Van Morrison, etc. He'll offer a free slide guitar demonstration/ lesson for adults on June 14, and facilitate a private music seminar for teens June 12-14.

July Exhibition and Reception with Karen Kreyeski. On Wedneday, July 6th from 5pm to 8pm, Silver City Arts presents Karen Kreyeksi's The Women's Project: The Gift at the Silver City School House/Community Center. The public is cordially invited to attend, enjoy appetizers, and take advantage of this last chance to see all of these remarkable portraits of women from Storey and Lyon communities in one spot. Kreyeski's exhibition features dozens of paintings of women from Lyon and Storey towns. You'll recognize many of the faces. Karen Kreyeski is a long time resident of Silver City who has been an art educator at schools in both Storey and Lyon school districts, as well as the resident artist coordinator in Lyon and Storey school districts. She was also previously a board member with Comstock Arts Council, and was president of Nevada Arts Educators for many years. Her work has been shown in exhibits and galleries in Vegas, Tahoe, Reno and beyond, and can be found in many private collections.

Illustration workshop for teens and adults with Claire Scully, sponsored by the Resident Artist Program in Silver City, Tuesday, July 12th at 10am, Silver City School House. London-based artist Claire Scully is known for her meticulous, nature-based illustrations. She's been working as a freelance illustrator since graduating with her Masters in Communication Design at Central Saint Martins in 2006, with an ever expanding client list including the New York Times, The Guardian, penguin books, Random House, National Maritime Museum, Adidas, etc. Claire's workshop will focus on visual semantics and semiology, the signs and symbols people use to visually communicate an idea.

PHOTO BY FRANCES MELHOP

PHOTO BY CLAIRE SCULLY

Embroidery workshop for adults and teens with Stewart Easton, sponsored by the Resident Artist Program in Silver City, Tuesday, July 26th at 10am. Stewart is an illustrator and embroiderer who hails from Coventry in the United Kingdom. He works in thread, ink, paint and digital and is a master of visual storytelling whose work "straddles the lines between Craft, Illustration and Fine Art." Stewart will offer a free workshop for adults and teens this summer in narrative stitching, teaching participants how to design and stitch their own folkloric family stories.

Dance classes for adults and teens by Jessica Sanford, sponsored by the Resident Artist Program in Silver City, July dates and times to be announced. Jessica studied dance and social work at Indiana State University and teaches dance at Earlham College Wellness Center in Richmond, Indiana. With a Masters in Social Work from Indiana University, Jessica is also Director of Earlham College Counseling Services.

Portraits project sponsored through the Resident Artist Program in Silver City, August. New Zealand -born photographer and illustrator Frances Melhop, voted “One of the World's 200 Best Advertising Photographers 2009/2010″ by Luerzers Archive, will set up a temporary studio in Silver City in August, photographing some of the town's longtime residents for a future exhibition at the Haldan Art Gallery in Tahoe. Based in Australia for a decade, then in Milan, Italy for the next decade, Frances is well known in Europe and the South Pacific as a creator of extraordinary and unique imagery in the fashion and advertising arena. Her photographs have appeared in European magazines such as Vogue Italia, Vogue France, British Vogue, Glamour, etc. Photographs from her fairytale inspired series- which she describes as "an imaginary world of tall-tales, dreams, games of scale, surreality and story-telling" - have been exhibited in Paris, Cannes, Rome, Virginia City, Reno, etc. Now living in Nevada, Frances has continued to produce outstanding work on the Comstock and beyond, including portraits of Virginia City residents, and panoramic portraits of the Burning Man arts and music festival.

Concert and Dedication for the New Silver City Outdoor Performance Venue. Silver City will invite the public to join in celebrating the completion of a new outdoor performing arts stage that will be constructed in the town park this summer. Time and date for the dedication, concert, and other festivities to be announced.

Soap Box Derby Race for Adults, Save the Date: Musicians Will and Sheree Rose are hosting the 2nd annual Silver City Downhill Derby on October 1st. They describe it as an "Adult soapbox derby race and art event." More details will be announced soon.

Children's Events, sponsored through Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey Counties. Children under 16 should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Fun Fair for Parents and Kids Ages 2 to 6 on Tuesdays, June 7th from 10am to noon at the Silver City Park. The semi-annual “Tune into Kids” arts and science fun fair, hosted by United Way, is an event for parents and their children ages 2 to 6. United Way offers free books and educational toys and lots of hands-on activities that promote school readiness.

Engineering Fun for Ages 7-12 on Tuesday June 28th and Tuesday July 19th, 10am-noon at the Silver City School House. Two hands-on activities that encourage innovation will be provided by some of Nevada’s sharpest engineering minds. Guest teachers from the Society of Women Engineers will teach classes for kids ages 7 and 12.

Science, Math and Technology Experiments for ages 8-12 on Tuesday June 21st and Tuesday July 5, 10am-noon at the Silver City Park. Back by popular demand, Jim Barcellos of 4-H and the University of Nevada Coopoerative Extension will lead two science experiments for kids ages 8 and 12 and their parents. This year the experiments include 3 fun and messy chemistry experiments, and a model rocket building activity that helps children understand concepts like trajectory.

Shakespeare at Sand Harbor field trip, Tuesday August 2nd at 10am. Each year, the summer program includes a field trip to see Shakespeare on the beach at Sand Harbor at Lake Tahoe, presented by the D.G. Menchetti Young Shakespeare Program. Families carpool to the venue, enjoy the play together, and visit the nearby Sand Harbor Visitor's Center and Sand Harbor beaches. This year’s play is the hilarious Comedy of Errors. Two sets of twin brothers, lost to each other for many years after a shipwreck, unwittingly end up in the same city with hilarious consequences.

Bike Safety Rodeo for Kids 5 to 12: Tuesday, August 9th from 10am-noon. In an effort to teach kids proper bike safety procedures, there will be a bike safety “rodeo” with Western Safe Routes to Schools. Parents and their children ages 5-12 are invited to attend at the park and basketball court. Kids will learn road rules and safety, participate in bike maneuvers and exercises. Parents are asked to sign a Safe Routes permission slip for this activity and participants will receive new bike helmets.

Contact: Space is limited for the children's activities and the art, dance and music workshops. Please reserve your spot by emailing Quest Lakes at quest@theodata.com or calling (775) 287-7598.