An "E" is missing.
"INSURANC" glares out from the top of Suite 6A on Water Street. The door reads Rainbow Tax Service, and a look through it reveals that the suite is empty except for some papers scattered on the floor. The storefront, located in downtown Henderson, does not scream art gallery, it whispers W-2.
But Sean Russel, Jesse Miller and Chris Waters see potential in the abandoned office space formerly devoted to tax preparation. After submitting a proposal to the city of Henderson's Redevelopment Agency, the three local artists acquired permission to use the space without charge until its anticipated demolition within the next year. The building will be demolished to make room for a "mixed-use project ... that will contain retail and residential components," according to Henderson's redevelopment program coordinator, Michelle Romero.
In the meantime, the three artists hope to transform the remnants of Rainbow Tax Service into a working art gallery and studio. They envision it as a traditional gallery and want to host group and solo shows that "highlight the community and UNLV," according to Waters. "We are open to anything, every type of medium. We may even set up classes in the community if there is enough interest," Miller said.
They want the gallery to feature artists from Henderson and Las Vegas and hope an "interchange of viewing" will take place between the two areas, Waters said. They plan to correlate openings with Henderson's Third Thursdays, and plan to rotate shows every three weeks.
The deal is a trade-off between the artists and the city: Artists get their space, but must hold a business license, and the city wants them to remain open five days a week to keep the storefront active, according to Miller.
All three hold master's degrees from UNLV's College of Fine Arts. Russel received his degree last year with a concentration in drawing and painting. He is currently an adjunct faculty member at the university. Waters and Miller recently held their thesis shows in the Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery entitled Secondhand and 2 Minutes/Intravenous, respectively.
They say the gallery can function as a "related extension" of UNLV because of their existing relationship with the students and faculty. BFA and MFA students will have the opportunity to show in the gallery, which will also be open to local artists. "If someone has a body of work that they can present to us, and if it fits the space, we'll definitely do solo shows," said Waters.
Because they plan for the gallery to also be their working studio, Waters said it will give the community "a chance to see artists in their environment." The location suits both their needs and that of the city: "They want to keep the street thriving," Waters added.
"We want activity on the street," Romero said. "We would much rather see an active vibrant storefront than an empty building."
The vision of Waters, Miller and Russel fits the redevelopment agency's effort to focus on art and culture as well as draw younger customers downtown. Once the building is demolished the three "will be able to meet with any new developer to see if they are interested in locating in the new buildings," said Romero, who added "we would love for them to be able to remain downtown."
That gives rise to the idea of roving artists taking up space in other empty storefronts, rent-free, until those spots are filled by paying businesses.
In fact, maybe Henderson will indeed build a thriving arts community that rivals the Las Vegas Arts District in time, given this sort of cooperation.
"The city is really motivated to build a cultural community center on this street," said Waters. "We would like ... another venue for art. Henderson is really a prime location, open and homey. It has a small-town feel."