Grass Roots Beginnings

I used to tell people that I wasn’t an artist…  and I’m not, really.  I write, paint and make crafts, do creative things, and think outside the box. But I wouldn’t call myself an “Artist”-mostly because I was always along the fringes of the art scene.  I worked as a techie in theater in High School, and I’m a “coffee house junky” who used to grace the stage of the poetry open mics. Despite these things, I never truly considered myself a part of the infamous Art Scene-until now.

I landed a job as a Theater Manager for a local theater, the Neon Venus Art Theatre.  It’s a grass roots kind of project, brand new and just born into the cultural scene for a few months now.  Being that it’s a grass roots project, it requires hard work, dedication, and more expense than incoming capital, but I decided from the first time I set foot in the place that I wanted to be a part of this adventure.

Everyone told me I was crazy since I am a single mom with limited support, but I told everyone to trust me.  I know that there I can never guarantee success, but I believe in it.  I believe there is a place for this new art haven in the downtown art scene.  And in some way I believe if that is the case, then there’s a place for me in it, too.

So far, we’ve started our Arts & Media Classes, and are in the process of setting up our non-profit foundation.  Pretty soon we’ll be able to utilize it and collect donations to contribute to the Arts and to setting up art workshops and music camps for underprivileged children in the community.

We need a lot of added support, but I think there might be a few people out there that have the Heart to help us out.  I’m hoping there are enough art lovers out there that are willing to help us see this theater through to the bigger picture–the one that turns this place into a breeding ground for networking and artistic cultivation.

As long as our art classes continue to draw in the local community and as long as our teachers continue to show their support by going above and beyond what it takes to make our classes a useful cultural investment for students I think that we’ll be one step closer.  And if I can find those bleeding heart proponents of art and grass roots projects that are hiding out there, then I think I can help pull off a monumental awakening of art culture in the southern downtown area (an area I feel is almost over looked because of its proximity to the strip even though there are quite a few galleries down on that end and a lot of talented artists worth appreciating).

I want to work with the existing Art Revolution that’s been brewing in Las Vegas, and spread its arms outward, touching fingers with people who may not have considered the possibilities that art has to offer.

When I think about these goals, I laugh to myself a little.  It almost looks like I’m an artist, but if you ask me I’ll still tell you, “I am not an artist.” I write, paint and make crafts, do creative things, and think outside the box-but I am not an artist.

I want to be more than just a title-whether artist or theater manager or just plain crazy.  I want to be a part of something huge even if it means starting with a little place on the corner of Imperial and 3rd.

The greatest accomplishments and changes had to start somewhere, had to start from a beginning.   And I’m starting here.

Kim Threat