The Road to Elko, Nevada
Our route never would have passed through Elko, Nevada were it not for the amazing string of events that led to Driggs, Idaho.
During our time painting a mural at Rise Coffee House, I sometimes played live music for tips in Rise’s cozy backyard. One day I was performing, and a stranger sat at one of the benches and sat quietly through the show. As a performer, sometimes you can just tell if someone is really connecting and enjoying your art. This was such a moment.
And so began our friendship with Natalie and Henry, a fellow pair of world-roamers and lovers of all-things-creative! And in one of those curious coincidences, Natalie is an amazing sculptor and shares José’s alma mater, SAIC!
Natalie invited me to sing for a dinner with friends, and that is where we connected with folks from Nevada Gold Mines. The company is very invested in supporting community efforts in Elko and the many other communities it calls home. We knew our path would cross through Nevada on our way to California, so all the dots connected for us to help with a project in Elko!
The Igloo Rec Center is a fully volunteer-run, nonprofit in the community of Elko, Nevada. It is a root in the community, a space for local hockey, soccer, gymnastics, and baseball clubs of all ages. Every aspect of the space has been built bit-by-bit by volunteers, an impressive show of collaborative effort. The exterior and some walls of the interior have long needed a pick-me-up, and that’s where we stepped in!
A project to be continued…
We will return in Spring 2021 to participate in the continued transformation of the Igloo building’s exterior. Large canvas panels will cover much of of the building, with the mural design integrated around the panels. We’re excited that with warmer weather, we’ll be able to bring community members into the fray.
We cannot wait to see the entire project completed. What a before and after it will be!
A special thank you to Nevada Gold Mines
This mural project was sponsored by Nevada Gold Mines, along with a mural painted inside the Igloo (stay tuned for that post!) NGM’s support made it possible to provide both murals for the Igloo Rec Center, at no cost to the organization. Countless community members use the Igloo everyday, and their days are made a bit brighter by these uplifting splashes of color. Thank you to Nevada Gold Mines for supporting both projects.