'Mustang Morning' accepted at horse expo

Fish Springs is loaded with talent. I just met an extremely gifted young woman whose name should be in headlines - maybe it is. Karen Aleman always knew she would be an artist. It was in her blood. She started drawing when she was just a child in elementary school, then onto middle school, high school and college. She has been painting for fun all her life, but for the past year and a half she's become a professional. She's particularly interested in horses and it all started when she was a child. She really loved to draw pictures of horses so her parents bought her "how to draw" books to express her feelings and ability at a young age. Now she teaches art classes to children and adults. It's no wonder that Aleman is so talented as many members of her family are also. Landscape photographer, Bob Feltman, is her father and Earl Vance, pen-and-ink cartoonist, is her great-great grandfather.

When Karen Aleman and her husband Zeke and their two children moved to Fish Springs three years ago, they brought along their Shetland pony. Then Karen Aleman bought a beautiful Arabian horse to ride around in the Pine Nut Mountains. That's where she often sees wild horses running free. What a thrill. She took a really great picture of a family of seven mustangs out in the Pine Nut Mountains and from that photo she created a very large, 36-inch by 21-inch (unframed) pastel piece of fine art. It took her one and a half months to capture the spirit of what it's like to see the wild horses run free in their natural habitat here in Fish Springs.

Aleman's artwork, titled "Mustang Morning," was accepted to the Western States Horse Expo Equine Dream Art Show. This prestigious horse expo will be held June 8-10 at Cal Expo in Sacramento. Aleman paints mostly from photographs of horses that are pictured in dramatic backgrounds, such as Mt. Siegel, but she also does some special work by commission painting pets, like dogs, cats and horses. She works in soft pastels and is a member of the Northern Nevada Association of Pastel Painters.

We like to brag about having such talented neighbors live right here in Fish Springs. You can tell they appreciate the wildlife and scenic views in our high-desert Valley and nearby mountains. Nature lovers are attracted to the serenity and the abundance of wildlife in Fish Springs. We welcome the Aleman family to our little paradise. Prints and originals of Karen Aleman's paintings are available through Artistic Viewpoints Gallery and Studio in Gardnerville. For more information call 783-0633.

Memorial Service for Ray Watley: One of the founding fathers, also known as "plank owners," of our Fish Springs Volunteer Fire Department died on the morning of May 14. Ray Watley was there from the very beginning. Before there even was a fire station in Fish Springs, members met regularly in Ray and Diane's home to do training and organizing. A lot got accomplished during the 12 years that Ray was very active in our little fire department. Everybody who knew him loved him. We send our deepest sympathy to his wife Diane and their daughter, Gaytha and all the family. A memorial service will be held on May 26 at 4 p.m. at Grace Community Church on 2320 Heybourne Road in Minden. Everyone is invited to celebrate his life.

-- Linda Monohan can be reached at 782-5802.