Artist's reception Feb. 3 at Comma Coffee

Artist's reception at Comma Coffee

A reception for Gardnerville artist Alanna McDaniel is 5-7 p.m. Feb. 3 at the Backseat Gallery of Comma Coffee, 312 S. Carson St., Carson City. Hors d'oeuvres, beer and wine available.

Mc Daniels's The Magic of Form: Images of Unguarded Moments show features watercolor, acrylic, and graphite images of people and animals of Nevada.

The Backseat Gallery presents month-long exhibitions of work by regional artists, sponsored by the zArtist.com website development business committed to the support of visual arts in Northern Nevada and Lake Tahoe. Information, commacoffee.com

McDaniel is a native of Southern California and now resides in Gardnerville. She travels regularly between the two states and attends many public events throughout California and within the Northwestern region of Nevada. All paintings are composites of photographs taken directly by the artist during her travels. Observe how stark realism transcends the common place and makes a mark on the otherworldly; although tangible in the here and now, the human and animal form continually comingles with the heavenly, spiritual, and imaginary worlds. Approximately thirty paintings and drawings of local residents and animals will be on display.

McDaniel earned her bachelor's degree in art history and teaching credential units from California State University, Northridge. During the last 12 years, McDaniel was an art teacher for elementary and secondary grades in the Ventura and Los Angeles school systems. She currently conducts private art lessons in Minden and is a substitute teacher in Douglas County.

The first inspiration to paint people came from her two young sons. Always taking photographs of her two boys, she decided to transform an ordinary snapshot into a mystical masterpiece. Her art has been featured and hosted by The Record-Courier and Ventura County Star newspapers, and has been shown in California and Nevada.

For information on current projects and future showings, contact McDaniel at 265-4075 or (805) 217-3207.