• Date: Friday, January 22nd 2010
• Time: 8:00pm
• City: Reno Passportin Sparks, NV
• Venue: John Ascuaga’s Nugget
• Country: US
• Admission: $50
• Age restrictions: No minors
• Box office: 775.329.2787

Raising money for the arts has never been more fun. On January 22, 2010, John Ascuaga’s Nugget welcomes the Fifteenth Annual Sierra Arts Brew HaHa to the Rose Ballroom, beginning at 8 p.m. To celebrate the event’s milestone anniversary, 35 breweries and 3 bands will keep the party hopping throughout the evening.

For the past fifteen years the Brew HaHa has helped generate much-needed funding for the Sierra Arts Foundation, which provides support for area artists and community arts programs, such as Arts in Education, the Elder Care Concert Series, and Concerts in the Gallery. A longtime area favorite, the 2010 event will shake things up with even more music to keep toes tapping, and the addition of a VIP Brewers’ Reception beginning at 7 p.m.

A rare chance to speak with those who concoct the drafts in a private setting will be a highlight for those purchasing VIP tickets. A special area will be set up for this pre-event opportunity to sample sudsy beverages and speak to the brewers directly. Among the featured breweries this year are Buckbean, Silver Peak, Great Basin, New Belgium, Newcastle, Pyramid, Full Sail, Merchant du Vin, Speakeasy, Anderson Valley, North Coast, Heineken, Mammoth, Eel River, Lagunitas, Stone, Mendocino, Deschutes, Big Sky, Moosehead, Sierra Nevada, Alaskan, Black Diamond, Kona, Red Hook, Sam Adams and Rail City.

One band simply wouldn’t be enough to commemorate the Brew HaHa’s fifteenth anniversary. Kicking off the evening will be the creative, funky sounds of Reno’s Jelly Bread, followed by a folk-rock experience with a country spin provided by Buster Blue. Headlining the event will be South Lake Tahoe’s Blue Turtle Seduction, a well-traveled band renowned for keeping the party going with their fresh, eclectic blend of upbeat sounds which have garnered much national attention recently.

A wide array of raffle prizes and a silent auction will offer guests entertainment of another sort. As well, a no-host bar and light snacks will also be available for those wanting a momentary distraction from malted barley and hops.

Tickets for the 2010 Sierra Arts Brew HaHa are $50 for general admission, or $60 for VIP tickets, 50% of which is tax-deductible. Cost of entry will include entertainment, a commemorative beer pint tumbler and all the beer one can responsibly drink. VIP tickets also include entrance to the private Brewers’ Reception at 7 p.m., and a seat in the exclusive VIP section, with a private dance floor directly in front of the stage. Sierra Arts members will receive a $5 discount per ticket. Tickets may be purchased through Sierra Arts by calling 775-329-ARTS (2787) or visiting www.sierra-arts.org.

• Date: Friday, December 11th 2009
• Time: 8:00pm
• City: Reno Passportin Reno, NV
• Venue: The Waterfall
• Country: US

Come to the Waterfall on Friday to see what kinds of demons (and fairies) RyanO’s been uncovering lately.

In his first show for a year and a half, RyanO has produced a series of paintings described as “abstract, yet full of content.” Inside, find what you will. The fairies and demons within his paintings may seem familiar, or not- but you’re bound to find them captivating.

DJs for the evening include:

- SPENCE LEE
Listen: http://www.myspace.com/thelaegomaniak

- DAVID LEESON
Listen: http://summerrainpromotions.net/auditorycanvas/

- COOP-DA-LOOP
Listen: http://www.myspace.com/djcoopdaddy

RyanO’s Bio:
RyanO has been a practicing artist for 15 years. Classically trained in ceramics and kiln building, he has a BFA ceramics and sculpture and minor in archeology from the University of Milwaukee.

Locally, RyanO has been involved with the Reno art scene, as well as with Burning Man for 6 years in roles ranging from regional contact to fire spinner to general trouble maker.

This post was submitted by Linda.

RyanO

A graduate of University of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, RyanO has successfully made art his living for the better part of the last 20 years. He breaths and lives his art. “I see shapes and colors that most people don’t care to see,” he said, “and that’s what I try to replicate in my paintings, the unseen.”

For him, the paintings are somewhat of a wrestling match with colors and shapes. He starts with a blank piece of wood and then adds layers upon layers of colors and shapes until the battle ends. “At one point, we decide to call a truce, and that’s when the piece is done,” he said.

The theme for his latest series is Fairies and Demons. “The paintings are very abstract but not without content,” assured RyanO. “If you pay close attention, you will see all sorts of images. Think about it as a crystal ball of sorts.”

RyanO uses all recycled materials for his paintings: oils, latex house paint, and polyethylene are the main ingredients for his latest creations. He is working on 35 pieces that will be hanging at The Waterfall on 2^nd St. from Dec 11^th until mid to late January. On opening night, there will be a silent auction for the paintings, and DJ Spence Lee out of Tahoe will be providing music.

Be sure to stop by The Waterfall and enjoy the endless possibilities of colors and concepts that RyanO offers to the mind.

RP Tip: The Waterfall is located at 134 W. 2^nd St.

Text by Baldo Bobadilla

Photo(s) by Arturo Torres