‘A Winter Tonic’ art reception set in Virginia City

St. Mary’s Arts and Retreat Center, 55 R St. in Virginia City, will hold a reception for “A Winter Tonic,” an art show featuring work by Nes Lerpa, Megan Berner, Jessica White and other artists, from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Nes Lerpa, a visiting artist in residence, works with large canvases featuring bold abstract presentation of colors. Born in Denmark, he lives and works in the hills behind Piacenza in Northern Italy and in the woods north of Copenhagen.

Lerpa is teaching a workshop for painters of all levels Nov. 20-23 at the center. To sign up, go to http://stmarysartcenter.org/event/large-scale-abstract-painting-workshop-with-danish-artist-nes-lerpa/. Scholarships for Comstock region students and artists are available at http://stmarysartcenter.org/about-us/annabelle-shelley-scholarships/.

Megan Berner, a graduate of the University of Iowa who lectures at the University of Nevada, Reno, teaches photography and video and is going to showcase her contemporary photographs in the display. She’s a member of the Reno Arts and Cultural Commission.

Jessica White’s oil and drawings in pen and ink represent contemporary portraits of men and women. She creates her own narrative using the human framework of her family members. Her work was featured at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Art this year.

The exhibit also includes work by Kelsey Rolling, Emily Jiang, and Tyler Hart, students in the Reno High School’s advanced art class, as well as mixed media pieces by the Dusty Roads art group.

“We are very pleased with the vibrant and diverse array of art we will be able to present,” said Frances Melhop, executive director of St. Mary’s Arts and Retreat Center. “The galleries are full of work from established international and local artists. We are also showing works from young artists just emerging from University Fine Art School programs and high school advanced art programs.”

San Francisco-based folk musicians Paula Frazer, Jacob Aranda, and David Cuetter will perform at the free reception.

For more information about the reception, go to http://stmarysartcenter.org/event/reception-opening-of-shows/#sthash.p67sjT95.dpuf.

St. Mary’s Arts and Retreat Center, a nonprofit, depends on donations to sustain its arts programs. Tax deductible donations can be sent to St. Mary’s Art Center, P.O. Box 396, Virginia City 89440. To donate online, go to PayPal or www.stmarysartcenter.org.