Monday, February 07, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

NEWSMAKERS: Marquez finds 'Connections' through her painting

Artist wins Nevada Public Radio 25th Anniversary Art Competition

Jane Marquez poses next to her award-winning painting.

Jane Marquez takes her art seriously. So does Nevada Public Radio.

Marquez, 55, won the Nevada Public Radio 25th Anniversary Art Competition last month with her acrylic painting on watercolor board titled "Making Connections." In addition to winning $5,000, her painting will be made into a commemorative poster celebrating the 25th anniversary of the company. Nevada Public Radio broadcasts news and information on KNPR-FM 88.9 and classical music on KCNV-FM 89.7.

She learned of the competition through e-mails she received from the Clark County Web site. She competed against 76 other artists who submitted artwork in various mediums. Five winners and 10 honorable mentions were handed out. The 15 winning pieces will tour through various galleries in Southern Nevada for the next six months.

"When I was reading the requirements for the themed artwork I tried to personalize it," Marquez said. "I spent two months on it, read and reread what they wanted, and started with the basics."

She thought of KNPR's programming of news and classical music, and the theme of the contest, which was "Connections." She said at that point she looked inside for inspiration.

"I just reached down into my gut ... `how am I connected?' Our only connection (as children) was the radio," she said. "So I went through some of my old photos of when we were kids, and those pictures are referred to in the painting. It was significant to me."

It also was significant to the judges. Marquez said when she turned in her artwork, she saw several other pieces and some had been created on a computer. For a moment she thought she didn't have a chance.

"After I dropped the piece off, I came home and told my husband I would be lucky if I made the top 15," she said. "There were so many good pieces in there and some were created digitally. I was very humbled."

Her painting reflects the requirements that KNPR wanted, but through all of her own experiences. She painted a coffee cup, because having coffee in her studio in the morning is reminiscent of warmth and comfort. Yet she put a spin on the cup where the steam rolls out into a road overlooking Nevada.

"As I was going, I kept thinking `I need more' so there are elements in the final piece that I had added," she said. "The plug that goes into the newspaper, that wasn't in my original. I also eliminated the skyline."

The judges of the competition were unanimous in their choice of a winner, Marquez said.

"Ms. Marquez's piece was selected because it represented the theme of the competition and was exciting, colorful and easy to read," the competition judges said in a released statement. "We believe that it will also make a wonderful poster to commemorate the 25th on-air anniversary of Nevada Public Radio."

"Making Connections" will have a permanent home in the KNPR offices after the touring exhibit ends.

Born in Paola, Kan., Marquez was raised in Kansas City, Mo. She has been involved in art her whole life. She said she spent much of her early years in her room drawing.

"In second grade I won my first art contest," Marquez said. "Then when I was 16, I won second place in a local contest for an oil painting I did. I (didn't) have any professional training at that time."

After moving to California, she met and married her husband, Ruben. They have been married for 33 years and have two children. Marquez went on to receive her associate's degree in fine arts with an emphasis in painting at Palomar College in San Marcos in 1990. The family then relocated to Las Vegas in 1998.

Since moving to Las Vegas, Marquez has joined the Las Vegas Artist Guild and the Las Vegas Pastel Society, is involved in many art-related organizations such as the Boulder City Arts Guild and has 13 banners of her art hanging on Las Vegas Boulevard North as part of the cultural corridor.

The second-place winner was Mary Hill, with her digital illustration, "On the Air." Third place went to Sandra Feldman, for her mixed media "Radio Quilt."

If you know of a worthy candidate for the Newsmakers column, mail information to: Monique Frigard, Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125-0070, send faxes to 383-4676.