Las Vegas Artists take over Designer Con in Pasadena

Gotta give them lots of props for putting on a great show at Designer Con 2014. Las Vegas should be very proud to have had such a great team of ambassadors in Pasadena, November 8-9th, as they showed their L.A. counterparts and beyond that they too could hang with the big girls and boys. Not to mention the artists were grouped all together in one continuous row in what they called the Las Vegas Strip approprietly.

Also I must add that I was deeply humbled to have been asked by artist Ryan Brunty, creator extraordinaire of "Yerman the Sad Yeti", to have been asked to moderate a panel discussion with Ryan and Juan Muniz on Art and Depression at the expo. I am glad that I agreed because I could not have had a better weekend with such amazing artists discussing such an important subject that moved many in the audience to tears.

When I look back at the 20 years that I have been personally involved in the local art scene it really is exciting to see how far we have come as a community. Though I have always said that Las Vegas has always had cultural arts scene, based on historical fact, it was not until the last 12 years that the scene has really picked up momentum. So much so that city's around the world are beginning to take notice.

Whats interesting is the fact that we Las Vegans don't even know what we have in our own backyard. In another recent trip to L.A. back in June I was shocked at how much the cultural intelligentsia in places like Los Angeles knew about what was going on in our fair city. The world is quickly taking notice that Las Vegas is a place with fresh ideas that has a lot of opportunities for fledgling, mid-career and established artists. What the future holds is anyone's guess but I suspect that Las Vegas will continue breaking barriers and reaching new frontiers in art and culture just like we did with the gaming and entertainment industries.

Keep up the good work all you creatives out there for Las Vegas has an artistic mojo to be reckoned with.

Las Vegas Artists at Designer Con -

Juan Muniz - http://www.juanmunizart.com/
Das Frank - http://dasfrank.bigcartel.com/
Tanya Watler - http://www.lilartbodega.com/
Mike Biggs - http://biggsstudio.squarespace.com/
Dan 45 - http://dan45art.bigcartel.com/
Ryan Brunty - http://ryanbrunty.storenvy.com/
Iianit & Rich Moskal - https://happypandatoys.com/
Derek Douglas SN!PT - http://sniptart.com/
Dillon Boy - http://www.dillonboy.com/
Spencer Davis - http://bootybabe.com/

For more information about Designer Con (D-Con) 2014 -
http://www.designercon.com/

Huge thanks to Designer Con and the City of Pasadena for a great show!

The Las Vegas Crew @ Designer Con Pasadena 2014
From left - Juan Muniz, Das Frank, Tanya Watler , Mike Biggs, Dan 45, Ryan Brunty, Iianit Moskal,
Bottom - Derek Douglas SN!PT, Dillon Boy, Rich Moskal 

Derek Douglas, Juan Muniz, Tanya Watler, Dillon Boy

Happy Panda Toys

Juan Muniz

Mike Biggs

Paco, Ryan and Juan as Felipe. Panel discussion on
Depression in the Arts: A character study
Photo taken by Shahab Zargari

Ryan and Charlie

Spencer Davis & his awesome Botty Babe's

Ryan Brunty, Jeannette Hall, Juan Muniz as Felipe, Paco & Vezun

Derek Douglas SN!PT

Drawing by Las Vegas Artist Jeannette Hall

Star Wars Imperial Walker AKA AT AT
@ Designer Con

Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...