This fall, CSN Art Galleries is inviting the community to experience "DisOriented," a new exhibit by artist and CSN Adjunct Professor Gwaylon Leaf. The exhibit will run from Friday, October 11, 2024, through Saturday, February 22, 2025, at the Debra March Center of Excellence Art Gallery in Henderson. A highlight of the event will be an Artist Talk and Reception on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at 6 p.m., where attendees can hear directly from the artist about his work.
Leaf blends Taoist symbolism with American Abstract Expressionism to explore his Hapa (mixed-race) identity through dynamic colors, shapes, and nontraditional language forms. His work is described as “visual poems,” crafted to provoke thought and emotion in ways words cannot. “I want my work to be a point of defiance against fitting within set cultural mores,” says Leaf. Each piece in "DisOriented" reflects his journey of navigating cultural complexities.
A Nevada native and MFA graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno, Leaf’s work has been exhibited across the state as well as in New York and Indiana. He has also received recognition from Nevada’s First Lady for his contributions to the arts.
The exhibit is free, family-friendly, and open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The gallery is located at 2200 Via Inspirada, Henderson, Nevada. For more information about the exhibit or related events, visit csn.edu/artgallery or call (702) 651-4146.