Meet The Artists!
These Nevadan artists help make the Mojave Art Collective possible!
Tracey Amanda Norkus (she/they/them)
Tracey hails from Chicago, IL, growing up a few minutes from the Midway International Airport (#SouthSidePride). After graduating from college in 2012, she found Las Vegas, feeling right at home.
As long as Tracey can remember, they have been doing something creative. While school allowed Tracey to explore a variety of art media, her art journey started at home. They describe that growing up in the Midwest often meant getting stuck inside due to the bad weather; her mother believed in coloring rather than TV, so Tracey started their artistic journey from a young age. It is difficult for Tracey to choose a favorite art media, since there are so many that deeply interest them! They love using colored pencils, acrylic paints, and clay. But currently, Tracey is developing a skill in digital art and rediscovering water colors.
Tracey chose to be a part of the Mojave Art Collective after taking a day to explore Boulder City, and finding a flyer in the Boulder Dam Hotel. She thought to herself, "Not only do I love art but I have an even deeper love for all animals. I figured I would try. You should do one scary thing a day!" And here they are today after taking the jump.
Christine de Lota (she/her)
For sixteen years, bartending and dancing have been Christine’s main creative outlets. 2021 marks her return to working more full time as a professional artist, specializing in figurative acrylic painting.
Winning an art competition in second grade sparked Christine's artistic journey, and during her adolescence in New York and Texas, her art teachers’ encouragement greatly impacted her decision to pursue an art degree.
With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from the University of Texas at Austin, Christine is eager to help the Mojave Art Collective (MAC) create engaging public art. In addition to conservation education, she is excited to be part of a project that carries the torch of local muralist Connie Burnett Ferraro whose well known exterior and interior
murals add beauty and richness to historic Boulder City.
While supporting local artists at the Boulder City Art Guild & Gallery, the MAC’s flyer on the events board served as a call to action to become more involved in the community through environmental art.
Along with volunteering for the Collective, Christine plans on using her artistic abilities to support other philanthropic causes like funding for arts education in public schools. Quoting Las Vegas based world-renowned artist and philanthropist Michael Godard, “My art is a vehicle to do something in the world that will make a difference.”
Sovereign Tindall (she/her)
Sovereign is originally from Kenosha, Wisconsin, but we're glad to have her in the Mojave Desert at the moment! She enjoyed drawing as a child, but truly took interest during an art therapy class, where she learned to use painting to cope with trauma.
Sovereign's favorite art style is abstract, and she enjoys using ink, acrylic and oil paints in her personal pieces.
She discovered the Mojave Art Collective from one of the flyers in Boulder City and thought it would be a fun experience to paint her first mural while also learning about Nevada's endangered species. Currently, she is working on the Boulder City Co. Store mural, featuring Nevada's endangered Mount Charleston Blue Butterflies.
Aaron Bunch (he/him)
Aaron is previously from Indiana, but has lived on and off in Nevada for the last few years. He is an avid nature enthusiast, animal lover, and a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Aaron has been creating art since he was a kid, continuously drawing, writing stories, and painting with watercolor, inks, and acrylics. Through the years, he discovered his love for making short films, photography, composing music, and hosting a podcast with his brother, where they talk about all things creative. He knew from a young age that creating things was something he was meant to be doing. Aaron says it was the only thing that brought him confidence and made him feel accomplished.
Currently, Aaron is a junior at the Indiana Institute of Technology studying communications, media, and broadcasting. His main aspiration in his career life is to become a filmmaker and video producer.
Aaron became interested in the Mojave Art Collective through his sister, Sovereign Tindall. The two of them both enjoy painting, and they decided that they wanted to work on a mural together in the hope that they could leave behind a piece of their creativity for Boulder City residents and visitors to see for years. Aaron and Sovereign enjoy the town of Boulder City and are excited to leave their artistic mark in it.
Jessica Mezei (she/her)
Jessica is originally from Los Angeles, but moved to Boulder City in 2020. She discovered art starting in childhood; she painted, doodled/drew, and worked with any materials in her reach. As Jessica grew older, she took an AP Art course in high school, and a Graphic Design summer course at the Art Institute of North Hollywood. She even got her first job as a graphic designer, creating uniforms for racing and fishing teams.
Currently, Jessica enjoys sculpting and painting clay, perfecting her process and learning along the way. Jessica discovered the Mojave Art Collective from a flyer posted in a coffee shop. As soon as she saw it, she knew she was super excited to contribute to the project, knowing there is a meaningful message behind the artwork.
America Grafton (she/her)
America is from Boulder City, Nevada (most recently) and attends undergrad at Hamilton College in Upstate New York. She has moved several times in her life, allowing her to experience vastly different environments and meet many wonderful, unique people.
America can trace her discovery of art back to childhood. Whether it was entering into her local bank's coloring contest, or soaking all the white copy paper with her watercolor art, America adored creating art from a young age and continues her work to this day.
Her favorite materials to use when creating art often depend on her motivation and accessibility. More often than not, America prefers to use acrylic paints, but she often challenges herself with the canvas type. For example, stone walls, denim jackets, and even her front door is covered with her creative work. America is excited to take the figure drawing class offered at Hamilton in the fall, where she will be challenged to capture the human body in a variety of positions.
America created the Mojave Art Collective as an extension of her passions for the environment and art, but she is amazed at the results of all her hard work. She is forever grateful for everyone who helped her along the way to make this project possible!
Tiffany Pereira (she/her)
Tiffany Pereira is an Assistant Research Scientist, Ecologist and Scientific Illustrator in the Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences at the Desert Research Institute in Las Vegas, NV. She specializes in ecology, conservation and management of Mojave and Great Basin Desert flora and fauna. She is also interested in design and scientific illustration for science communication. She believes that science and art do not exist on separate planes, polarized by different processes, finding that creative mediums can powerfully convey scientific fact. She is excited to join the amazing artists at the Mojave Art Collective and bring her research to the community! Current research includes rare plant ecology, botanical inventories, seed germination, soil seed banks, gypsum habitats and natural resource planning. Previous scientific illustration includes figures and graphical abstracts for journal publications, botanical illustration for the National Park Service, and a painting in the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas’ permanent exhibit.
