Located right in the heart of Downtown Las Vegas at the intersection of Fremont and 10th street, at the very back of The Gather House, Scrambled Eggs holds its most recent exhibition Never a Cat’s Paw. Scrambled Eggs, a collective-run gallery intent on expanding the reach of Nevada’s artists, collaborates with Hasta Siempre Books, Vegas’s hottest indie bookstore, for the event. In the words of Emmanuel Muñoz, Scrambled Egg’s primary founder, Never a Cat’s Paw is an exhibition focused on femme and gender-nonconforming artists to “showcase the expansive range of mediums and subject matter that is coming out of Las Vegas from these young and exciting creatives.”
The exhibit’s name came to Alexys Keller, one of the three curators for the event, while looking through a thesaurus, pocketing the phrase “cats paw.” She explains the phrase means to be a pawn. “The fable is that a monkey convinces a cat to get chestnuts out of the fire, and he does, and the cat in turn has a burnt paw and is wounded. That’s what it means to be a pawn, it stems from that story.” Never a Cat’s Paw takes back power by refusing to be subjected to the same fate.
The reception for the gallery, held during this month’s festivities of First Friday, was filled with locals crowding into the exhibition. Flowers were abundant for the featured artists, laughter and conversation flowed freely, and the easy-going summer energy infused itself into the venue’s atmosphere. Its curators, Alexys Keller, Isaac Quezada, and Pedro Duran, ensured that there would be something for everyone to enjoy whether they are seasoned art enthusiasts or newcomers to the scene. “If you’re not into oils, maybe you’re into sculpture. If you’re not into sculptures, maybe you’re into mixed media,” remarks Duran.
McKenzie S. Easter’s focal point lies in pattern and sculpture. Referring to her style as “white trash,” found objects and otherwise discarded material play a major role in her art. “With using pattern, I hope to elevate what is considered waste to something that is considered high value, or an art object, or even something sacred.” Her Duffle Bag Dog series is on full display at the gallery, showing the fixture’s inability to escape itself.
Captivating viewers with vibrant colors and gorgeous subject matter, Sam Ganados specializes in oil painting and has recently been inspired by the roller skating community and occupying space in male-dominated areas. Ganados challenges how the audience observes their work. “I like to have the subjects looking directly at the person looking at the painting, I just want people to question why?… There’s a lot of things in my pieces where women are being exposed in a certain way and I want the viewer to question, ‘Should I be looking at her like this? In what way should I be viewing this person?’”
Inspired by cityscapes, Alexa Tapia utilizes gouache and oil paint to meditate on the world around her. With Las Vegas being Tapia’s muse, she explains her process: “(I) go for a walk and see what I see. If there’s a particular set of shapes that strike me then I’ll photograph it and bring it back home… I’ll try to capture that same, ‘Why did I take this photo? What about this excited me?’ and get that onto the page or canvas.” She also shared her thoughts on the local art scene: “I am so impressed with everyone that put this show together and the curators. It’s just pure passion fueling this… this is just people that love doing this type of stuff and see artists that they love and want to showcase them, and get them together, and build a community. I’m just so proud.”
For a few artists, like Laura Orozco, this is their first time displaying their work at an exhibit. “When I got there, I was shaking because I didn’t know what to expect… I thought it was cool just to see my artwork hung up, it felt so official… seeing it all come together was really amazing. I felt really emotional and accomplished.” Juxtaposing elements of darkness and light, beauty and the macabre play a vital role in Orozco’s art. Their piece titled Sins of the Father holds a special meaning that they further dive into: “I wanted to show how a person’s immoral behavior can lead to another person’s suffering and loss of innocence. I used it as a way to show my feelings about generational trauma… It’s a way to show your ancestor’s actions. Even if they don’t realize it at the time, they directly affect you and it can be really hard on a person.”
Reflecting a surrealistic artistic sensibility, mixed media artist, Sol Ortiz, displays three pieces inspired by relationships. Though it’s not the first time exhibiting her artwork, Ortiz shares, “It was extremely nerve-wracking this time around… I think the reason for that is because these new pieces are less about things that have happened in the past but more about things I’m struggling with now… It felt like a dissection. I was willfully being cut open so everyone could look inside.” Ortiz’s art captivates viewers, evoking a range of emotions that oscillate between intrigue and repulsion, all while baring the artist’s soul and raw expression. “When I’m able to invoke something like that, a feeling as serious as being disturbed or being seriously disgusted, that’s real power, and I don’t have a lot of power in my life, so it feels good to invoke those feelings in people, no matter what it is.” The series begs for contemplating the complexities relationships encompass: the good, bad, and grotesque.
“I am a very emotional person, and there are things in my brain, my body, and my history that I can’t measure in size or intensity. But I come close to visually representing it with painting and drawing,” shares Mak Moline, a painter ruminating on their artistic style, “so I would describe it as emotional vomit onto canvas.” Transitioning from their typically structured and formalistic approach to creating art, Moline explains the process of creating from an instinctual level and trust in their own talent and knowledge. “With the pieces that I made recently, I’ve been able to, I think, push against it [perfectionism] as a way of gaining control. As a way of retraining the brain and accepting that I may not get the ‘just right’ feeling and that not everything has to be ‘just right.’ It can be just right in the way that it is truthful and accurate in the way that it unfolds.” Moline’s artwork encourages viewers to form their own interpretation of the piece, allowing space for introspection and meditating on the emotions and thoughts it elicits.
Sage Venna, a digital and mixed media artist, resides in Utah though grew up here and has been part of the Vegas art scene. “There’s just so much local talent. I feel like the art community is going in such a great direction, and I feel like it’s because there’s so many people who are younger, who are curating the shows, and who are really finding and looking for people.” Creating works of art that carry out themes of community, feminism, and sex education, Venna hopes that her art inspires a sense of freedom of expression and community. “I’ve always tried to build a community where there isn’t one, or always trying to find a community where I can’t find any.” Venna’s style is characterized by distinct patterns, spikes, and elements that blend the creepy, camp, and cute. Her pieces Business Call and You’ve Been Terminated are reflective of that approach.
In putting together Never a Cat’s Paw, Quezada reveals that the intent is building the artist’s confidence by displaying their artwork and giving them a platform to do so. “We just love the artists that are on this show and we’ve been wanting to give them limelight. We’ve been wanting to be able to give them a space where they can shine their truest potential.” From artist to curator, he explains “It’s a huge responsibility to not let these people down… curating is more selfless. We’re like shields to the community to ensure that the artists that are here are in safe keeps.”
The reception also trailed outside where live music played as guests conversed in the warmth of the late afternoon. There was dancing and relaxation as people coursed between the exhibition and the serene backyard of The Gather House. The gallery was, perhaps, an inauguration for the dog days of summer.Never a Cat’s Paw will continue to be on display until June 16th in The Gather House at 1020 E. Fremont St. It will be open on weekdays from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and weekends from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Article By Vlada Stark and Karla Mendoza
ASTR0MAG 
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