JUNE 12, 2025: Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum unveils “The Raven Flies” piece in Las Vegas
From ArtDaily: “”The Raven Flies,” a large-scale historical piece by American Artist Rita Deanin Abbey, is now on display in Las Vegas’ only single-artist museum, the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum.”
MARCH 13, 2025: Guarding a Desert Legacy Laura Sanders on Rita Deanin Abbey’s Enduring Vision
From ArtDaily: “In our latest exclusive, Artdaily sits down with Laura Sanders, the dynamic director of the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum in Las Vegas, to explore how she is safeguarding the visionary artist’s legacy while propelling the new single‑artist museum onto the world stage. Sanders opens up about curating the late Abbey’s monumental sculptures and vibrant desert‑inspired canvases, the joys of welcoming first‑time visitors into a space “designed by the artist for the art,” and her forward‑looking plans to weave community programs, cutting‑edge conservation, and bold scholarship into the museum’s DNA. It’s a candid conversation that reveals the heart, hustle, and hope behind one of America’s freshest cultural gems.”
MARCH 4, 2025: Fiddle & Fern Ensemble to Perform at Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum on March 28th
From Vegas24Seven: “The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum will host Fiddle & Fern Ensemble, a string quartet concert on Friday, March 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. Marking the first-ever public concert at the museum, Fiddle & Fern Ensemble will be an evening of folksy, fiddly, fun, inspired by the music of GRAMMY-nominated group, Danish String Quartet. Following the concert, a special champagne reception will be available for attendees. Guests are also encouraged to explore the museum before and after the performance.”
From Desert Companion: “Explore the connections between the four natural elements—earth, air, fire, and water—and their influence on both artistic expression and desert gardening. Inspired by Rita Deanin Abbey’s artwork, JoJami Tyler will reveal how aligning with nature’s rhythms can transform desert gardens into vibrant spaces.”
JANUARY 31, 2025: A Legacy of Beauty, Courage, and Imagination Surrounded by the Desert
From Larry’s List: “LARRY’S LIST had the pleasure to speak with executive museum director Laura Sanders. She described how people in any endeavor can get inspired from Rita Deanin Abbey’s art, the advantages and challenges in managing a single-artist private museum, as well as the special upcoming programs in 2025—from eco-conscious gardening talks to healing sound baths and beyond.”
JANUARY 25, 2025: Interview with Laura Sanders for International Creativity Month
From Audacy: “The Las Vegas Public Affairs Show, hosted by Heather Vale, highlights International Creativity Month with Laura Sanders, Executive Director of the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum.”
JANUARY 24, 2025: New exhibit at lesser-known museum showcases work of important Nevada artist
From KNPR: “Locals have heard it said so many times: Las Vegas doesn’t have an art museum. But that simply isn’t true. UNLV’s Barrick Museum, for instance, features multiple exhibits at any given time. And then there’s the Rita Deanin Abbey Museum…”
JANUARY 18, 2025: Four New Exhibits Debut At Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum
From Nonprofit News: “The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum has unveiled four brand-new exhibits. These displays showcase works from Abbey’s “Drawings from the Model,” “Albuquerque Revisited,” “Montenegro,” and “Gan Or” series, which have been archived for over 30 years and are now available for viewing exclusively at the museum.”
JANUARY 9, 2025: Celebrating International Creativity Month
From Channel 8 News Now: Video interview with Lucy Formato, Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum Events Coordinator for a preview of the museums upcoming events.
JANUARY 8, 2025: Dream in the Desert: Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum
From Vegas Kid Zone: “A magical place in the serene desert of northwest Las Vegas offers families a perfect blend of education, inspiration, and recreation. Whether sketching a favorite sculpture or simply soaking in the tranquility, the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum is an inspiring fusion of nature, art, and creativity.”
From Chic Compass: “The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum became the stage for a fusion of music and visual art that captivated all in attendance on Dec. 12. The event featured the extraordinary concert pianist Dr. Alexandria Le, whose artistry transformed the gallery into a masterpiece.”
DECEMBER 12, 2024: Best Art Museums You Need to Visit While in Las Vegas, Nevada
From Traveler Master: “Art is easy to come by in Las Vegas, Nevada. You’ll find it hanging in the hotel and casino lobbies or displayed in malls and public spaces. Still, if you would like to enjoy art in a more traditional way while in Las Vegas, make sure to visit the following art museums.”
From Fabulous Nevada: “We asked Laura L. Sanders, Executive director of Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum, ‘What is one thing you plan to gift this holiday season?’”
NOVEMBER 20, 2024: Unveiling Chic Compass’s Celebrity Edition at Rita Deanin Abbey Museum
From Chic Compass: “Las Vegas’s vibrant arts and culture scene sparkled with sophistication as Chic Compass magazine celebrated the release of its newest edition at the stunning Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum.”
From Vegas4Locals: “Las Vegas actually has a very rich cultural scene. Exploring the excellent museums and exhibits can enhance your experience in the city. At the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum, guests should prepare to be transcended into a world of artwork influenced by Rita’s exploration and admiration of desert landscapes and southwestern nature.”
OCTOBER 15, 2024: ‘You’ll be inspired’: Las Vegas’ only single artist museum celebrates the life and legacy of late artist
From KNTV Las Vegas: “In honor of National Galleries and Museums Month, Channel 13 highlights the only single-artist museum in Southern Nevada, right here in Las Vegas.”
SEPTEMBER 27, 2024: Literary Walk: Seeds Yet Ever Secret
From Desert Companion Magazine: “It’s National Poetry Day, in this case with some art thrown in. You are invited to explore the visual and literary works of Rita Deanin Abbey with UNLV Master of Fine Arts candidate JM Huck.”
SEPTEMBER 24, 2024: Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum to Commemorate National Poetry Day with Guided Event
From Vegas24Seven: “The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum is set to celebrate National Poetry Day with a guided event “Literary Walk: Seeds Yet Ever Secret,” exploring the visual and literary works of Rita Deanin Abbey, led by Master of Fine Arts candidate JM Huck.”
SEPTEMBER 25, 2024: The Most Romantic Things to Do for Couples in Las Vegas
From Thrillist: “Romance is alive and well in Sin City, and there’s an abundance of activities for couples making the sojourn. If you want to feel cultured..The term “hidden gem” gets tossed around loosely these days, but the Rita Deanin Abbey Museum is a wonderful surprise, hiding in plain sight near Lone Mountain in the Northwest Valley.”
AUGUST 21, 2024: A Single-artist museum of Inspiration
From Vegas Prime Magazine: “An under-heralded gem in Centennial Hills, The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum is a vast and glorious collection of artworks. The late Las Vegas artist’s widower, Dr. Robert Belliveau, died on July 3, and Vegas Prime Magazine is beginning coverage of the museum and its legacy.”
AUGUST 16, 2024: The Doctor Who Finished His Late Wife’s Art Museum
From City Cast Las Vegas: “In many ways, Dr. Belliveau was a caretaker of sorts, overseeing the legacy of his wife, absorbing her presence in every piece on display.”
JULY 14, 2024: Founder of renowned Las Vegas art fortress dies
From Las Vegas Review-Journal: “Robert Rock Belliveau was an ambassador for Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum, often welcoming and chatting up visitors to the space. But he was much more, the museum’s founder, an accomplished physician, philanthropist, artist himself and husband to the museum’s namesake.”
JULY 12, 2024: Indoor Attractions in Las Vegas for Beating the Heat
From Travelmarket Report: “While much of what happens in Las Vegas these days takes place poolside … a universe of possibility awaits in clime-controlled indoor extravaganzas as only Las Vegas could create. “
JULY 11, 2024: Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum to Commemorate Namesake’s Birthday with Free Admission on Saturday, July 20
From Vegas24Seven: “The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum will honor renowned artist Rita Deanin Abbey by offering free entry to all visitors on Saturday, July 20, commemorating the late artist’s birthday.”
From ArtCulture PR: “Dive into the captivating world of Rita Deanin Abbey with this extraordinary bronze sculpture from her Centaurus/Classic Clay and Bronze series.”
MAY 23, 2024: Nearby museum showcases hall-of-fame artist’s eclectic vision of the Southwest
From SCS Life: “There’s time to do some gem hunting before the weather gets too hot, no pickaxe or shovel required. A Las Vegas hidden gem, the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum, is an easy 15-minute drive from Sun City Summerlin but a world away…”
MAY 16, 2024: How to celebrate International Museum Day in Las Vegas
From FOX5 Las Vegas: “This museum honors one of UNLV’s first art professors, the abstract artist Rita Deanin Abbey. Abbey was known for work across multiple disciplines, including painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture and more!”
MARCH 23, 2024: The 13 Best Museums in Las Vegas 2024
From Upgraded Points: “The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum doesn’t focus on any particular art medium. Instead, it houses sculptures, drawings, and porcelain pieces. Tying the museum together is… the artist Rita Deanin Abbey.”
MARCH 21, 2024: Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum to Celebrate National Poetry Month with Creative Writing Workshops
From Broadway World: “The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum will commemorate National Poetry Month by hosting creative writing workshops led by emerging poet and arts administrator, JM Huck, each Sunday in April.”
FEBRUARY 1, 2024: Cool Things to Do in Las Vegas This Month Besides the Super Bowl
From Thrillist: “February is a great month to be in Las Vegas. Most of the attention is on the Super Bowl, yet the month is about more than Taylor Swift’s new favorite sport.”
FEBRUARY 1, 2024: Poem-making Inspired by Rita Deanin Abbey
From Nevada Humanities, by JM Huck: “Ekphrasis is creative writing inspired by artwork. There are many entry points to this type of writing; I wrote about a few of them in a recent Ekphrastic Writing Challenge. It took three visits before I could write this ekphrastic poem on one of the artworks at the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum in Las Vegas.”
JANUARY 24, 2024: CFA Celebrates 20th Annual Hall of Fame
From UNLV: “The UNLV College of Fine Arts and Dean Nancy J. Uscher are excited to announce the very special 20th Annual College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame gala celebration […] Honorees include master illusionist David Copperfield; comedic icon Shecky Greene; and multidisciplinary artist and educator Rita Deanin Abbey.”
OCTOBER 19, 2023: Visual Arts And Poetry Collide At This Las Vegas Multi-Media Art Exhibition
From Vegas Magazine: “Witness the work of refined talent through Oct. 29 with the collaboration of Black Mountain Institute’s writers and storytellers in tandem with The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum.”
OCTOBER 18, 2023: Poetry and visual art collide with ‘Vegas and Verse’
From News 3 Las Vegas: “It’s an interplay of poetry and visual art that’s coming to a local museum. Laura Sanders, executive director of the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum, joined us to share more information.”
From Witness Magazine: “Letter to the Reader, By Dr. Robert Rock Belliveau- Over the years, I’ve appreciated how artwork transcends language and communicates on a level that words simply cannot. Art has the ability to inspire, to heal, and to create a sense of unity among people. It is a testament to the human spirit and the incredible creative potential that we all possess. These things are certainly true of Rita Abbey’s art, and she makes a profound contribution to the tradition.”
From Black Mountain Institute: “The cover art we feature is a painting by the late artist Rita Deanin Abbey called “Memory,” selected for this issue. Even though the writings we have curated are not themed, collectively through echos, the thread of memory has emerged to connect the pieces.”
OCTOBER 11, 2023: What To Do in Las Vegas This Week (October 12-18)
From Las Vegas Weekly: “How can visual art and poetry work with each other? That’s a question that masters and doctoral students from UNLV’s creative writing program have set out to answer at the Rita Deanin Abbey Museum.”
SEPTEMBER 15, 2023: Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum Honors Overlooked Desert Mystic
From Southwest Contemporary: “A captivating museum devoted to the late American artist Rita Deanin Abbey (1930-2021) celebrated its second anniversary last month.”
Desert Companion: “There’s a bona fide art museum deep in the wilds of Centennial Hills, and for a large semi-suburban compound, it’s as unassuming as it gets. But then you walk into the gallery, and the grandeur pulls your jaw downward.”
AUGUST 3, 2023: Zip Code Magazine’s “Cultural Scene”
From Zip Code Magazine: “There is nothing that holds more challenge, possibility or adventure for me than a blank canvas. Those words, written in a personal journal during the early 1970s by Rita Deanin Abbey, suggest a world of opportunity, yet offer only a hint of the artist’s ambition, which went far beyond paintings and sketches.”
From TourScanner: “Discover the southwest through the eyes of visionary artist Rita Deanin Abbey. A visit here is ideal for connoisseurs and even those who are still to be introduced to Abbey’s work.”
From Las Vegas Morning Blend: “For all of my fine arts lovers! If you haven’t been to the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum yet, tomorrow, you’ll have a chance to experience her abstract art for FREE.”
JULY 13, 2023: Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum To Celebrate Its Namesake’s Birthday With Free Admission
From Nonprofit News Las Vegas: “The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum will honor late, legendary artist, Rita Deanin Abbey, with free admission to all guests on Thursday, July 20, the date of her birth.”
JULY 11, 2023: Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum To Celebrate Its Namesake’s Birthday With Free Admission
From Broadway World: “The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum will honor late, legendary artist, Rita Deanin Abbey, with free admission to all guests on Thursday, July 20.”
JULY 5, 2023: Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum to Celebrate its Namesake’s Birthday with Free Admission on July 20
From Vegas 24Seven: “The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum will honor late, legendary artist, Rita Deanin Abbey, with free admission to all guests on Thursday, July 20, the date of her birth.”
MAY 15, 2023: Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum to Offer Free Admission on International Museum Day
From Vegas Publicity: “In celebration of International Museum Day, the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum will offer free admission to all guests on Thursday, May 18.”
MAY 4, 2023: The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum Showcases An Unparalleled Las Vegas Talent
From Las Vegas Weekly: “If you’ve been to the Summerlin Library, you’ve seen her angular steel sculpture “Spirit Tower,” but it only represents a fraction of what she could do.”
MAY 1, 2023: Where to Go on a Date in Las Vegas This Spring
From Thrillist: “The term “hidden gem” gets tossed around a little too loosely these days, but the Rita Deanin Abbey Museum is a wonderful surprise, hiding in plain sight near Lone Mountain in the Northwest Valley.”
