Nevada State Museum
Organized by the Nevada Museum of Art and hosted by the Nevada State Museum, this exhibition features the contemporary photography of Janna Ireland, who explores the important contributions of architect Paul R. Williams, FAIA (1894-1980) in Nevada. Williams was the first licensed African American architect to work in the western region of the United States, designing buildings from the 1920s through the 1970s. His work in Nevada spans from the 1930s through the 1970s. The exhibition opened at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno on July 2, 2022.
Paul Revere Williams’ architectural contributions collectively helped to redefine the built environment of the region. Some of his most iconic structures are in Southern California, and include the Music Corporation of America headquarters, and the renovation of the Beverly Hills Hotel; he was also deeply involved in the design of the master plan for the LAX Airport in association with William L. Pereira and Associates. Williams’ unique architectural creations earned him the name “Architect of the Stars,” as he also designed the homes of twentieth-century entertainers, some of which include Frank Sinatra and Cary Grant.
Williams’ architectural body of work in Nevada includes residential homes that were designed to enrich the lives of all community members, commercial properties, and religious institutions. His most notable buildings include the La Concha Motel (now part of the Neon Museum) in Las Vegas, and the First Church of Christ, Scientist (now known as the Lear Theater) in Reno.
Williams was first introduced to northern Nevada in the 1930s by Luella Garvey, for whom he designed a house in Reno in 1934. Other residential and lodging properties in northern Nevada designed by Williams include the El Reno Apartments in Reno, the Lovelock Inn and Tharpe/Brinkerhoff House in Lovelock, and E.L. Cord’s Circle L Ranch House in the Fish Lake Valley.
In southern Nevada, Williams also designed the Guardian Angel Cathedral, the Royal Nevada Casino (no longer extant) and Berkley Square—Southern Nevada’s first African American suburban community.
Janna Ireland approaches Williams’ architecture from a fine arts perspective. She produces photographs that highlight the intimate interior and exterior details of his buildings, bringing her own poetic response to Williams’ work. Ireland recently completed a photographic project on Williams’ work in Southern California, which includes architectural styles ranging from Spanish Mediterranean to Modern.
Visit the exhibition research website
This exhibition is organized by the Nevada Museum of Art and curated by Carmen Beals. We thank spokesperson Claytee White, scholarly contributors Alicia Barber and Brooke Hodge, and community partners: Our Story, Inc., KME Architects, LGA Architects, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Las Vegas. Special thanks to The Neon Museum for additional collaboration.
Major Sponsors
The Jacquie Foundation
Kim Sinatra + Family
Sponsors
Blanchard, Krasner & French | Angela and Mark Krasner
Nancy and Harvey Fennell | Dickson Realty
Kristi Overgaard, ONIYA
The Private Bank by Nevada State Bank
Sandy Raffealli | Bill Pearce Motors
The Phil and Jennifer Satre Family Fund at the Community Foundation of Western Nevada
Supporting Sponsors
Kathie Bartlett
Tammy and Michael Dermody
Drs. Shonda and Julian Hardman
The Thelma B. and Thomas P. Hart Foundation
NV Energy Foundation
Karyn and Lance Tendler
Additional Support
Friends of the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas
Nevada Humanities
NNRMLS
Katie O’Neill and Chris Gonya
Media Sponsor
Vegas PBS
