By Melissa Gill
Photo’s by Tiffany Salerno
During the day, the Clay-Paper-Ink art cafe is a creative lab for all visual arts. During the night, the art cafe converts into a lively concert venue where local bands rock out.
Melinda Stender, a former CCSD art teacher and creator of Clay-Paper-Ink, developed a versatile makerspace that doesn’t limit artists to a single art medium—including head-banging and mosh-worthy performances.
Near the Silverado Ranch community, Clay-Paper-Ink offers instruction-led classes and a DIY studio fit for all ages. From Bob Ross-style painting to beaded embroidery, there’s plenty of art supplies to materialize a piece. Artists may move from one material to the next in the same workshop. This is the ultimate dream for any visionaries looking to experiment.
As a mother of three tending to a small farm, Stender chose a place close to home. This art cafe is her first brick-and-mortar studio, which was entirely self-funded.
“We tried getting a loan,” explained Stender. “As a woman-owned startup, I figured that it would be pretty simple, but nope. [I] found out you have to have money to get money. So we used our savings and a lot of volunteers’ time from friends and family. We did all the renovations ourselves.”
Stender, a music enthusiast, noticed that the valley could benefit from more performing arts centers where musicians may showcase their original work. Clay Paper Ink is a contemporary space for independent artists to expand their audience and make genuine connections with a like-minded crowd. She wants to be part of the solution.
“Las Vegas really needs to support all the different kinds of art that aren’t casino-level art,” said Stender. “The young bands have a little trouble finding venues that are all ages. So I’m really happy that we can fill that need.”
Emerging indie bands have held concerts at Clay Paper Ink for almost a year. Stender posts an event calendar on social media, which includes the dates and times of when local bands may reserve a timeslot to take the spotlight. From screamo to grunge punk, many eclectic music groups have had gigs at Clay-Paper-Ink. So far, dozens of bands have held jam sessions there.
Red Eye, a Las Vegas-based entertainment booking company, recently lined up a rock show for this month’s First Friday, featuring Street Play, Slowburn, We Might Die, Vesper, Drowning Spree, and Vancouver*. Initially, the show’s venue was Hola Habibi, a popular bar in the Las Vegas’ Art District. But on July 1st the beloved local taproom announced they were closing.
Instead of postponing the gig, the show pivoted to Clay-Paper-Ink. Vancouver*, an indie rock band slated to perform at the event, shared what drew them to this venue and what surprised them about it. The local music group comprises four members: Brando*, Renne*, Huey* and Junior*.
Before the show, Brando*, the rhythm guitarist, browsed the venue’s photos online. He said the band gravitated toward “the aesthetic and the wonderfully comfortable atmosphere” that Clay-Paper-Ink has curated.
“It felt like such a welcoming and natural setting for us to perform in, and we could really see ourselves enjoying the space and connecting with everyone there,” said Brando*.
Lead guitarist, Renne* shared what surprised him the most about Clay-Paper-Ink’s recital nook. He noted that the venue owner (Melinda Stender) was “incredibly sincere,” and praised how well she accommodated everyone performing and attending the subculture soundscape function.
“I loved seeing the messy paint and art scattered around the walls of the main room,” said Renne*. “It was also our first show with Red Eye, so having them be very personable with us gave us the confidence to play harder.”
According to NPR, several local music venues have recently shuttered, including Sinwave, Artifice, Swan Dive, and The Sand Dollar inside The Plaza, which is likely due to skyrocketing rent prices and the redevelopment of downtown Las Vegas. The good news is that the remaining venues and the new ones are likely to keep the pulsing underground music scene alive.
The closure of independent music venues isn’t happening only in Las Vegas, NV. Across the country, many grassroots businesses that host local talent are shuttering, too. A legendary music venue in San Francisco, Bottom of the Hill, announced that it will close at the end of this year, reported KTVU Fox 2 News. In Brooklyn, the owners of the Musical Hall of Williamsburg, a well-known place to catch live bands, have chosen not to renew their lease after this year. It’s a harsh reality unfolding in real-time as the relentless economic inflation challenges persist.
However, if local bands want to continue performing at Clay-Paper-Ink, the musicians and their attendees must respect the studio’s property. Someone vandalized Stender’s studio during a music event. She posted a warning on social media, stating that if it continued happening, she would no longer host shows inside her art studio.
“It’s a lot of work doing a band night, and I usually turn away customers, so it totally depends on the bands and their fans whether we keep going,” said Stender.
Clay-Paper-Ink marked its one-year anniversary this July, yet there are many people who haven’t heard about it. One of the biggest challenges Stender’s facing is the lack of foot traffic in her art studio. Personable endorsements have made a world of difference for this budding business.
“There’s so many people in this city who need a little art time,” said Stender. “We will succeed if we can just keep [spreading the word].”
The inflation, strict noise and zoning compliance, and market saturation has created obstacles for longstanding and burgeoning music venues to thrive in town. But don’t lose hope. Stender shares her go-to advice for those who are interested in launching a community hub.
“I think the biggest thing is to do a ton of research, planning, and have a chunk of savings or keep an outside job,” suggested Stender. “Our first 6 months were pretty pitiful in the amount of money we made. We really had to build our online presence and make connections with different groups to get the word out.”
“Also, try to have a good business partner,” she added. “Sometimes it gets a little lonely trying to handle all the things and figure everything out. Las Vegas is a big city, and we need more creative spaces. I’ll gladly help anyone who’s trying to do that.”
For more information about Clay Paper Ink please check out their website or social media!
VMS.