At an artisan market held in mid-July, local artist Nicole Stirling was selling her artwork. Picnic tables were out, music was playing, good beer was being sold. There were kids and dogs running around. This place, called Tahoe Backyard, offered solace from of the hustle and bustle of Highway 28, like being in someone’s backyard with its relaxed, family-friendly vibe.
“I realized I could make this happen for myself and other artists in this community.” –Nicole Stirling
Tahoe Backyard, the new spot in Kings Beach, hosts Bear Belly Brewing Company and a 300-sq.-ft. space that was remodeled into the recently opened Chickadee Art Collective. Founded by local-grid resident Stirling, Chickadee Art Collective welcomes artists specializing in all mediums. However, there is one caveat: all artists must be from Tahoe.
“I knew that I was going to do this,” Stirling said.
Well known in the area for her mandala art, Stirling had a five-year plan to become a fulltime artist. Close to when that 5-year goal became due, she said it was like magic how this opportunity presented itself.
“I had been vending in my driveway all last summer and wanted to find a rentable lot close to downtown. I reached out to the NTBA [North Tahoe Business Association], and they heard about this space and immediately contacted me,” said the former preschool director. “As much as I love preschool, this is what I really want to be doing. I realized I could make this happen for myself and other artists in this community.”
Back in July, when I peeked into the Chickadee Art Collective space, the drywall had just gone up and it was framed with reclaimed Tahoe pier wood, which was also used to support the checkout station. Outside, they were making plans to bring in food trucks, such as Yard Hen and Now We Taco’N (both of which have since been brought in) and a stage to host three 8-foot-by-10-foot trailers for working artists.
Because not all artists can get into Truckee Thursdays anymore, Stirling hopes to host Kings Beach Thursdays at Tahoe Backyard with music, vendors and activities in the future.
“We’re already having a [North Tahoe] high-school reunion here and other events. [Co-owner of Tahoe Backyard] Andrew Ryan’s vision for the property is awesome. He’s very eco-centric; none of the food trucks or the brewery are allowed to have plastics or non-biodegradable to-go ware,” she said.
Stirling has upwards of 30 local artists on track to feature their work in the gallery, offering everything from painted snow skis to macrame and cutting boards made from reclaimed wood.
“We will carry a lot of painters, ceramists, photographers, apparel, soaps, knitwear, tinctures/salves, glassware and more,” Stirling said. “We will be running e-commerce as well, everything in the shop will be on the website.”
She got the idea to name the collective after the beloved chickadee — aka the “cheeseburger” bird.
Artisan Market
Aug. 21 & 28 | 3-8 p.m. | Chickadee Art Collective | Kings Beach
“I intended for it to be called Stirling Studios but since it encompasses so many other peoples’ work, I thought it would be better to name it something else. So, I got out the John Muir book of plants and animals. I thought about calling it Pinedrops but learned that while they are beautiful plants, they are actually parasitic freeloaders. When I started looking at the birds, I began hearing chickadees and found that most all American Indian tribes have positive connotations related to the chickadee. They are known to be harbingers of joy and creativity. I thought it was perfect and goes so well with the rest of Tahoe Backyard. Now every time I hear one, it brings the biggest smile to my face.”
Chickadee Art Collective in Tahoe Backyard is located at 8428 Trout Ave., where there will be an artisan market on Aug. 21 and 28 from 3 to 8 p.m. | Tahoe Backyard on Facebook, Chickadee Art Collective on Facebook
