TAL Studio Tour | July 29-31 & Aug. 5-7 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Kings Beach Art Tour | July 30 & 31 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Scores of local artists will be presenting their unique artistic creations during two artist studio tours – the Tahoe Art League’s Studio Art Tour on the South Shore and the Kings Beach Art Tour on the North Shore.
South Shore art tour
Tahoe Art League is hosting its 15th anniversary self-guided studio tour featuring 24 artists at 13 different studios over two weekends – July 29 to 31 and Aug. 5 to 7.
Participants will have the opportunity to check out locally made wood sculptures, watercolors, oil paintings, ceramics, dyes on silk, quilts and more from longtime participants including Walt Stevenson, Donna Reid, Connie Clark and Nina Major.
The stops on the 2022 Artist Studio Tour span from Barbara Lewicki’s studio on Cedar Ridge Drive in Zephyr Cove to the Tahoe Keys, as well as a few stops in the North Upper Truckee area. What’s nice about this year’s tour is that there are a lot of artists specializing in different mediums clustered into a few locations, making it possible to see it all without spending most of the day in the car.
Tahoe Arts League member Ellen Nunes has been involved with the organization for 17 years and has been taking part in the studio tour for at least a decade. The local philanthropist/artist creates abstract acrylic paintings on a cutout shape of Lake Tahoe, using a unique process using the elements of nature: salt, air, trees and water. She’ll be at Studio 5 along with seven other artists.
“I’m really excited to be back on the tour this year; I didn’t participate in the last two years. [My favorite part] is showing in an area with seven other artists. I can hang out with my compadres and we all do something different so there isn’t any competition. And I enjoy meeting the community. I have been seeing the same people coming here for years and seeing new faces is wonderful, as well. It’s a relaxed and fun atmosphere and a great time to buy art as I think folks benefit from meeting the artists,” Nunes says. “I’ve been spending a lot of time in my studio lately and I’m excited to get out and interact with people again.”
“I just want everyone to come out and have a good time,” Nunes says. “And this is a fantastic opportunity for people to purchase local art from the artists who live and work here.”
Pick up a Studio Art Tour map at Tahoe Art League gallery at 3062 Lake Tahoe Blvd. or download the map. | tahoeartleague.org
North Shore art tour
The annual free Kings Beach Art Tour is back for its third year on July 30 and 31. Twenty-one artists in eight locations within a 1.4-mile radius will be featured this year, giving visitors a taste of the creativity that exists in Kings Beach and locals a chance to meet or catch up with their neighbors.
The self-guided tour that is best experienced by walking or biking, allows people to interact with artists who specialize in painting, ceramics, beadwork, jewelry making, photography and more.
On one end of the art tour, Lauren Chorey and Elisa Cutler will be at 7697 Pinedrop Lane on the eastern side of Tahoe Vista (above Old Brockway Golf Course, close to Highway 267).
Find the whimsical art by Cathy McClelland and Cathee St. Clair, photography by Michael Bruno and upcoming artist Monique Argent at 7820 Lincoln Green. At 629 Midiron Ave., veteran artists Karey Dodge, Mary Faucher, Heidi Reeves and Pam Sutton will be at Reeves’ house. Sutton’s lovely, fused glass work will also be on display, as well as Faucher’s fabric art and Reeves’ pastel paintings.
Across Highway 267 head to the Randalls’ house at 792 North Lake Blvd. to admire the ceramics and paintings by John and Elaine. Afterwards, you’ll be diving into The Grid to check out an array of other artists. Mary Beth Hamilton (at 8343 Speckled Ave.) makes amazing abstract art on reclaimed wood, while Cathy Strand will be introducing her new fused-glass dragonflies at 8580 Loch Levon.
“We’re getting more experienced artists excited about the opportunity and venues and keeping it close to the same size, which is intentional. We want to keep it geographically compressed,” says Strand, adding that her favorite part of the art tour is talking with people enthusiastic about art. “I like to see what intrigues them; I get fabulous ideas from people seeing something they like and suggest a different variation of it. You don’t get that kind of feedback putting art in a gallery.”
With an influx of people moving into the Tahoe Basin during the pandemic, it’s also given Strand an opportunity to meet some of her new neighbors.
Below Strand’s studio, Sara Smith will be showing her wildlife and animal-themed acrylic paintings and Tahoescapes at 8611 Steelhead Ave. Nicole Stirling will be displaying and selling her renowned mandala pieces at Tahoe Backyard at 8428 Trout Ave. There, you can grab a brew at Bear Belly Brewing Company, a burger at the Yard Hen food truck and then check out the handknit accessories by Rebecca Maidman along with the vibrant acrylic paintings by Yasuyo Corbett.
There are several ways to go about taking on the Kings Beach 2022 Art Tour, fortunately it’s possible to do it all in one day. You can either start on the northwest end on Lincoln Green and work your way down into Kings Beach (like I did on my beach cruiser), start at the bottom at Tahoe Backyard or start at Cathy Strand’s house and spiral around.
Selected works by the artists are also on display at Kings Beach North Tahoe Arts throughout July. Download a map of the art tour online. | kbarttour.com
