British artist sets up at Tahoe gallery

When you live and work at Lake Tahoe you never know who might walk through the front door.

For example, British oil and pastel painter Shelley Hocknell entered the Galerie Noir and asked the resident artist if he'd like to see her portfolio.

"She has an incredible use of color," Frederick Green said. "Her technique is absolutely incredible."

The gallery will be exclusively filled with about 30 pieces of Hocknell's work at a reception Saturday, March 31. Hocknell will be present. Wine and chocolates will be served from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and jazz by Los Gatos featuring Mick Valentino begins around 9:30 p.m.

The Galerie Noir is located inside MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa.

"I told her 'I feel like the luckiest gallery person in the world to have you walk through the door,' " Green said.

Hocknell is on a limitless artist work visa. She plans to live at Stateline for a year or two. She has seven paintings of Tahoe's most colorful fish, the kokanee. "They are lyrical and dance-like," Green said.

Hocknell has received funding from The Prince Charles Trust Council of Wales and has had her paintings displayed at the same time as were Rembrandt's.

"She's not hanging in bad company," Green said.

The wine from Twisted Oak Winery will be poured courtesy of Harry and Linda Van Dam of Dart Liquor.

Chocolates will come from Pat Atherton of Lake Tahoe Chocolate Factory.