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Tahoe Art League hosts open studio tour

Dylan Silver
dsilver@tahoedailytribune.com
Kristina Simkins' painted gourds will be on display during the Tahoe Art League's studio tour this weekend.
Dylan Silver / Tahoe Daily Tribune |

An artist’s studio is a sacred place, but every once in a while the public gets a chance to take a look inside.

The Tahoe Art League will host a studio tour over the next two weekends. The tour will feature 11 studios with more than 23 artists participating.

“I think a lot of people aren’t familiar with the Art League and what we do in town,” said Loretta Bookhammer, a member of the Tahoe Art League and a frequent docent at one of its two galleries. “This is a good opportunity to meet the artists and talk to them and find out about the Art League and what we do in town.”



Participants can travel to studios around South Lake Tahoe and out to Meyers on their own schedule, visiting one or all of the outlets. This gives art enthusiasts an intimate experience with the art and artists, said Ellen Nunes, a pastel and watercolor artist who’s featured on the tour.

“I think that people enjoy seeing the artist’s process,” Nunes said. “By going to see their studio, they can not only meet the artist but they can see how they create the art.”



The artists also benefit from the outlet, by exposing their work to a host of new visitors.

“I’m excited to invite the public to check out my work,” Nunes said. “It gives me a chance to meet as many people as possible that are interested in art.”

The Tahoe Art League does the studio tour once a year. In addition, they arrange multiple venues for artists to show their work and maintain two galleries in South Lake Tahoe. The group was founded in 1964 initially as a social club.

This year’s tour features 23 artists including Ken McNutt, Gloria McNutt Hildinger, David McNutt, Ellen Scott, David Foster, Kit Knight, Natasha Munson, Nina Major, Cheryl Lawson, Robert Schimmel, Dorothy Davis, Joyce Bansen and D.A. Russo. A variety of media from sculpture to clothing will be on display.

“It’s a chance for local artists to show their work to the public and generate interest in the community in art,” said Walt Stevenson, another participating artist who has helped organize the studio tour.

This year some of the artists will be doing demonstrations of their creative process during the tour. There will also be a raffle open to those who visit 10 of the 13 tour locations (11 studios and two TAL galleries) and fill out a passport. Prizes include paintings and reproductions of the artwork as well as gift certificates to local restaurants.

“It’s something new and hopefully it’ll get people to come around to as many spots as they can,” Stevenson said.

Maps are available at both Tahoe Art League locations and at various businesses around town.


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