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Biz Beat: Busy time for gallery owners

Sara Thompson
Jim Grant / Tahoe Daily Tribune
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With less than two weeks until Ashley Matilla’s baby is due, she’s still not slowing down.

Matilla and her husband, Marcus Matilla, own Marcus Ashley Galleries, which just opened at its new location in the Raley’s Village Center. At 4,400 square feet, the gallery is 3 1/2 times larger than the old one, which was in a different spot in the Village Center.

“I’m having two babies in the month of May,” Ashley Matilla said. “An art gallery and human baby.”



Some people have told her that she and her husband are crazy for moving to a bigger store, having a baby and raising their 3-year-old all at the same time. But Ashley Matilla said they have a great staff to help them out.

“You can’t do it by yourself,” she said. “We have a great team.”



Matilla said her husband, who works behind the scenes, is “the glue that holds this place together.”

She said the gallery only shows artists who will come to the store. “Why not know the man behind the paintbrush?” she asked.

Running a gallery can be challenging at times, Matilla said. It’s not easy selecting art that will appeal to everyone, because artistic tastes vary.

“You could like still life, and he could like landscapes,” Matilla said. “Everyone is different.”

A grand opening celebration is scheduled for Father’s Day weekend in mid-June. One of the featured artists will be Rob Gonsalves, an illusionist painter.

The gallery also provides custom framing, along with unique art. Steve Barton’s work is featured at the gallery. Barton patented the wavy canvas that he paints on.

Matilla explained that when canvases are stretched too tight, the medium bends and creates a wavy canvas.

The store is at 4000 Lake Tahoe Blvd., No. 23, next to the Tahoe Trading Post in Neighbors Bookstore’s old location. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. all week. For more information, call (530) 544-4278, or check out MarcusAshley.com.

Lake Tahoe Holidays is moving into Marcus Ashley Galleries’ old spot between Starbucks and Jamba Juice in Raley’s Village Center.

Owner Keri Lanier Smith is hoping to have the store, which features merchandise related to different holidays, up and running in its new location by May 10.

The store’s new location is at 4000 Lake Tahoe Blvd., No. 29, and it will be open from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit laketahoeholidays.com.

” Have information on your business that you’d like to share? Contact reporter Sara Thompson at (530) 542-8009 or sthompson@tahoedailytribune.com.


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