Historic Downtown Truckee Arts and Crafts Festival
North Lake Tahoe will be teeming with art and activity during the Historic Downtown Truckee Arts and Crafts Festival, Saturday and Sunday, September 10 and 11, from 10 am to 5 pm each day. Hosted by the Truckee Downtown Merchant's Association, this free event welcomes visitors to browse and shop among the original work of artists and crafters from across the western United States showcasing their handcrafted creations including original photography, jewelry, sculptures, ceramics and much more.
Taking place in downtown Truckee’s walkable historic mountain setting on Spring Street and the sidewalks of Donner Pass Road, the unique venue offers something for everyone, whether you just want to meet artists and craftspeople and find a perfect treasure, or also enjoy the area by strolling along the river, shopping among the many independent boutique stores or eating at any one of over a dozen restaurants. This year’s featured artists include:
Ceramics
John Reiger’s pottery is made of stoneware clay, one of the stronger clays -- only porcelain is stronger. He crafts everything from kitchen bowls to bathroom soap holders and all of his creations can be used in an oven or microwave and is dishwasher safe. One of John’s more unusual and useful items is a "Dip Cooler,” a small bowl set on top of a larger bowl. The top bowl holds your favorite perishable dip (or a dip that simply tastes better chilled) and the bottom bowl is filled with ice. The result is a pretty, handcrafted vessel filled with fresh, chilled dip, enjoyable to both the eye and the palate.
Silk Paintings
Karel Krystin Hendee is an artist who primarily paints on silk and incorporates collage, appliqué, and quilting techniques to enhance design, texture, and depth. Drawing upon her background as a garden designer and yoga instructor she integrates images of nature and mysticism. Her work inspires viewers to appreciate and respect the natural and supernatural world in which we live. In addition to creating artwork, Karel has taught silk painting, art quilting, and garden design workshops in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Utah, Nevada, and California.
Woodwork
David Levy’s approach to the craft of fine woodworking is simple: he makes each item as if it were his own. Durability, practicality, and artistic beauty are the foundations of his work, which includes cutting boards, games, game boards, furniture, toys and much more. He begins by selecting the finest materials from a variety of domestic and imported hardwoods. Then David combines traditional and modern woodworking techniques, including tongue and groove, dovetail joinery, and/or aliphatic pressure bonding followed by sculpting, shaping, and sanding. Each piece is finished with a mineral oil or multiple coats of clear lacquer to enhance the natural beauty of the wood. No stains, paints, or dyes of any kind are used.
Jewelry
The spirit behind Elizabeth Hall’s work is a fascination with what we see, use or reject everyday. She is drawn to industrial, computer, or household junk, which she cleans, prepares, paints, and etches, and then combines with found objects, chain or wire. The result is one-of-a-kind, handmade earrings and necklaces. “The provocation of clay with metal, painted wood and melted plastic is irresistible,” says Elizabeth. “ I test out my work personally, choosing my materials and methods with care. Each piece is thus unique. Excitement at communicating the arcane allure of rubber floor covering must never result in an awkward earing, necklace or pin.”
Truckee is just 40 miles from Reno Tahoe International Airport, two hours from Sacramento, and three hours from San Francisco with easy access off of Interstate 80. For more information about the Historic Downtown Truckee Arts & Crafts Festival, contact the Truckee Downtown Merchant's Association at (530) 587-3161 or Pacific Fine Arts at (209) 267-4394, or visit www.pacificfinearts.com. You can also see more information on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/PacificFineArts and on Twitter @PacificFineArts.
