Leah’s paintings are akin to listening to a storyteller weave tales that transport listeners to distant lands. Each brushstroke serves as a narrative thread, inviting the viewer onto a journey. Much like a skilled storyteller captures attention with vivid descriptions, her paintings evoke scenes that beckon the mind to wander and explore. Viewers of her paintings find themselves drawn into the atmospheric landscapes and intimate scenes depicted on canvas, guided through a journey of emotions and memories.

“In my work, I strive to evoke not just visual beauty, but a sense of narrative depth. Each painting is a chapter waiting to be explored, inviting the viewer to become an active participant in the story. Whether it's a serene countryside bathed in the glow of twilight or the magnificent power of a raging river, my aim is to capture moments that resonate with human experience.

Just as a storyteller's tale lingers in the mind long after it's been told, I hope that my paintings leave a lasting impression—a visual narrative where each viewer can find their own story to inhabit and cherish.”

Leah is a native to the art loving Pacific Northwest where she gets her experience and inspiration. Now she is inspired by parks and hiking with her husband. She has had her work exhibited locally in Nevada and California.  

www.ShopLeahAndrews.com

Art in its many forms offer enjoyment, creativity, diversion, and an outlet for the expressive voice inside.  Pam might say it this way, “Let the fun begin!”

Since retiring from teaching high school art in California, Pam Brekas has thrown herself into art.  She built a studio into her house in Gardnerville, NV where she creatively attacks life and art.  Her abstract style is quite different, has won over 250, and aided her to get both a Sierra Arts Foundation 2007 Fellowship and two Nevada Arts Council jackpot grants. She shows her work in local galleries and shows, and has had numerous solo shows including the Northern Nevada Museum, Metro Gallery and Sierra Arts Foundation in Reno. She teaches abstract acrylic workshops at in her studio.  She works unconventionally with kitchen spatulas, linoleum rollers, glazes, fluid acrylics and colored pencils creating her unique art pieces. She designs and makes domino necklaces distributed  through Artists in Cellophane machines across the United States.   Her one-of-a-kind bullet jewelry is unusual and the titanium earrings are lightweight and comfortable to wear.

Active in Nevada and California art leagues, Pam supports and encourages the arts wherever possible.  She participated in South Lake Tahoe’s CeleBEARtion in 2005, painting a full size fiberglass bear with motorcycle gear, leathers, and patches.  Bad Bear lives in the Tahoe Keys.  Another painted bear greets visitors at Carson City Harley Davidson dealership. Several of her painted chairs helped the Reno Crisis Call Center raise funds during its Chair-ity auction,  and another chair for the Silco Historic Theater in Silver City, NM. She has painted a hub cap for the Landfill Art Project. She completed a Run Salmon Run project for Lake Tahoe.

http://www.pambrekas.com/

Kristy is a professional gourd artist and teacher with 25 years of experience. She is currently the President of the Nevada Gourd Society and is an AGS Certified Judge.

Her award-winning gourds have been shown in juried art shows and galleries throughout the western United States.

​About the time I became interested in gourds, my family and I started taking vacations in the southwest. I never realized how much I loved the desert and the Native American Indian Culture until we started visiting a number of petroglyph sites. At last, everything began to fall into place – gourds and petroglyphs, petroglyphs and gourds…a terrific match.

From the beginning, I have believed the gourd should be honored. Just holding a gourd and feeling it’s smooth texture is very calming. There is something peaceful, yet powerful about the everlasting nature of the gourd. It is truly a gift from nature. I was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona and studied graphic arts at the University of Arizona. 

geckogourds.com

I began painting in watercolor in 1997. Over the years I have developed my ownpersonal style that can be described as detailed and representational. I like to think ofmyself as a storyteller artist. I am fascinated bysubjects that are old and forgotten,especially objects that continue to display their history, character and charm. This isparticularly evident in my ongoing Bodie series where my goal is to capture thepassage of time as old vehicles become part of thelandscape, weathered buildings thatlean from years of neglect and doors open to the past, filled with untold stories.Additionally, my paintings include landscapes, wildlife, animals and even portraits. Mywatercolor painting of a leaping coyote, "Pounce",was recently accepted into the 2021"Best of Watercolor", Splash 22 annual magazine.Watercolor painting for me is an attempt to capturea moment in time, to render apainting that is as rich in character as it is memorable.

Mary Purdy Gmuender is an award-winning artist known for animal portraiture, mountain landscapes and florals. Living in the beautiful Carson Valley of Nevada with her husband and two sons for over 30 years, Mary enjoys exploring the Sierra and scouting new painting subjects and locations. "Growing up as both an Air Force brat and a member of the Caddo Indian Nation of Oklahoma, as well as working in the ski industry for several decades gave me an appreciation of the beauty everywhere, but especially in high places. “The shadows of the trees on snow, the line of the mountain ridges and the high-altitude cornflower blue skies were always inspirational." 

Since 2012, Mary has honed her oil painting skills by studying under many well-known artists, taking classes and workshops, both locally at the Brewery Arts Center and throughout the country. She loves to paint the wild and free places and faces of the natural world. Lake Tahoe, Hope Valley, Carson Valley, Northern Nevada and Yosemite have become common subjects and provide endless creative influence. Inspired by color and reflected light, her landscapes and wildlife are interpreted in an impressionist style using knives, a bold palette and loose brushstrokes. 

Website: MaryPurdyGmuender.com

Contact Mary at: mg@MaryPurdyGmuender.com

Painter Mark Harris. Drawing inspiration from different American landscapes stretching across Nevada, the Sierras and northern California Coast, Harris transforms his carefully chosen vistas into abstract, energetic, colorful realms. 

marypurdygmuender.com

Painter Mark Harris. Drawing inspiration from different American landscapes stretching across Nevada, the Sierras and northern California Coast, Harris transforms his carefully chosen vistas into abstract, energetic, colorful realms. 

With the vast cumulus clouds occupying most of the skies, the horizon line obscures and illuminates the scenery below. The focus in Harris’ work is to capture and transfer the energy of specific places from his memory onto the canvas. The carefully chosen colors -which contrast, compliment, and clash with each other all at the same time- give life to Harris’s paintings and create the dynamism that viewers find so compelling and relatable.

Award-winning artist Mark Harris received his BA in Fine Art at the University of South Florida / Florida Center for the Arts with his life experience in the Publishing Industry has reinforced a keen eye for aesthetic composition. His work has been appreciated in many private collections throughout the United States. 

My name is Cyndy Kelso.  Art had been a part of my life as long as I can remember.  Anything to do with horses, wildlife, and the western landscape has been my passion to paint.

I frequently travel across the west, taking photos for references to paint from in my studio.

I work in Acrylic, Watercolor, Gouache, and pencil. Often times going up to the mountains or into the desert to paint plein air, and/or sketch a scene for a future painting. 

Recently I began painting on ceramic pieces. This has been another fun outlet in my creativity. 

I have won state and county art shows in California and locally in Nevada. I like to teach others who want to learn new skills or those who have never painted before. It is a joy to watch someone get excited about art as much as I am.

Website: cyndykelsoart.com

Roger Kinnaman has been a working artist for fifty years. His work as a painter includes an 8 x 21’ architectural scale acrylic and works in oil, pastel, charcoal, clay and stone.  He graduated with a master’s degree from Indiana University and taught at the college level for a number of years. His paintings and drawings have been exhibited in over 120 one man and group exhibitions including participation in a more than a dozen exhibits in five museums.  He is in the permanent collection of the Carter Center Presidential Library, Renown Medical Center, Barton Hospital, Carson Tahoe Medical Center The Indiana University Fine Arts Museum, The Perry Foundation, Harrah’s, US Bank and Embassy Suites Hotels as well as a number of private collections.  Roger has received grants from the Sierra Arts Foundation, The Nevada Arts Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

https://rlkpastels.com/

I have surrounded myself with artwork since moving to Carson Valley 37 years ago. First as a fine art framer and then as an artist. Beginning with acrylic then branching out to watercolor and silk painting. I’m now adding hand painted glassware, candles, jewelry and whatever new catches my interest. I see creativity and beauty everywhere and look forward to my next challenge… lee

https://www.facebook.com/heartstringslee/

My name is Deb Lockett and I currently live in Smith Valley. My Nevada adventure and residency  began living in Genoa, Nevada in 1972. I had graduated from College on the East coast in 1969 with Fine Arts as my major. Prior to living in Nevada, I had spent a few years just travelling the US from coast to coast, covering the northern, middle and southern states. I ended up falling in love with Tahoe, Carson Valley and Smith Valley areas and knew I was here to stay.   

I have been doing commissioned paintings for many years of people’s dogs, horses, mules and several private airplanes, etc.

I developed an interest in Photography and it soon became a passion. It didn’t hurt that I live in a valley where others come to do their amazing photography. Eagles, owls, geese, cows, rivers, old barns and buildings are all here in my backyard, so to speak. Thank you for taking time to reading my Bio.

Deb Lockett: (775)790-0139   reeanddeb671@gmail.com

Alanna McDaniel is a retired art teacher from Southern California. She taught art at Santa Clara Catholic High School, and was the art teacher for then chain of parochial Pinecrest Schools. She has lived in Northern California for the past decade; she now resides in Minden, Nevada, enjoying teaching art lessons from her home art studio. She earned her degree in Art History and Studio Art, and certification in Early Childhood Education from California State University Northridge. 

Alanna began a love of art early, receiving a big surprise first prize for a Girl Scout collage art project. Art prospects broadened while working in the art department of Hughes Aircraft Company, and the media department of Paramount Pictures while raising her two sons and many dogs. She went back to school to teach art to young students. 

While enjoying the full spectrum of subject matter and mixed media with students, she paints commissioned portraits with acrylics, mixed media, and oil. She enjoyed creating a great collaborative mural which can be seen in front of the garden at Gardnerville Elementary. She hopes to do this again for the community. 

Since doing illustrations for culinary magazines, including Edible Reno Tahoe, she has grown a love of painting still life. Fruits and vegetables are a great thing to promote, great for young students to observe, and therapeutic to capture. 

Student work from her classes with her own work can be viewed on her Facebook site ArtForLifeArtStudios.

“After being a painter all my life I wanted to re-explore making pottery that I loved many years ago.  I love the endless possibilities of form, decoration, use and the feel of uniqueness of being hand made.  I try to imagine the user’s appreciation in their hands with each piece. Pottery helps us keep in mind our history, permanence and a satisfying use of the earths resources.”

michellemulliganpottery.com

Instagram - MMulligan311

Michelle Mulligan Pottery

Award winning artist Liza Obukhovskaya will share her techniques in felting and demonstrate how to achieve bold, beautiful colors with wool to create fine art pieces!

Born and raised in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, Liza studied art in college and became fascinated by wool.  She discovered felt making and the versatility of wool.  She has developed and honed her techniques over 25 years to become a leader in this medium.

Liza moved to Carson City seven years ago and has already earned a reputation as an outstanding felting artist.  She has received numerous awards at judged shows at Nevada Artists Association, East Fork Gallery, and Carson Valley Art Association. Her subject matter includes animal portraits, landscapes, and florals.

An attraction to the textures of landscape influences the majority of the paintings that Teri produces.  Living in Carson Valley, a short distance from Lake Tahoe, she has the opportunity to find a variety of subject matter within a few minutes drive from her home.  Mountain waterfalls, grassy meadows, and of course, the local ranches are all easily accessible year round.  With frequent visits to family in Wickenburg and Williams Arizona, desert scenes are also common subjects for her art.  Realistically, but artistically, portraying each element of the landscape; be it the geometric surface of a rock, the stately shape of a saguaro cactus, rippling water or the curve of a stalk of grass; is Teri's goal when painting.  Of course, local livestock and cowboys/cowgirls pursuing their daily tasks sometimes wander into her landscapes and quite frequently become the main subject of her art.

Teri's art has been accepted into such National Western shows as Cowgirl Up! in Wickenburg, Arizona; the Western Masters Show and Sale and the C.M. Russell Art Auction in Great Falls, Montana; the San Dimas Festival of the Arts in San Dimas, California; and the Settlers West American Miniature Show in Tucson, Arizona.  Her work has been shown in galleries in South Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes, California; Tucson, Arizona; and Kauai, Hawaii.

Teri and her husband, Bill, continue to flourish in the rural community of Gardnerville, Nevada where Teri conducts three painting classes a week while continuing to  perfect her interpretation of the world around her.   "I want the viewers of my art to not only see my paintings, but to feel what I felt when I first saw a subject and said "Hey, there's my next painting!".

https://www.terisweeneyart.com/

Mark Tompkins attended night classes at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, where he studied life drawing and illustration. After working as a graphic artist for a number or years, Tompkins moved to Northern Nevada where he worked as a picture framer at a local art store and frame shop. There he began teaching painting classes at the community college, and also through the Parks and Recreation Department. He also teaches private lessons out of his studio. Tompkins inspiration and painting style was influenced by the early renaissance artists as well as artists like Andrew Wyeth and Maxfield Parrish. Tompkins prefers to paint with oils, watercolors, and acrylics. He enjoys painting landscape, wildlife, and portraits. Tompkins has won numerous awards in group competitions and continues to paint his favorite Sierra Landscapes.

https://marktompkinsart.com/