The Stories Behind The
Truckee-Tahoe Series
How the Series Started
David Borlongan, owner of absolutely beautiful Art Obsessions Gallery in downtown Truckee, has honored me by hanging a group of my paintings in his gallery - paintings from both my Suisun Valley Series and the Benicia Alleys and Side Street Series.
Recently David made a wonderful suggestion that I paint locations in the Truckee and Lake Tahoe areas to add to the collection of my artworks already in his gallery. What a great suggestion!!! Not only are the Truckee-Tahoe paintings a really fun series to work on but three of the four paintings that I've completed so far have already sold.
Recently David made a wonderful suggestion that I paint locations in the Truckee and Lake Tahoe areas to add to the collection of my artworks already in his gallery. What a great suggestion!!! Not only are the Truckee-Tahoe paintings a really fun series to work on but three of the four paintings that I've completed so far have already sold.
The Story Behind "Truckee Ambiance"
Truckee Ambiance - Watercolor on Yupo - $1200 - SOLD
Many years ago when I was in high school I rode the Greyhound Bus from my home in Suisun Valley to Truckee to attend cheerleading camp at Squaw Valley. I was 14. I was with my friends and co-cheerleaders, Ada Bond and Susan Goodman, I remember that the three of us felt very adventuresome getting off the bus and looking around the little town of Truckee with its old wooden structures while waiting for a shuttle to pick us up for camp.
Even the Truckee of 1965 looked very different from the Truckee of today. But its charm never stopped having its effect on me over the years.
Today, my husband John and I spend about 30% of our time in Truckee after buying our home in Tahoe-Donner in 2006. We love everything about Truckee especially the ambiance of Truckee. That’s why it seemed so perfect to paint the charming building that houses the adorable gift shop named Ambiance Home Comforts.
Even the Truckee of 1965 looked very different from the Truckee of today. But its charm never stopped having its effect on me over the years.
Today, my husband John and I spend about 30% of our time in Truckee after buying our home in Tahoe-Donner in 2006. We love everything about Truckee especially the ambiance of Truckee. That’s why it seemed so perfect to paint the charming building that houses the adorable gift shop named Ambiance Home Comforts.
Truckee Old Jail Museum
Truckee Old Jail Museum - Watercolor on Yupo - $1200 - SOLD
The Old Jail Museum is located on Jibboom Street in Historic Downtown Truckee. This building was so much fun to paint, not just because of its colorful history but because of the magnetism I felt when I first saw this unique little building. Something about it said, “Paint me! I am important!” It’s been noted that some “infamous people” have spent some time in the Truckee Jail even if it was for only an overnight stay. People such as “Machine Gun” Kelly and “Baby Face” Nelson were two of the more notorious “residents.” According to the Truckee Historical Society the building is one of only few surviving 19th century jailhouses of its kind in the West and one of the few remaining original buildings in Truckee.
JAX At The Tracks
JAX on the Tracks - Acrylic on Canvas - $1700 - SOLD
JAX At The Tracks on West River Road in Truckee is the coolest little diner!!! And it has the best food - whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner - it's always great.
So being a fan of JAX, I was incredibly flattered when the owner, Bud Haley, found my website and contacted me to ask if I'd paint JAX for him.
He loved the painting so much that he decided to hang the original in his home and ordered a giclee on canvas reproduction to hang proudly in the diner.
So being a fan of JAX, I was incredibly flattered when the owner, Bud Haley, found my website and contacted me to ask if I'd paint JAX for him.
He loved the painting so much that he decided to hang the original in his home and ordered a giclee on canvas reproduction to hang proudly in the diner.
Spirit of Truckee
Spirit of Truckee - Acrylic on Canvas - $1500
Most of my painting subjects become my painting subject because there's some connection to me or to an experience in my life.
But sometimes the connection is simply because I love the design or the aesthetics of the building and how it might work as a composition within a painting.
This is the case with the building that houses the lovely Spirit Gallery in downtown Truckee. I took a lot of photos of the outside of the building, and I visited the inside of the Gallery and found myself in awe with the incredible works of art and the many gorgeous items for home interiors. I knew this charming building would be a great subject for the Truckee-Tahoe series.
But sometimes the connection is simply because I love the design or the aesthetics of the building and how it might work as a composition within a painting.
This is the case with the building that houses the lovely Spirit Gallery in downtown Truckee. I took a lot of photos of the outside of the building, and I visited the inside of the Gallery and found myself in awe with the incredible works of art and the many gorgeous items for home interiors. I knew this charming building would be a great subject for the Truckee-Tahoe series.
