Saturday art show to support IHS art program

As October days fly off the calendar and Halloween approaches, Incline Village residents can hand out a treat to the Incline High School art department and receive a few of their own.

Karen Colbert, proprietor of Tahoe Quilts Art Gallery, is holding the Incline Village Fall Art Festival in the parking lot she shares with US Bank Saturday. A portion of the proceeds are headed to the IHS art program. It is slated to run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The parking lot is located off state Route 28, across from the Raley's shopping center.

The show will be held under tents, featuring local artists and members of the high school's advanced art class. Colbert is donating 10 percent of the proceeds she collects to the IHS art program and is encouraging fellow vendors to donate a portion of their proceeds as well.

"We're thrilled that Karen decided to help us out. We don't have a huge budget so any help from the community is very much appreciated," said Ann Clark, IHS art teacher.

A main attraction at the show should be students from Clark's advanced class who will be selling pumpkins, donated by Raley's, for $5 apiece. People who buy the pumpkins may decorate them with markers provided by Colbert or commission one of the students to decorate them. The best decorated pumpkin will win art supplies donated by Colbert.

"I'm really hoping for a good turnout, and a big thanks to Raley's for donating the pumpkins. This will be nice for the high school because they can benefit from the show, and great for Incline because we rarely get an art show in town," Colbert said.

She is also selling $5 raffle tickets to raise money for the art program. Anyone who buys them is entered to win a lap quilt worth $220 or gift certificates to Colbert's store worth $25.

In addition, the high schoolers are selling some of their own art work, including watercolors, charcoal, pencil and oil drawings and pottery. Clark may provide originals and prints of some of the paintings as well. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the high school tent will go the art program.

"I think people would be surprised if they saw the (students') work at how good it is. I'm so proud of them and it's amazing to see some of the things they come up with," Clark said.

In addition to the high schoolers, Colbert said that some very talented regional artists will be peddling their products. Patrons of the show can expect to see professional decorative pottery, photography, jewelry, watercolors, oil paintings, art quilts, hand woven rugs and home holiday decor.

"This is great for people who want to do some fall decorating, there will be all sorts of beautiful artworks to decorate your home with," Colbert said.

A couple of artists that Colbert is excited about are John Manley and Judy and Larry Romiti. Manley is selling decorative pottery and the Romitis will be on hand with high-end decorative rugs and a weaving loom, Colbert said.