About
Our Story
North Tahoe Arts, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, enriches the North Lake Tahoe and Truckee communities by offering diverse, immersive visual arts experiences.
Through two galleries, workshops, exhibits, kids programs and events, NTA engages residents and visitors alike, providing opportunities for local artists and fostering cultural enrichment in this outdoor-oriented region.
COMMUNITY IMPACT
Our two galleries enjoy over 15,000 visitors each year. While many of these are tourists, NTA has a loyal following of regional, part-time and permanent residents who appreciate high quality, handmade art at reasonable prices. Between both galleries, about 35 local artists display and sell their work. We also host 25 – 30 guest artists each year.
Our Kids Art Camps serve about 150 children each summer in six sessions during June/August. Sessions are typically fully booked with a waiting list. Six to ten scholarships are awarded each year, thus extending the benefit of this key program to those who would not otherwise have had the opportunity.
Free Art Days provide local families with a fun, free art experience in their own neighborhood, at our Kings Beach Art Center.
FUNDRAISING
Our signature fundraiser, Art in the Tahoe Garden, takes place every August where guests enjoy a festive, artful day in the unmatched beauty of North Tahoe lakeside gardens. With over 30 local artists and unique raffle prizes, this free event is a must!
North Tahoe Arts has earned a Gold Seal of Transparency with Candid Guidestar. See NTA Guidestar Profile. We participate in Give Back Tahoe, a community-based giving platform hosted by the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation.
NTA is supported by a network of volunteers who run our programs and galleries and the generous support of our members and donors. You can support NTA through membership or donations at anytime. Donations and membership fees directly support all of North Tahoe Arts’ programs and general operating expenses.
The North Tahoe Arts Story
In 1986, seven artists living in North Tahoe got together to meet, network and to sell their art.
By 1990 almost 100 people were involved, with a vision to promote the arts in North Tahoe. Under the leadership of Madeline Bohanon, they incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit called The Sierra Artist Network (SAN) and moved into the historic Community Center building next to Commons Beach in the heart of Tahoe City. This gave them the space to engage more people through exhibits, an artisan shop and informal artist gatherings.
In 2003 the organization was renamed North Tahoe Arts (NTA) and their outreach continued. Programs were added to increase the depth and breadth of NTA’s contribution to art in North Tahoe including Kids Art Camp, the North Lake Tahoe Plein Air Open and many others. The spirit and passion of those seven founding members continues today as NTA continues to be a dynamic artistic hub in North Tahoe.
Statement of Inclusion
North Tahoe Arts is committed to respecting, supporting and providing equal opportunity and inclusion for our guests, artists, and visitors to the North Tahoe community regardless of race, gender, religious affiliation, age, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, language, national origin, ancestry, intellectual development, physical ability, or socio-economic status. Additionally, we work to reflect these values of inclusion through our policies, programs, attitudes and actions.
Board and Staff
Meet the Board of Directors
Jane Jenny
Jane is a multi-dimensional artist, award winning house designer, teacher and past president of the non-profit art organization Side Street Projects in Los Angeles. Jane earned her MFA in 1999. She is a true patron of the arts and supports important NTA programs such as Kids Art Camp and our annual fundraiser, Art in the Tahoe Garden.
Heidi Reeves
A Kings Beach resident for over 45 years, Heidi has been contributing to North Tahoe Arts since the 1990s. Her talent and dedication shines true for Tahoe art community. Heidi is a prize winning pastel artist and has recently taken up needle-felting. She hosts the bi-monthly Gathering of Artists and coordinates our Art Center in Kings Beach.
Pam Sutton
Pam joined NTA as a glass artist in the Tahoe City gallery in 2007. She grew up in LA and lived many years in the Bay Area. After earning an MBA she worked in marketing and program management for several large high tech companies before moving to Reno in 1990. She has served on several nonprofit boards and is passionate about helping NTA thrive as a cultural and artistic hub in North Tahoe/Truckee area.
Laura Homen
As an art teacher, Laura Homen is always excited to share her philosophy. She believes it is as much about the process as it is about the product. Art makes us feel good, whether we are making it, looking at it, buying it or giving it away. We need to feel good about art. Laura has been a credentialed teacher for over 40 years, earning her master’s degree in Multicultural Foundations in Education. She was an art docent/teacher in public schools for 27 years. Her enthusiasm for art and love of learning is obvious when you visit North Tahoe Arts Kid’s Art Camp where she shines while working with our “budding artists”.
Bonnie Dyer
Fifty years ago, Bonnie moved to Tahoe City to reconnect with the mountains and pursue her passion for making leaded glass windows. Life was good until a ski accident led to surgery, revealing the harsh reality of life without insurance. For the next thirty years, Bonnie worked for Placer Title Company as an escrow officer and manager. Beyond professional life she actively engaged with the Tahoe community through membership in Soroptimists, the Lake Tahoe Music Festival, Rotary, Friends of the Library and the Tahoe City Cemetery Board.
Retirement has enabled her to renew her passion for art. Bonnie believes that art plays a vital role in building both personal and community identity—a therapeutic exercise that, when shared, brings joy to others. She recognizes art as an essential component of community development, encompassing cultural, social, and economic dimensions. As a new member of the North Tahoe Arts (NTA), Bonnie is eager to work with the Board to ensure the visibility, vitality and viability of art in North Tahoe.
Meet the Staff
Carolyn Stark
Carolyn Stark is the backbone of North Tahoe Arts. She maintains our finances, manages our offices and so much more! Carolyn is a native to North Lake Tahoe and now based in Incline Village. She is passionate about animals and the environment and volunteers locally.
Mary Faucher
Mary manages our workshop program and works with Kids and Family arts.
Rachel Meisler
Bio coming soon
