Art of the Garden - ASiF Spring 2011 Resident Artists' Show

The Artists' Studios in the Foothills is proud to present its Spring 2011 Resident Artists' show - Art of the Garden, featuring garden inspired paintings, drawings, prints, and sculptural and functional works of art intended for the garden. This show, opening just before Mother's Day, offers special homage to the accomplishments of a very special charitable organization founded for the purpose of supporting women and children... The Soroptimist International of the Sierra Foothills' (SISF) and its annual spring fundraising event, the Nevada County Garden Tour.

For this exciting spring art event, and in honor of Mother's Day, ASiF Studios, working closely with organizers of the SISF's Garden Tour, has planned a special celebratory kick-off for this year's 18th Annual Nevada County Garden Tour Event! The artists at ASiF and the SISF invite the public to celebrate the earthly pleasures of spring with fine art, food, wine, music and a special presentation given by Master Gardener, Lynn Lorenson! Tickets for the May 21st & 22nd Garden Tour will be available for purchase at ASiF throughout the month!

The Nevada County Garden Tour is the offspring of the Soroptimist International of the Sierra Foothills. Each year local artists are invited to the gardens to paint, sell their wares, and otherwise inspire Garden Tour guests. This year several ASiF resident artists will be among them, sharing their inspiration for this wonderful event.

The SISF is a charitable volunteer service organization founded for the purpose of offering support to women in business, management and career development. The SISF, incorporated in 1988 in Nevada City, California, is part of the internationally known, Soroptimist International, comprising almost 100,000 members in about 124 countries around the world! The first Soroptimist club was formed in 1921 by a group of 80 women in Oakland, California. They chose their name from the latin word soroptimist, meaning "best for women." Membership provides an enriching environment for women to develop friendships and to support each other, while experiencing the satisfaction of their collective efforts designed to improve communities and opportunity for women. These women, who represent leaders across all professional disciplines, also serve as role models for younger women at the beginnings of new careers.


On May 6th, just two days before Mother's Day, the resident artists of ASiF invite the public for an opening reception to celebrate art in the gardens of spring, the accomplishments of this much loved organization, and the ways in which both hope to inspire the growth and nurturing spirit of women around the world!

A reception for the artists will begin at 5pm... and a very special master gardener's presentation, an historic and cultural look at garden design from around the world, "Gardens of the Spirit". A brief history of the Soroptimist International of the Sierra Foothills, to follow the master gardener's prsentaion. Fine art, wine, music and fresh from the garden refreshments to be enjoyed by all! The Art of the Garden show will hang through May 28th.


The Artists' Studio in the Foothills (ASiF), now in its fourth year serving as a resource for the many talented visual artists of the community, has become known as the Visual Arts Center of Nevada County. The center has earned wide acclaim for its stable of high caliber artists and teachers, and their hugely attended art events featuring themed gallery shows every six to eight weeks. Crowds of several hundred people join the artists to celebrate and enjoy fine art, food, wine, music, and special lectures and presentations.

ASiF is a fully equipped studio arts facility, offering private and shared studio space, fine art instruction in drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics and mosaics, drop in studio use, and community classroom rental. In addition to the center's main gallery shows, is the center's new gift venue, ASiF GiFT, featuring cards, prints, jewelry, pottery and many other "gift-able" art works created by local artists.

The ASiF gallery and gift store are open Monday - Friday from 10am - 5pm, 11am - 4pm on Saturdays, and Sundays by appointment.

The Artists' Studio in the Foothills is located at 940 Idaho Maryland Road, in Grass Valley, CA. For more information go to www.asifstudios.com
or call the center at 530-274-7000.

Art of the Garden - Participating ASiF Resident Artists:
Wanda Avery, Rebecca Bleau, Eileen Blodgett, Lugene Boyd, Deborah Bridges, Marlene Britton, Phil Brown, Odette Brush, Roseanne Burke, The Claybabes, Susan Crocenzi, Miranda Currie, Heather deViveiros, Sharon Griffiths, Sarah C.V. Hendrickson, Claudia Jeffers, John Michael Keating, Warren Knox, Roger Lewis, Betsy Lombard, Jill Mahanna, Susan Michalski, Mindy Oberne, Amanda Paoletti, Jean Patterson, Daniel Peck, Jim Stettler, Cathy Tardif, Josh Unterman, Robin Wallace, Denise Wey, Kathryn Wronski