Tahoe artist’s paintings dance to nature’s rhythms
By Amanda Horn, Reno Gazette-Journal
Ascending the stairs to the second floor of the Nevada Museum of Art, Donald W. Reynolds Center for the Visual Arts, E. L. Wiegand Gallery fuels anticipation for the visual symphony playing in the galleries above. A leftward glance through the glass into the second floor hallway reveals a stunning cerulean canvas flanked by whimsical golden flowers. The bold, colorful, 6-foot-5-inch painting dances on the wall, an affirmation that “Tahoe: A Visual History” evokes a mellifluous tone.
The eye-catching painting seems oddly familiar. Though you may not recognize the vista, the sentiment conveyed by Phyllis Shafer’s Above Cave Rock resonates at a subtle level. Shafer, one of 175 artists represented by 400 artworks in the Nevada Museum of Art feature exhibition, “Tahoe: A Visual History,” is part of a select group of Tahoe-based contemporary artists included in the museumwide show.
Since 1994 Shafer has taught art at Lake Tahoe Community College in South Lake Tahoe. The job prompted her relocation from the San Francisco Bay Area. This beloved artist has called Tahoe home ever since. She now co-chairs the art department and directs the college’s art galleries.