Artists, musicians join Saturday's garden tour

Several artists and musicians will be participating in Saturday's annual Garden Tour hosted by the Colfax Garden Club.They will be stationed at the six historic gardens open for touring between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday.Featured will be the historic Rhinehart Garden, which was depicted on the cover of "Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul" in the late 1990s; the historic Neff House, built in 1880 by Jacob Neff, who made his fortune with a gold mine in Iowa Hill; and a landscaped nine-acre estate designed by author and landscape consultant Caroline Singer.Also on the tour will be a cottage garden with decking for a variety of potted plants, a garden utilizing unique fixtures for plantings and the new Outfielder Community Garden at Sierra Vista Center.Featured artistsMarlene Betts — Perhaps the artist with the most experience on Saturday's tour will be Marlene Betts of Colfax. At 71, Marlene has been painting landscapes for more than 40 years."But I've always doodled and drawn," she said.While she prefers painting with oils, she also enjoys working with watercolors and acrylics.Joining her will be her husband, Steve, who will be playing guitar. Marlene thought she might bring her Autoharp and join him.Lydia Bailey — The youngest artist featured on this weekend's tour will be 14-year-old Lydia Bailey of Alta. A student at Colfax High School, Lydia will be showing the jewelry she designs and makes.In addition to jewelry, Lydia enjoys photography, painting and drawing. She is taking a multi-media class at Colfax High. Nikki Wade — A resident of Meadow Vista since 1990, Wade returned to art four years ago."I hadn't drawn for 20 years," she said, adding she has a degree in art. "Through my son, I started drawing again."Her son was taking art classes from Steve Coverston at Colfax High, so Wade decided to check out the evening classes Coverston taught through Placer Adult School.She's been a regular in Coverston's classroom and has focused on graphite and colored pencil drawing. Suzanne Maguire — A resident of Alta since 2005, Maguire has been creating art with fabric since she was 8..The owner of Whistle Stop Quilt Shop in downtown Colfax indicated she will be displaying some of her own quilts, but the majority on display during the tour will be creations by the store employees.Offered will be a selection of table runners and aprons as well as other fiber artwork. David Crosby — Auburn resident David Crosby is devoting his retirement years to photographing landscapes..Since retiring from Placer County Water Agency four years ago, Crosby has focused on landscapes. Prior to retirement, Crosby was employed as a photographer for 32 years for PCWA.He is a member of the Auburn Art Walk Committee For a sampling of his work, visit crosbygallery.comCorinne Kedinger — A resident of Colfax since 1992, Kedinger is probably best known for the wall murals she has painted as well as her ceramics..These days, however, Kedinger is making recycled art pieces. She takes wine bottles, jars or other pieces of glass and turns them into candleholders, which will be offered for sale.Charlie Iveson — Newly retired, Charlie Iveson said she's been waiting 40 years to become a full-time artist."I've been taking classes since 1969," she said. "I've been doing it part time for a long time."She works with oil, acrylics, colored pencils and graphite.Her work has been featured on the Auburn and North Tahoe Art Walks.Thad Little – Noted stained glass artist Thad Little was raised in his parents' custom stained glass and wood sign shop. He opened his first business, Legacy Glassworks, in Colfax's historic Fruit Exchange building in 1999.Today Little creates hand-drawn, one-of-a-kind glass in a 400-square-foot outbuilding in Alta.His most recent commission, "The Tree of Knowledge," is on display in the newly remodeled Colfax Library.Laurie Barrows – Primarily a water media artist, Laurie Barrows also works with pen and ink."I like to bounce from one media to another," she said. "It keeps the spontaneity alive and keeps my work fresh."Noted for her children's books, Barrows resides in Alta.MusiciansMusicians joining this weekend's garden tour will be the Pete Hansen Trio, Nancy Gudeman, Doug Thorley, Anna Rose Opheim, Maggie Slover, Bill Gallaher, Steve Betts, Jamie Kolbeck, Debbie McClatchy, Emilie Roberts-Brockway, Lexi Tyrell and Dan Scanlon.Ticket informationTickets, at $12 per person, are now on sale in Colfax at Evangeline's, Whistle Stop quilt Shop, Calamity Jane's, Mane Tamer, Fitness for Life, Hills Flat Nursery, Colfax Area Chamber of Commerce, Colfax City Hall and Sierra Vista Center.Advance tickets can also be purchased in Auburn at Eisley's Nursery, in Nevada City at Prospector's Nursery and in Grass Valley at Weiss Brothers Nursery or Hills Flat Nursery.On the day of the tour, tickets will be $15 and can be purchased at a booth set up at Roy Toms Plaza. Maps to locate the gardens will also be available.Proceeds will benefit community projects and the youth garden supported by the club.