SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Traveling through South Lake Tahoe, murals can be seen in vibrant hues and thought-provoking concepts throughout, making the city feel like its own art gallery. Tahoe Fund’s newest commission piece at Cascade Kitchens, “A Tahoe Day”, painted by artist Anne-Sophie Gaudet, adds to that collection.  

On Thursday, August 27, the large-scale mural was unveiled as community members gathered to celebrate. 

“We put together the call for artists, and we really wanted a mural that was going to bring the space to life and draw attention to the bike racks that we helped fund,” said Amy Berry, CEO of Tahoe Fund.

More than 20 submissions were received, and Berry recalled looking at Gaudet’s piece and knowing it was the one she wanted. Berry noted that she wasn’t part of the selection process, but other Tahoe Fund members, Cascade Kitchens, and a panel of reviewers from the local art community also shared her enthusiasm for “A Tahoe Day”. 

Gaudet told the Tribune that she’s been a full-time artist for almost four years. Prior to that, she taught visual art in Palo Alto for 13 years. Her focus since transitioning to full-time art has centered heavily on murals that celebrate the beauty of the outdoors.

“For this mural, I was inspired by the lake, the forest, and the mountains,” said Gaudet. “I tried to make it a cohesive landscape using complimentary colors. The orange and the blue go well together, and the purple and green were really nice. What I wanted was to use the bike rack and integrate it into the mural in a way.”

Appearing as though two people just grabbed their bikes from the bike rack and set off on a bike path along the shimmering waters of Lake Tahoe, the mural took Gaudet only five days to complete. 

As it lights up Cascade Kitchens’ east exterior wall, the art piece adds to the food hall’s growing ambiance of being a community gathering space, offering delicious food and drink options from 11 local restaurants and vendors.

“This just started out as a drab space. We knew it had a lot of potential, but it just wasn’t that welcoming. The mural has warmed it up,” said Fran Faulknor, owner of Cascade Kitchens. “We’re so appreciative of having this as a way to anchor our lovely outdoor space.” 

Tahoe Fund has, once again, set its sights on a project that benefits the Basin, ensuring the continuation of its mission to act as a catalyst to bridge funding gaps in Lake Tahoe. 

“Our goal is to improve the Tahoe environment for all to enjoy, and a big piece of that is our focus on the experience, and ‘How do you make it easier for people to get around, enjoy and take care of Tahoe?’ That’s what we really wanted this project to be, and bike racks help us achieve that,” said Berry. “But then you layer on art that really makes you think about how you’re taking care of the environment at the same time, and it varies together really well.”

To learn more about Tahoe Fund, its mission and projects, visit tahoefund.org. 

To view more art by Anne-Sophie Gaudet, check out her website, annesophiegaudet.com 

Cascade Kitchens Food Hall and Bar is located at 1030 Tata Lane in South Lake Tahoe, Calif.