Art in the Garden tour offers 'staycation'

Many Granite Bay residents love to travel - Paris in the springtime, sunny Marseille, or Rome. 

Unfortunately, busy jobs, active kids and a cautious economic outlook conspire to keep us at home. 

But, who wouldn’t prefer sipping wine and sampling tantalizing treats, while lazily browsing the artists’ colony of Montmartre, than running errands and punching time clocks? 

Fortunately, Roseville Arts has the perfect solution - the 9th annual Art in the Garden Home and Garden Tour. 

The tour includes six of Granite Bay’s most elegant homes and gardens. 

Visitors will soak up the French countryside, spend a day on the Mediterranean, surround themselves with Asian influences and more. 

Of course, delicious food, provided by restaurants like La Provence, Rubino’s Ristorante, Toast, Tahoe Joe’s, Café Zorro, Aubergine Catering, a Chef’s Affair and others will enhance the ambiance. 

Locally-produced wines and art will complete the experience. 

And all for only $35. 

“It’s a great value,” said Kathleen Gonzalez, Art in the Garden co-chair. “You get so much – we’re showing great properties, and have delicious wine, food, and good music.” 

The tour is self-guided, so visitors can linger, or move through the properties as fast as they would like. 

“The homes are all between Shelborne and Granite Bay Hills – so close, it’s easy to get around. And there will be ample parking,” Gonzalez said. 

A refreshing gurgle will greet visitors as they approach the Mediterranean exterior of one of the homes that is tucked-away on a Wexford neighborhood cul-de-sac. 

The 5,000-square-foot home, built by Paul Hills, may have a Mediterranean façade, but the interior is a mix of ultra elegance tempered with casual French country. 

Homeowner Norm Ironside, credits his wife, Cheri, for creating an idyllic setting. 

“We’ve redone everything – every faucet, door hinge, every handle in the house. My hands are sore,” he said. “Cheri could have been a professional decorator – every friend and neighbor has wanted her to decorate for them.” 

Smooth, travertine and wide-planked reddish-brown mahogany invite visitors to step in to a cool, and airy, sun-kissed oasis. 

And the outdoor verandah, with refreshing misting system, will keep tour enthusiasts in perfect comfort while they sip a light Pinot Grigio poolside. 

The couple was thrilled to offer their home as a venue for this year’s Art in the Garden tour. 

“A friend said to me, Cheri, your home would be perfect for the tour – and it’s for a good cause,” Cheri Ironside said. “I wanted to help the artists.” 

In addition to Wexford Granite Bay Hills also is featured on tour this year. 

Bharati Shah is the owner of one that combines more than one style. 

“It’s Spanish and Mediterranean, with some Indian touches thrown in,” Shah said. 

Vibrant pinks and purples – flowers overflow walkways and rear their lovely heads in unexpected places in this gorgeous garden with a park-like setting. Natural boulders are strewn throughout the grounds, as is a streambed, filled with rounded rock and plant life. 

Carefully placed benches will allow visitors to rest and take in the many fountains, which empty in to a deliciously cold swimming pool. 

Peaceful and serene, the garden is the perfect place to relax, grab a savory bite, and browse beautiful art on display atop the cool, shaded deck. 

Marcia Murray, an artist coordinator for the event, said she is thrilled with the art that will be showcased in this year’s tour. 

“We have over 20 artists – from Auburn, Rocklin, Granite Bay, Sacramento and other areas. They are juried, and were chosen by an art instructor in San Diego,” she said. “We have everything from acrylic and oils, ceramics, photography, sculpture, and even jewelry.” 

Murray knows the event is an outstanding way to raise funds for Roseville Arts, but is most excited about the exposure the local artists will receive at the event. 

“People are really into the art and learning about its process. We hope to have everything (for sale), from $10 on up. We try to have a range of prices to make the art affordable for every budget.” 

Some artists will demonstrate their skills for art enthusiasts as well. 

Art like Marsha Rafter’s whimsical birdhouses and garden sculptures – colorful, fun, and very spring-like will be available. 

Taking the self-guided tour is like attending six mini parties, but the real reason for the tour is art. 

Art in the Garden is one of Roseville Arts main fundraisers. 

“The purpose of Roseville Arts is twofold,” said Gene Bell, Art in the Garden co-chair and Roseville Arts board member. “It supports artists and arts in the community, and focuses on bringing kids and the arts together, because there isn’t necessarily funding for arts in the schools.” 

Roseville Arts has been around for more than 40 years, and its “hub” of activity is the Blue Line Gallery, located on Vernon Street in Roseville. 

The gallery’s current exhibit, The Art of Dr. Seuss, will run through May 2, and has been a huge hit with kids and adults alike. 

“The focus since the gallery opened has been educating kids,” Bell said. I was there (at Blue Line Gallery) on a Thursday, and hundreds of first-graders went through.” 

Board members of Roseville Arts look forward to another successful Art in the Garden