Emerging Artists

Kaylee Smith is a visual artist based in Reno, Nevada, working primarily in acrylic paint, but also exploring ink and other mediums. Her work spans landscapes and figurative subjects, serving as a personal journey of self-discovery and creative growth. Passionate about art since childhood, Kaylee continues to experiment with new techniques, using each piece as an opportunity to refine her style and artistic voice. She is currently developing her first collection, with recent works marking important steps in her evolving practice.

Tanja Hester is an emerging multidisciplinary artist based in Reno-Tahoe.

In her visual art, she creates large-scale, color-shifted works in oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel and sculptural mixed media that address injustice through a personal lens. Inspired by the immunodeficiency she was born with and the degenerative joint disease that has become a disability, Tanja’s work gives viewers a glimpse into a world isolated by necessity.

She was awarded watercolor artist of the year at the 2024 RTA Awards and won best in show at last year’s Sierra Watercolor Society annual judged exhibition.

In addition to her visual art practice, Tanja is the author of two books, most recently Wallet Activism: How to Use Every Dollar You Spend, Earn and Save as a Force for Change, winner of the 2022 Nautilus Awards gold medal for best social change book. For her dedication to activism, in 2023 Tanja was named alongside luminaries like Lil Nas X and US Senator Elizabeth Warren as a Changemaker by Money Magazine, one of fifty people changing the global financial system to make it more just and equitable. 

Camille is a watercolor artist who captures the beauty and science of the marine environment. A nearly 40-year veteran SCUBA instructor, Camille has transformed her underwater photographs into watercolor paintings that focus on the ocean below and the island landscapes above.

Camille enjoyed a distinguished career as a middle school science teacher, elementary administrator, and STEM teacher educator. She consistently integrates art into science instruction and supports art and music programs in the schools she manages.

Now retired and diving alongside her husband, she paints with a playful spirit and wants her work to provide scientific insights into the marine environment. She is working on a series of ocean literacy books for children and occasionally conducts marine science workshops for teachers.

Camille directs a portion of every artwork sale to marine conservation and science education programs in the very islands that inspire her. 

For more information on her original art, science teacher workshops, or details on her charitable work – please contact Camille at wherethemapturnsblue@gmail.com

Hi! I’m Audrey George. 

I’ve lived in Nevada for 6 years after moving from my hometown in Los Angeles to attend the University of Nevada, Reno. Through the years, I fell in love with the natural beauty of the Sierra Nevada region and the community here, and have planted my roots in Reno, NV. 

After graduating with my business degree, I worked in marketing for 2 years before taking art full-time. This career has its challenges, but it’s where I am meant to be. I find a deep sense of purpose in inspiring others with my spark.

I found my niche in watercolor landscapes of the Sierra Nevada by exploring the area on foot and through my brush strokes.

Shelby Rodriguez is a largely self-taught visual artist based in Reno, Nevada, working primarily in oil paint.

Her current work focuses on depicting women engaged in their daily rituals—moments they carve out to care for themselves. In each painting, these women are intruded upon by the viewer. This intentional interruption reflects the societal expectation that women must constantly set aside their own needs to tend to others.

Through her work, Rodriguez aims to highlight the duality between the quiet power of these personal moments and the ever-present pressure to abandon them in favor of catering to the needs of others. These small rituals are significant—and yet, they are so often disrupted by a world that relies on women’s availability. Her paintings explore this tension: the sacredness of women’s daily rituals and the constant pull to prioritize others. Rodriguez has lived in Norway, Estonia, and the United States. Her landscape work draws inspiration from the countries she has called home.