Arts in The North State – Building Courage, Confidence and Commitment

Mom, that was the scariest thing I have ever done,” said Sophia Zaniroli’s 13-year-old son after his first vocal recital. Although he has performed with groups in front of hundreds of people, singing a solo took a whole new level of courage. “I’m so glad I did it,” he added, “I’m stronger now.”

North State art professionals agree. From the paintbrush, to the piano, to the pirouette, the arts build children’s courage, confidence, commitment and so much more.

Redding School of the Arts – Redding, CA

As the assistant principal at Redding School of the Arts (RSA), a former teacher, and the mother of two RSA students, Sophia has witnessed art powerfully transform children’s lives. She says art is a positive source of unity for kids of all cultures, economic backgrounds, and identities.

At RSA, every student experiences dance, drama, music or fine arts at least once during each school day. Younger students are assigned a range of art classes, while middle and high school students begin to focus on their favorite art forms by choosing the art track or music track. “Art provides self-expression and self-awareness,” Sophia says. “It unites different cultures and provides a safe space for us to build within our community because everyone is working toward a common goal.”

Sophia’s own daughter, for example, now sings in the madrigal and apace choirs at Shasta High School. “She has a sense of belonging,” Sophia says, “and she’s able to give back to the community through the arts because she has been exposed to the arts since kindergarten at RSA. It definitely molded her into who she is.”

Artist Ama Posey in her downtown Chico studio with her son Bjorn. Photo by Amber Thompson.

Ama Posey – Chico, CA

Working primarily out of the Chico Children’s Museum, abstract painter Ama Posey offers art lessons for children as young as four years old. Ama sees herself as “a creativity coach,” encouraging students to enjoy tactile creativity away from technology screens. She describes the creative process as a cycle of hope and fear that builds confidence and resilience. Projects begin with bright hope, but as they meet with complications or fall short of the vision, “You go through this period of fear. You start to panic and feel like you’re really bad at it.” Sometimes the temptation to give up seems overpowering, but students who persevere with their art learn an important life reality. “Not everything is figured out in the beginning, and the middle is often really messy,” Ama says. Time and time again, Ama has seen students discover they can “get through the self-doubt and come out with something they’re proud of. Art is really about play; it’s about creating something from nothing, playing with materials and processing things as you go. It’s not always about an end product.”

Piano Studio of Marci Pittman – Chico, CA

For more than 30 years, Marci Pittman has trained little fingers to tap out melodies on the black and white keys of the piano. Over the course of her career, Marci has read scientific articles affirming what most musicians know instinctively: performing music activates more of the brain than almost any other activity.

But beyond the mental stimulation, Marci says, the arts outwardly express inward emotion. Many of her students, for example, used music as a mental and emotional outlet for their fears and frustrations during the pandemic. “I believe music is such a wonderful gift from God because it addresses the entire person,” she says.

While piano lessons normally require one-on-one training, Marci intentionally gathers her students three times a semester. “They love getting together with other pianists,” she says. “They play ensembles together, talk about composers, do theory games, and develop camaraderie. It helps them to see other students are working on the same goals and skills. And when they’re regularly playing for a small group of students, they’re not nearly as nervous during our annual spring recital.”

Flare Dance Studio – Red Bluff, CA

If making music activates most of the brain, dancing must put it into overdrive. Krysta Shadish of Flare Dance Studio in Red Bluff says she fell in love with dance because “it is so overwhelmingly multi-tasking.”

Simultaneously a team sport and an art form, dance requires students to individually learn the concrete rules of technique to make something beautiful together. “There’s a certain way you’re supposed to execute the movements,” Krysta explains, “but the art part comes in because you use that movement to tell a story, and the way you move within the music is unique to every individual.” Because each dancer is essential within the choreography, kids learn to value their own contributions as well as their peers’ roles, underscoring the importance of commitment and perseverance. “That’s the thing; we’re going back to those life skills,” Krysta explains. “Life is hard, but dance helps them learn to conquer hard things and shape those experiences into something beautiful.”

Chico Creek Dance Studio – Chico, CA

Julie Gonzales, the owner of Chico Creek Dance Studio, shares Krysta’s passion for dance, but her 7-year-old daughter prefers expressing herself through visual arts. Inspired by her daughter, Julie added an arts room to her dance studio in 2021. The curriculum includes art history lessons and instruction in a variety of mediums, from watercolor and acrylic paint to clay modeling.

“I love showing the students some techniques, but I also want to see what they can do,” Julie says. “It’s all about the creator and what inspires them.” To help kids feel confident in experimenting, Julie emphasizes making art classes adaptable. “I had students who were just super shy and said they only liked to draw with pencil,” she recalls, “so I said, ‘Okay, let’s do this art project with pencils.’” By starting in their comfort zone, Julie encourages students to build on their strengths and push past their fears. “Our kids are going through so much — developmentally and just trying to figure out who they are. Art is such a safe place for them to express what they are feeling.”

Ama summarizes the value of art in today’s society this way: “The more of a confident, creative, innovative thinker you are, the better you’re going to be in the world. And that is exactly what art teaches you.” Those who do not “feel artistic” may simply need to discover a new art form to take them to the next heights of creativity and courage. Julie encourages her own children and students to try every art they encounter. In her own words, “It might take five or six tries to figure out what you love. But one day something’s going to stick, and you’re going to be so excited and passionate about it.”

Upcoming Art Opportunities

• Redding School of the Arts Annual Spring Musical: Moana Jr. April 28-29, May 5-6
• Ama Posey: Spring Semester After School Program at Chico Children’s Museum
• Piano Studio of Marci Pittman: Duet Piano Recital February 26,; Annual Spring Piano Celebration April 28
• Flare Dance Studio: Spring Performance May 20, 2023
• Chico Creek Dance: Spring Semester Set-Building, Costume Design and After School Art Classes