Education through the Arts with Diane Penner and the Tehama County Arts Council

April is here and the call is going out for Castles and Kingdoms, the 2023 theme for the Student Art Contest sponsored by the Tehama County Art Council (TCAC) and the Red Bluff Art Association. The contest is open to all Tehama County students, grades K-12, and entries are due at the TCAC between April 20-22.

The TCAC believes in “education through the arts” and council member Chrissie Clapp puts it this way: “If you want to raise a good scientist or mathematician, build their education on a foundation of art.” Chrissie works alongside Barbara Luzzadder and other council members to organize the annual art contest as one of the ways the TCAC introduces school age children to art. Both Chrissie and Barbara also credit Diane Penner for going out and rounding up many of their contestants.

Hard work has paid off in prior art contests for Diane Penner and her art students

Diane’s art lessons have inspired many contest winners

In Tehama County, the word “art” is synonymous with Red Bluff’s Diane Penner. Her art lessons have inspired many of the art contest winners over the years. Diane says, “I needed something to motivate my art students to apply themselves and to go through all the steps of completing a piece of art. There is a small slice of the population who are born with the natural ability to draw and make art. There is an even greater portion of society who have worked hard to learn how to create art.” The art contest is the perfect opportunity for students to work harder with what they have learned.

Diane’s interest in art started when, as a young girl, she and her dog would explore the beautiful back woods of Lake Valhalla in East Stroudsberg, PA. Later, Diane moved to Edmonds, WA to attend Kings Garden Junior and Senior High School. There she excelled in her fine arts class and became a student of photography as well. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Communication/Art from Biola University—where she also met her husband, a Red Bluff native. Before she had her children, Diane spent a year teaching second grade at Community Christian School and, after they were born, she enjoyed teaching visual arts as a volunteer in such Red Bluff Schools as Lincoln Street School, Reeds Creek Elementary and Sacred Heart School. Diane was eventually offered a teaching position at Mercy High School teaching junior and senior high students. She received certification at Sacramento State to teach A.P. Visual Arts in 2016.

Today, Diane teaches on contract at Whittenberg Country School and also teaches art in her home studio to students ranging in age from elementary kids to adults. Her personal art focuses on watercolors and acrylics and her intent for her art is “to reflect my love for nature in its purest form.” With her students, Diane goes beyond the art itself into what she describes as “mentorship.” Working side by side on an art project can be a safe place for children to open up about something they may be struggling with or even their dreams for their future. These same themes often come through in their artwork.

Barbara Luzzadder and Chrissie Clapp, of the Tehama County Arts Council, are calling for ‘Castles and Kingdoms’ among all royal subjects.

For Barbara Luzzadder, art as expression is a lifestyle

Art as expression has always been a lifestyle for Barbara Luzzadder, now serving for the second time on the TCAC. With the discipline Barbara learned through almost 16 years of ballet, she earned multiple college degrees—sometimes while working up to five jobs. Later, while raising children with her husband, a long-time Red Bluff science teacher fondly known as “Dr. Flamo,” Barbara furthered her artistic interests though photography and night classes with Bob Ellis at Shasta College. “Those classes with Bob Ellis opened up my heart and senses through art,” she says.  When she returned to school for a Master’s Degree in education, Barbara wrote a series of 17 poems to share with school children to motivate their interest in reading and writing poetry.  As District Librarian for the Red Bluff Elementary School District, she often read her poetry to students in the  classroom and was pleased to find that her poems sparked creativity in many of her young listeners.

Chrissie Clapp says art is a way for children to make their mark on the world

Chrissie Clapp says, “Nothing new emerges, nothing new changes unless we have creative minds.” Chrissie was fortunate to grow up in China Lake, CA among a small community of great minds. Although she didn’t develop an interest in artwork until later, she spent her childhood surrounded by mathematical and scientific geniuses while receiving a wonderful education. Chrissie loved working with her hands and eventually learned to sew all of her own clothes and to weave. She went on to obtain two Bachelor of Art degrees and developed her love of many art forms during her 26 years teaching gifted children in the Red Bluff Union School District. Art was a regular part of her classroom. Chrissie says, “Art is a way for children to make their mark on the world—their decisions and problem solving are completely their own.” This is Chrissie’s third time serving on the TCAC but she still enjoys using her hands for crochet, embroidery, miniatures and ceramics, among other tactile arts.

Education and art have been closely intertwined for Diane, Barbara and Chrissie and they are eager to inspire school age children to do well with both. Art is like an old friend whom people return to when they need to de-stress, even academic stress. Helping children find that passion in their youth will give them something to fall back on in good times, hard times or even in boredom.

Call for entries in the Castles and Kingdoms art contest

The Art Contest provides a wonderful, free opportunity to help your child find their artistic passion. The TCAC is calling for Castles and Kingdoms submissions to be turned in to their gallery at 724 Main St in Red Bluff on April 20 between 4-6 pm or 1-5 pm on April 21 or 22. Any medium may be used (no computers or other devices) and each piece can be no larger than 9 x 12 inches or exceed 1/4 inch in thickness. Entries should not be matted or framed. For an entry form, prize information and a complete set of rules visit http://www.tehamaarts.org