In Quincy, a collective of artists, both member and consignment, along with their patrons all work together on a non-profit basis to create the Main Street Artists Gallery located at 436 Main Street in the Clinch Building.  The Main Street Artists work in all media and are featured in group or individual shows throughout the year in the main portion of the gallery, while the other artists continue to exhibit in a separate part of the building.

Co-directors Lara Eichenberger and Carla De Boer love to keep the gallery interesting and always changing.  In September, a two week show will feature Tammy Masters, Jane Strohmaier and Norma Lewis in a joint showing of their life drawings  in various media. An artist’s opening reception for them will be  September 3.  A second opening, on September 24 will feature the concrete sculptures of Greg Kinne and the collage boxes of Beth Aitken in a joint show.

A web page featuring all 34 artists can be found at www.mainstreetartists.net. Or you can learn more about further openings by going to www.plumasarts.org and going to their calendar page.

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Are you ready for an evening of western dance and BBQ featuring the Stone and Straw Band from Chester, California? On Saturday, September 4, The Graeagle Lions Club will be presenting its second annual “Hoedown-At-The-Barn”  at the Corner Barn, Blairsden/Graeagle.  A no-host beer and wine bar opens at 5:30 pm followed by a New York steak dinner with “all the trimmins ” at 6:00 pm.  The evening concludes with western music and dancing, including line dancing, with door prizes, raffle prizes and more.  Tickets are $24 a person.  For more information and tickets call 836-0118.

The Lions Club is a service organization which promotes vision health through providing access to eye examinations and glasses to needy school children and seniors, and collects used prescription glasses for distribution worldwide with the help of licensed eye physicians.  The Graeagle Lions Club provides funds for these causes and additionally gives scholarships to Portola High graduates, awards grants to Eastern Plumas Food Bank  (EPCAN), Project Santa, Horses Unlimited, Portola Library’s “Books on CD” collection and other worthy causes.

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by Jan Cox

At 92 years of age, Nancy Lund amazes many for her longevity, her quick brain and her lifetime drive to stand up for personal rights of women, the poor, the aging, and for the right to be herself.

Currently, Nancy is the Chair of Plumas County Commission on Aging. The 20 member commission keeps up on current legislation and acts as a watchdog for people’s rights.

Lund was an elected Senior Senator from 1984-92, representing five northern California counties in the Senior Legislature.  This  group is a mirror image of the regular legislature, acting as their eyes and ears concerning senior issues. She especially enjoyed the annual four-day sessions in Sacramento, where proposals were made, hopefully to be picked up by one of the legislators and enacted into law.  Some of the Senior proposals were passed by both houses of the legislature and signed by the governor-including two authored by Lund.

With her usual sense of humor, she told a story about walking the halls of the capital with her husband who was impressed that everyone knew her name.  Pointing down to her chest she said, ” Sure they do,  I have on a name tag.”

Nancy Lund grew up in El Paso, and attended two years of college in Texas before the family moved to Los Angeles.  She had one semester at UCLA, always meaning to return, but never did. Nancy became a draftsperson before women were accepted in the trade. She received her training during World War II and was able to use that in several capacities before and after coming to Plumas County.

Nancy and her husband, Dick, discovered this area while camping and decided to retire here, doing so in 1975. Since moving to Greenville, Nancy has designed many homes for both locals and newcomers.   She was aged 90 when she completed her last home and continues to enjoy taking visitors to see some of the homes she has designed.

Nancy and Dick raised 3 children, one of whom she now lives with in Greenville after her husband’s death.  She remains close to her 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.  Today, aside from her interest in local issues, she is active in the Plumas County League of Women Voters and belongs to a local book club and  writer’s group who are encouraging her to complete her memoir. She also writes the “Aging in Place” column for this magazine.

When asked how she has stayed so lively right into her 90′s, Nancy replied that she hates fried foods, eats lots of fruit and vegetables, has always been a walker and keeps her brain strong through reading well written fiction and non-fiction.  She also comes from a family with great longevity!  Be sure and watch for her articles in Aging in Place in future issues of this magazine.

Nancy Lund

Nancy Lund

Nancy Lund at home in Greenville

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admin | Mountain Valley Living Magazine

August 7th and 8th mark the dates for the 40th anniversary of the Lake Almanor Art Show on the cool, shady Collin’s Pine lawn at 500 Main Street in Chester, CA.  One of the best and most respected art shows in the Lake Almanor Basin, it takes place from 10 am-5 pm on Saturday and 10 am-4 pm on Sunday.

This show features fine arts and crafts from artists in Northern California, Oregon, Nevada, and Idaho with many different and unusual offerings only found at this show.  The high quality and unique arts and crafts of this juried show are available in all price ranges.

Shaded by tall pines, the layout is spacious and comfortable, offering green grass or tables for sitting, music by local artists, great food for lunches and snacks, and an easy-going atmosphere for strolling, art appreciation and purchasing from your favorite artists.

Sponsored by the non-profit Plumas Arts, there is no charge for this event and your patronage supports local art programs as well as the fine artists and their extraordinary work.  For more information contact Plumas Arts at (530) 283-3402 or go to www.plumasarts.org.

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Betty Bishop at B & B Backroom Co-op Gallery

by Jan Cox

Betty Bishop is well known in the Lake Almanor area for her many and varied photographs of the area.  From the Olsen barn in Chester, to local musicians, old buildings, doors and door knobs, hands at work, dogs, or her own beautiful flower garden, she loves to photograph it all.

She always has her cameras with her as she walks or drives through the Lake Almanor area. You never know when the right picture will present itself, Bishop tells me. Living in Chester across the street from the Olsen barn, she has many opportunities to capture it on film during various weather conditions or lighting.

Betty began photographing in 2000 when she bought her first Nikon N80 and now owns two.  One always has black and white film and the other color. Using black and white film has allowed her to become much more aware of light, shadow, and composition in her photographs and in turn makes her a better color photographer.

She suggests that when purchasing a photograph, it should elicit some kind of emotional reaction in the viewer. The same goes for the photographer, taking a picture. She reminds us that the camera doesn’t see what a person sees.  So it is necessary when taking a shot that one move around the subject to find the best angle, the best lighting, the best background.

Photography is a creative outlet for Bishop that lasts beyond the moment.  To improve on her passion for photography, Betty spends time looking at  photographs on the computer or in art shows.  She belongs to Plumas Arts and Feather River Fine Arts Association; organizations that make art possible in the community and help expand the world of art opportunities.

You can find her photographs at B & B Backroom Co-op Gallery, Good Vibrations, and Blue Goose Gallery or in her own office at Builder’s Supply in Chester.  In August you may catch her at the Lake Almanor Art Show on the Collin’s Pine lawn. In September and October, she will be exhibiting at the Plumas County Museum in Quincy.

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