Roxanne Valladao
by Jan Cox
It was a real pleasure to visit with Roxanne Valladao, Executive Director of Plumas Arts at the gallery in Quincy, CA. Having worked for Plumas Arts for 25 of its 30 year existence, she has definitely been a prime mover in the establishment of the arts in Plumas County. Valladao considers Plumas Arts to be her main creative work. This association supports arts in all areas of the county, often in partnership with other groups such as schools, tourism, and community functions. She sees this organization as fueling the energy needed to redefine Plumas County through arts, culture and community.
An artist herself, she has been a photographer since the mid 70’s, working with black and white darkroom techniques. She continues to teach these techniques at Feather River College and will be offering a fall class. Roxanne claims she couldn’t draw and so took up photography using infrared and manipulation of the photos creating an archival art form. Her joy is using her artist’s eye to photograph people in a way that shows the true depths of the person.
In this digital age, she too has taken up this newer form of photography and calls herself a “point and shoot photographer with dark room experience and a good eye.” Last year she and Keith Linford presented a show she considered much fun, creating predominantly altered digital images. To Roxanne, photography has never been done to make a living. Instead she enjoys it as a creative process and does it all, from taking the photograph, cutting the mats, to framing the picture.
Valladao rejoices in the fact that “the arts are finally validated for their quality of life enhancement.” She continues, “The arts build better human souls and lots of good things come from that. That’s why so many work so hard for so little because it is soul building. The arts bring people together and people are engaged for the right reasons.”
Stop in to visit the Plumas Arts Gallery and Roxanne Valladao in Quincy at 372 Main St. The Plumas Arts Gallery is open Wed. – Fri. from 11am to 5 pm. Or go on-line to www.plumasarts.org for more information. Also check out their yearly arts calendar with both writings and black and white pictures from local artists along with important community dates to remember.
Plumas Arts Gallery Wall
