Sow There!

As a reporter, I have more insight into the talent in our local community because I’m a destination point for people telling me about it.

I was at a gathering this weekend for Craig Blamer to celebrate his going-away to an adventure that would begin in Spain and end in places unknown.

When I was in college Blamer was the editorial cartoonist when I was the editorial editor at the Orion, Chico State University’s school newspaper. I felt honored to “inherit� him from the previous editorial editor. I would prattle out some mush for which I was passionate about at age 21. He would come down to the basement of the school newspaper 45 minutes before we frenetically drove the paper to Gridley for printing. He would scan the editorial, often wearing sunglasses and black leather, then come up with a biting editorial cartoon that summed up my naive words.

At the same party this weekend was Scott Teeple, an accomplished mural artist whose artwork is prominent around town.

I was chatting with a gal named Chris, who I had met over the years. Chris just recently had an art display at Monk’s. At the same party was Brad Moniz, who has been in Hollywood films and three talented actresses who grace the stage of the Blue Room Theatre.

I don’t mean this introduction as name-dropping. The conversation I had with Chris was revealing because we, meaning Chicoans, don’t always realize or appreciate how many incredibly talented people who we have passing by us in grocery store lines and at local events like concerts in the park.

For whatever reasons, this area attracts and retains incredibly talented people who choose to stay here and churn out their creative passion. For the most part, they’re not the sort of people lured by the hope of earning a three-figure salary or moving up in the corporate world. They stay here.

It’s not glamorous. They complain about how many of our friends qualify for the PG&E CARE discount and lament that they drive nearly vintage cars. But for whatever reasons, they’re here year-after-year.

Many of the people I know who are highly creative and motivated wear three hats — working at several jobs and spreading their creative energy like fairy dust.

With a relatively small community, perhaps it is easier to see these people — and appreciate them. They’re accessible.

You don’t have to go to some frou-frou art reception you heard about through a gold-embossed invitation sent by some snooty woman who bases her invitations on your most recent contribution to the museum.

You can walk down the street and think “cool, James Snidel gallery is having a reception tonight,� I think I’ll check that out.

The artists will be there at the local art reception, in blue jeans, and won’t get offended that you don’t have your Master’s in Fine Arts.

Then we have others, who are go-getters in other ways and add value to all of our lives, without needing encouragement nor grandiose acknowledgment.

I’m thinking of Teresa Oliver, who runs Little Red Hen Nursery on Ninth Street and Wall. All profit from the thriving nursery goes towards children and adults with disabilities. The energy she puts out for her cause is inspiring.

Then there’s Jennifer Oman, who works for the Chico Urban Streams Alliance Clean Creeks Project. She’s tireless in getting out the message that the gunk people mindlessly allow to go into the gutters ends up in Chico Creeks. Thanks to her efforts, and all of the partners involved, people are starting to be more conscious about a toss of a cigarette butt or dumping warm Big Gulp sodas onto the street.

Also — off the top of my head — is Debra Lucero, Butte County Tourism director. Her professionalism and perseverance could easily earn her big bucks in a town where big hair is more important than helping the community.

I don’t mean to make this a big group hug for a few people I have met through the course of working at the paper.

The point is, there are many, many people like this in town.

And we should be proud of that and feel blessed.

Readers who know of others working hard in our community and making a contribution, please share them with us with your comments. Maybe this will turn into a neat tribute article we could share with subscribers to the paper.