Community Volunteer Awards
2023 Honoree
Marsha Mason
We Couldn’t Have Done it Without You
Marsha Mason
It is not uncommon to hear people marvel at the explosion of the arts in Rancho Cordova, and for good reason. Where ever you go in our city, you are likely to experience a bit of art – whether painted on the side of a utility box, as music heard wafting through a grocery store or enjoyed during a casual wander through the Mills Station Arts and Culture Center.
It’s true that the arts have continued to grow in Rancho Cordova in so many ways that it is easy to forget that it has been only 10 years since this spark was ignited, and how the wonderful Marsha Mason has guided it to success.
Marsha brought a background as a landscape architect with experience running large programs in the public sector to Rancho Cordova’s newborn arts movement back in 2012. She was CEO of Sites Pacific, Inc., a landscape architectural firm specializing in public works projects and visual impact assessments. She taught landscape architecture courses as a lecturer at U.C. Davis. Marsha served as President of the Sierra Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, was a founder of WalkSacramento.
Those skills all come together in 2012 as Marsha joined a small group of local artists to work with the Cordova Community Council to form what has become known as “Rancho Cordova Arts.” That year, the first City Hall exhibit launched with a fine art exhibit of local artists aptly named “Genesis.”
Most artists are content – and prefer -- to simply work on their art, but Marsha is not like most artists. Understanding the importance of having an organization of people committed to an artistic future, she rolled up her sleeves to accomplish less glamourous foundational tasks like creating a non-profit organization, developing a website, creating a newsletter and focusing artistic energy in the community to produce memorable art events.
She provided quiet vision and leadership in the development of individual artists as well, organizing events to help artists improve their artistic abilities, create an enduring supportive Rancho Cordova arts community, and even learn skills needed to take art from the kitchen table to commercial success.
Today, Rancho Cordova Arts is the backbone of a decade of quarterly art exhibits at Rancho Cordova City Hall, and the leading organization which breathes life into the activities of the Mills Station Arts and Culture Center. Indeed, it was the confidence inspired by Rancho Cordova Arts that led the City of Rancho Cordova’s creation of the MACC, which continues to uplift the community in a way only the arts can.
As they look to build an artistic future, Rancho Cordova Arts now raises $10,000 a year through their popular Micro Masterpieces Auction to purchase art supplies for local teachers who want to include art projects in the classroom… but don’t have the budget.
As is often true, one good thing has led to another, and the visual arts nurtured by Marsha and Rancho Cordova Arts, has attracted convenings here of other arts organizations including the Verge’s Open Studios and Placerville Art Associate’s National Mother Lode Show. Rancho Cordova Arts even helped inspire the formation of the Rancho Cordova River City Concert Band and Symphony d’Oro.
As the local arts movement turned 10 years old in 2022, theater arts were growing, and the City was putting finishing touches on a plan that will invest an astounding $150 million in the Mills Crossing Civic Center – a plan built around the arts.
We are truly through the looking glass now.
Marsha was joined in the early formation of Rancho Cordova arts support by other volunteers, including Linda Nunes, Ron Hall, Rick Sloan and others. Many have joined her over the years to create a list now too long to read.
But at the 10-year anniversary of the birth of Rancho Cordova Arts, it is a good time to pause and reflect on how quiet, competent, committed Marsha Mason got us here. No doubt about it, Marsha, We Could Not Have Done it Without You.
