Peninsula Arts Council Honors San Mateo Credit Union

’s Cynthia Held received the Donor Support Diamond Award during the Peninsula Arts Council's 9th Annual Diamond Awards event.

For nearly six decades, the Credit Union has supported the arts in San Mateo County by sponsoring the Police Athletic League Blues Festival, the Mexico Bi-Centennial Celebration and other events. The San Mateo Credit Union also awards college scholarships to arts students.

The event is held to celebrate county artists, musicians, and sculptors who achieved artistic excellence in 2010.  The Council is a nonprofit organization that promotes a variety of artistic endeavors in San Mateo County.

Late last month, as the winners, presenters, members and guests entered the event, they were offered hors d’oeuvres and tempting chocolate desserts. 

The soft guitar sounds of Ellen Silva, mural artist and PAC member, blended with Mimi Hills on bass to quietly serenade everyone as they wandered among the tables of silent auction offerings. Included in the many auction items were themed baskets filled with enticing gifts, local restaurant offerings and get-away destination packages to nearby locations.

Julie Fellers, Peninsula Arts Council President, was very pleased with the turnout this year.  “This is wonderful. We may even need to find a new venue for next year,” she said jokingly from the podium as she surveyed the near capacity room. 

During the Diamond Awards ceremony, Fellers introduced this year’s honorary chair, Redwood City resident Kory Heinzen, who was the art director of the Dreamworks films Shrek, Madagascar and MegaMind. In his remarks, he spoke about the importance of art enrichment in the lives of the residents of San Mateo County and the need for diverse artistic experiences for Silicon Valley adults and children alike. 

First among the ten awards that were given at the ceremony this year was the Ray Lorenzato Young Artist award, given to singer and Menlo-Atherton High School sophomore Janna Scandalios. She has been singing since the age of 10, she said, and counts Ella Fitzgerald, Sara Vaughan and Michael Buble as some of her favorite singers.

The Council gave its Government Support of San Mateo County arts award to  Redwood City Park, Recreation and Community Services. The Special Recognition Diamond Award went to Ercie Santos, a South San Francisco Cultural Arts Specialist. Other awards went to arts educator Ehud Krauss Djerassi, resident artist Dennis O’Leary; sculptor Albert Guibara, arts volunteer Anneke Gaensien, and local business arts supporter Lisa Forte.