Claudia Willis
(Last modified on July 2, 2006)
In September of 2003, Claudia began her first year as a teacher, teaching art two days per week at All Saints' Catholic Elementary in Hayward. After that first year, she decided to, instead, teach private students in Livermore, as well as a few art classes through the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District. She is thoroughly enjoying the experience.
Claudia was formerly in charge of religious education at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, in Livermore, and in June of 1999, she finished up her degree in art from California State University. For the past few years, she has consistently had various art pieces accepted into student shows at Cal State, and she has won numerous juried awards, including ones from the Hayward Art Council and the Northern California Watercolor Association, as well as from the University. She has also been commissioned to do a series of bronze pieces for St. Andre's Home in Maine. She was granted, in May of 1998, a $500 scholarship by the Cal State Art Department, one of only two such scholarships given.
As regards her work at St. Charles, the program of family catechesis she developed was recognized in 1997 as one of the best in the U.S., and St. Charles was thus one of five parishes in the country to be given the prestigious Mustard Seed Award. Claudia was presented that award at a national convention in early 1997 in Minneapolis.
In October of 1998, Claudia had a one-person art show (her senior project) at Cal State, Hayward. The theme of the show was breast cancer, and the response to the show was phenomenal. The Oakland Tribune ran a large article, with a picture, about the show, and the San Francisco Chronicle ran a picture.
She was born as Claudia Foltz on May 17, 1948 at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, Washington. She was the oldest of the eight Foltz children born to Lorraine and Leo Foltz, the others being Greg, Mike, Mo, Megan, Kik, Colleen, and Richard.
Her high school years were spent at St. Mary's Academy in Portland, and she attended two years at Gonzaga University in Spokane before marrying Jim Willis on August 24, 1968 at the Jesuit Retreat House chapel in Portland.
Claudia and Jim have lived in Livermore, California since 1968 and have raised their five children there.
Her e-mail address is: claudiawillis@comcast.net
