About me
MY STORY
Lake Almanor Life was created in 2001 by local artist and graphic designer Heather Greene Upton. She was born and raised in the Chester/Lake Almanor area and has always been inspired by our beautiful surroundings.
Heather discovered she was an artist in the 4th grade. Her high school years offered more opportunities for art classes. She worked at the local art gallery, Northwoods Gallery throughout high school.
Heather moved to Southern California on a full ride scholarship to pursue a graphic design degree and land a job. She graduated with honors and became a graphic designer for an advertising firm. Not inspired by urban life, she returned home to be influenced and surrounded again by nature.
She opened an art gallery, The Greene Gallery on the peninsula where she displayed her art, as well as featured other local artists. She also utilized the space to create graphic identities for local businesses. With the fall of the economy in 2008 she closed the gallery and became a teacher at her former high school where she taught commercial art classes, yearbook and photography classes.
After several years, she left her teaching job to start a family. With her children now in school, she started creating t-shirt designs from home. Heather and her friend Sara would attend the local farmer's markets and other events to sell her shirts. Then Heather's husband bought a large commercial building in Chester for their electrical business and created a space in the front of the building for her to have a real "Brick and Mortar" storefront. You can find all of these products and more at 125 Myrtle Street in Chester.
All of my products are inspired & created within our area. Lake Almanor Life.