This spring, at Plumas Bank’s Chico branch, the walls tell a serene story about Northern California. Sunlit creeks wind through watercolor landscapes, riverbanks glow with shifting light, and quiet moments from the natural world unfold across the bank’s interior.
The paintings — created by local artist Lenn Goldmann — are on display through May 2025 as part of the bank’s partnership with the Museum of Northern California Art (monca).
“We’re very excited to have Lenn Goldmann’s work at our location,” said Ian Macmillan, branch manager at Plumas Bank in Chico. “His paintings allow guests a chance to pause and enjoy their visit. They show the natural beauty of our area and bring both energy and calm to the space.”
The Inspiration
Goldmann has spent decades painting California landscapes, from the rugged coastline of Big Sur to the rolling hills of the Inland Valley and the peaks of the High Sierra. The collection currently displayed at Plumas Bank focuses on the waterways that shape Northern California — landscapes defined by movement and atmosphere.
“For me, nature is my outdoor church,” Goldmann says. “I want to express the forces of nature, the energy of sunlight, wind through trees, and the power of water shaping the land.”
The Process
He starts his work in the field, sketching and painting directly from nature. He then returns to the studio to refine the composition, drawing from both observation and memory to capture the feeling of a place rather than simply its appearance.
That process gives his paintings their distinctive sense of motion and energy. Working with Chinese calligraphy brushes on French Arches watercolor paper, Goldmann uses loose, expressive strokes that allow water, color, and light to interact naturally on the page. The motion technique mirrors the very subjects he paints — flowing water, shifting clouds, wind moving through trees.
The Artist
Goldmann’s background in art, architecture, and design also shapes how his paintings are presented. He graduated with an art degree from Chico State University in the 1970s, and shortly after, began to design houses. He became known for his nature-friendly homes with water features.
But throughout his career, he has continually evolved his approach to art. He developed a unique framing method in recent years that mounts watercolor paper to plywood and seals the surface without glass. The result offers a clean, contemporary presentation that fits comfortably in modern interiors while allowing viewers to see the texture and detail of the watercolor surface.
Visit the Pop-Up Exhibition
To view Lenn’s work, community members can stop by Plumas Bank at 900 Mangrove Avenue, 9AM to 5PM any weekday the bank is open. Also on permanent display are fine art landscape prints on metal by Paradise artist Jeremy Vesely and Plumas Bank’s featured outdoor mural by Chico artist Dylan Tellesen.
About Plumas Bank
Plumas Bank is a locally managed, award-winning community bank founded in 1980 and headquartered in Quincy, California. It is a subsidiary of Plumas Bancorp (NASDAQ: PLBC), a bank holding company headquartered in Reno, Nevada. With 15 branch offices serving Northeastern California and Northern Nevada, and loan production offices in California and southern Oregon, Plumas Bank offers a wide range of financial services to consumers and businesses and is a Preferred Lender with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. For more information regarding Plumas Bank, visit plumasbank.com.
