GRANITE BAY, Calif. –SAFE Credit Union said it investing in the futures of emerging area art students by displaying their work at its newest branch in Granite Bay.
Through a partnership between the credit union and Sierra College, the branch will regularly rotate the work of featured artists in the branch’s Financial Freedom Hub community room.
“We are so excited to provide a space for budding area artists to showcase their talents and hard work,” says SAFE Credit Union Chief Operating Officer Tiffani Vargas. “Supporting and celebrating our community is at the heart of who SAFE Credit Union is, and we are proud to provide local artists with a place to share their work. Featuring artwork by Sierra College students is a meaningful way for SAFE to shine a light on their talent.”
The first installment of works now featured at the branch are several tactile works by Sierra College art student Laura Brush of Grass Valley.
Brush’s series “Homecoming,” featuring seven 2D mixed textiles, celebrates things made by hand in the “age of AI,” she says.
“It’s nice they are taking the time and investing into the students and helping to get us and our work out into the world a little more,” Brush says, whose work was featured in the college’s annual art Hallberg Merit Award Exhibition in 2025 as an award recipient.
Sierra College Associate Dean of Liberal Arts Maria Villaseñor shared her endorsement for the partnership.
“Opportunities like this give our students the chance to take their work beyond the classroom and engage with the broader community,” says Villaseñor. “We appreciate SAFE Credit Union creating a space where our students can share their creativity, gain experience exhibiting their work and see themselves as part of the region’s creative community.”
Brush said that helping with the installation, measuring and finding the “middle line” of the gallery space further enhanced her art education.
“Art should be on display in relation to where viewers are standing,” she says she learned and applied in the branch space. “We need to be aware of what they will see when they first come into the room.”
Granite Bay Branch Manager Marcus Webb says members are taking notice of Brush’s work.
“Members appreciate seeing local talent showcased in our branch,” Webb says. “They love the aesthetic it provides and comment on how cool it is to have collaborated with Sierra College.”
SAFE plans to feature the work by two Sierra College student photographers in the space next.
