Beloved artist, teacher, and mother

Joanna Gray, a gifted artist, dedicated teacher, and loving mother, died last weekend. Her life was one of creativity, quirky humor, and unwavering passion for teaching and love for her family. She made art till the day she died.

Joanna’s artistic journey began early. With a natural talent for capturing beauty in unexpected places, she pursued her passion through University of Wisconsin and earned her MFA through Claremont Graduate School (now Claremont Graduate University). She taught at El Roble Intermediate and Claremont High School for more than 30 years. “Her artwork found its way into galleries, local exhibits, and the homes of those fortunate enough to know her,” her family shared. “Beyond her artistry, Joanna was a devoted teacher who inspired countless students throughout her career.”

At El Roble she created a controversial yearbook that did not include a cover but instead was comprised of loose pages of students’ pictures, the years’ experience expressed in poetry and bumper stickers, all contained inside a plastic folder. At Claremont High she taught art and photography and initiated building a photography studio complete with a film development lab.

These photos by Joanna Gray were taken at Claremont High School in 1970.

Her art assignments included fully painting her 1967 Datsun pickup truck in vibrant graffiti art. She had students create oversized artworks that filled the art quad. “She was ahead of her time and had them paint shoes,” her family said. “Once she hung large pieces of machine parts on the tree outside her classroom, and the janitors asked to have them returned. Unbeknownst to her, they were parts of their cleaning equipment. One of the most memorable pieces was a series of pictures, comprised of props that included a briefcase, tie and hat fully covered in shelled peanuts, and she photographed well-dressed male with these pieces in a setting as if he was waiting for a plane at Ontario Airport. She loved making unconventional art that stretched the imagination.”

Many of her students went on to a life in the arts. Whether in the classroom or making art at home, she encouraged others to embrace their creativity. “Her dedication and humor left a lasting impact on generations of learners,” her family said. You may see some of her work around Claremont, as she had created many of the banners hanging downtown Claremont you see installed every spring. She donated some of her larger works to Claremont Graduate University,  with the hope that it will live on in art showings to come.

She is survived by her children, Pamela Jo Palmer, Dianna Gray; sister, Penny Credille; granddaughter Joy Cotton; son-in-law Cory Cotton; and great grandchildren Alexis and Hailey.

A celebration of her life and work will be held this summer.

“Joanna’s vibrant spirit and creative heart will be profoundly missed, yet her light will live on in the lives she touched,” her family said.