This spring, Naomi Roberts will graduate from Clatsop Community College with an Associate of General Studies degree, completing a chapter that began with a few art classes and grew into a renewed commitment to higher education. Along the way, she balanced work, recovered from health challenges, and discovered a path toward a future career helping others through art therapy.
For Roberts, returning to college was not part of a carefully planned roadmap. At 47, Roberts has lived in cities across the country, from New York and Seattle to San Francisco and Phoenix. After years of travel and a serious accident that left her recovering from multiple injuries, she returned to the Oregon Coast and made a decision that would change the direction of her life: she went back to school. Â “I was tired of moving,” Roberts said. “I came back and I started with painting classes, then I just started taking more classes and more classes. Eventually I thought, ‘Well, I may as well get the degree.'”
Art has been a part of Roberts’ life for as long as she can remember. Growing up in Joseph, Oregon, she was surrounded by artists and galleries through her mother’s work in bronze foundries and art galleries. “I think I found my passion for art when I was about five years old,” she said. “My mom’s an artist, so I’ve always been around it.”
Over the course of her studies, Roberts immersed herself in nearly every art class offered at CCC, including drawing, design, painting, photography, ceramics, and art history. While painting had long been her preferred medium, ceramics is a new area she has loved learning. “I had never done ceramics before coming to CCC,” Roberts said. “I wanted to be able to jump on the wheel and make things, so I just kept doing it until I got it.”
According to Art Department faculty Kristin Shauck, Roberts’ willingness to explore multiple disciplines played an important role in her artistic progression. “Naomi’s growth over her time at CCC has been impressive,” said Shauck. “She has taken virtually every art class we offer from drawing and design to painting, ceramics, and photography, and has excelled in each area. What stands out most is not only her technical improvement, but the way her work has become increasingly confident, ambitious, and personal. She’s become more willing to take risks, to revise, and to push beyond what is comfortable.”
Shauck said Roberts arrived with a natural artistic instinct and enthusiasm, but developed a much deeper understanding of composition, color, and form through her coursework. Because of Roberts’ commitment and growth, she was honored as a recipient of the 2026 Art Departmental Award and was recognized at the CCC Student Awards Night on June 4th.
Balancing school with work and life was not always easy. Roberts often spent long days between her job in Seaside and hours on campus in class and working on projects. “It was a lot of focusing and managing my time,” she said.
One of her biggest academic hurdles came meeting the general requirements to earn a degree: mathematics. “Math was definitely my biggest challenge,” Roberts said with a laugh. “I finished the final requirements with five minutes to spare before the deadline.”
Rather than letting the challenge discourage her, she leaned into the work and found ways to connect it to her interests. For a final project, she explored the relationship between art and mathematics through the development of linear perspective. “I actually ended up really enjoying doing the math presentation,” she said. “I learned that artists developed ideas that later became mathematical concepts.”
Throughout her journey, Roberts credits her support system for helping her succeed. “My dad has been a huge support,” she said. “Having a stable place to live made it possible to focus on school when I needed to.”
Roberts’ experience reflects the opportunities available to students pursuing visual arts at Clatsop Community College. While CCC does not offer a standalone two-year art degree, students can pursue an art concentration through the Associate of General Studies pathway while preparing to transfer to four-year institutions.
“CCC provides a clear two-year pathway for students who want to pursue art as a concentration,” said Shauck. “Students complete a strong foundation in drawing, painting, design, ceramics, printmaking, photography, and art history while earning a transfer degree.”
The college has also established an articulation agreement with Pacific Northwest College of Art, allowing qualifying students to transfer as juniors and receive scholarship support. The same coursework can be aligned with many other studio art programs throughout the region.
Support from the Clatsop Community College Foundation, community partners, and the college itself has strengthened opportunities for art students like Roberts in recent years. Through support from the Roundhouse Foundation and the Clatsop Community College Foundation, more than $25,000 in supplies and equipment has been invested in the Art Department during the past year. The college also invested additional funding to purchase a second kiln and upgrade infrastructure supporting ceramics instruction.
Recent improvements include new kilns, upgraded plumbing and sink systems, environmental filtration equipment for ceramics, adjustable-height work tables that increase accessibility for students, expanded studio supplies, new Canon cameras for photography courses, and enhancements to gallery spaces where students can showcase their work to the community.
“In my 22 years teaching at CCC, I’ve experienced strong support for the arts from the college, the Foundation, and the broader Astoria community,” Shauck said. “Even during challenging budget times, CCC has continued to invest in the arts. Our students have access to excellent facilities, dedicated faculty, a state-of-the-art gallery, and meaningful pathways for students who want to seriously pursue the visual arts.”
This fall, Roberts will continue her education at Warner Pacific University, where she plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Human Relations through the university’s HyFlex program allowing her to stay in Astoria while earning her degree. Her long-term goal is to complete a master’s degree in art therapy and work with children. For Roberts, art is more than a creative outlet. It is a tool for healing, expression, and connection. “Art has helped me through some pretty traumatic experiences in my life,” Roberts said. “I want to be able to use that to help kids.”
As she prepares for graduation and the next chapter of her educational journey, Roberts encourages others who may be considering art classes or returning to school to simply take the first step. “Try painting, photography, ceramics, try everything,” she said. “Find out what you enjoy and have fun with it. Don’t do it because you think you have to get an art degree. Do it because you’re curious.”
Her advice is especially meaningful coming from someone who knows that educational journeys aren’t always linear. After attending art school briefly after high school, Roberts left before completing her studies. Years later, she returned with a clearer sense of purpose. “Sometimes you need life experience first,” she said.
Today, Roberts is proof that success can happen at any age and that persistence, creativity, and curiosity can open doors to new opportunities. Her story represents the power of education to transform lives, not only by preparing students for careers, but by helping them discover where their passions can lead.
