Our Story
Once upon a time, there was a store called the Penny Ranch. For nearly 50 years, it was run by John Kranz and his wife, Judy. At the Penny Ranch, you could buy or sell coins, stamps, jewelry, and various collectibles. With its distinctive signage and location, it became somewhat of a Chico landmark and was one of the last dedicated coin stores in this area of the state. As John grew older and his health began to decline, business hours grew shorter and more limited until the store eventually closed permanently in 2020.
Now John and Judy's grandchild, Julian Lacombe, is excited to bring life back to the space in a new form. The revived Penny Ranch Art Studio is a space for people of all ages to explore their creativity and learn new skills. We offer ongoing art classes, single-day workshops, community events, and more.
Meet Your Teacher: Julian Lacombe
Julian has always been a creative and a storyteller at heart, and dreamed of being a teacher from a young age. He received his M.A. in Education with a focus on Curriculum and Instruction from the University of the Pacific in 2017 and taught at a charter school in Stockton for two years, where he designed and pioneered a middle school fine arts program. From there, he voyaged to the Bay Area and taught art and animation classes for all ages at the Walt Disney Family Museum. Over the years, he has also taught after-school drawing classes for elementary students and taught art at a fine arts summer camp in El Dorado County.
In his personal art, Julian draws inspiration from themes of fantasy and nature. He primarily works in mixed media using paper, clay, and various objects and adornments. On occasion, he also dabbles in digital art. You can often find him vending at artisan markets around Chico and Northern California under the name of Moonshadow Makers Workshop.