Art View
By Jim Christiansen
The Winter Gift buying season is upon us. I hope you will consider getting “Original Art”. I have Art in the Mistlin Gallery CCAA members Home for the Holiday Show. This year, the show has a price range low to high, in various styles, all by local artists. The art is for sale, available to take home upon purchase. Check in at the docent desk for payment options and details. The docent desk is also where artists sign up for shows, classes, or get information. Have patience, the docents are volunteer members of the CCAA. More holiday art options across the downtown Art Walk landscape include: Chartreuse Muse, Peer Recovery Art Project, Modspot, Crow Trading, The Artists Loft at Slaters, Carolyn Huff Gallery, and more.
A reminder, the Stanislaus Artists Open Studio Artist registration ends January 15. The steering committee took a trip to Turlock’s Second Thursday Art Around Town, stopping at Carnegie Arts Center to marvel at the Mucha exhibition and companion shows that run into mid-January. We also checked out the upstairs theater, lecture hall, now also used for their Music Series. Hot Club Faux Gitane will perform there December 8. We stopped at the Main Street Gallery and Building Imagination Center. Very Impressed with the printmaking demo by CSUS Student art club, and displays inside. Students have an additional art stop downtown, where they shared portfolios with us. We visited First Street Gallery and Frame Shop, and caught the current displays, and over 50 artists Miniature Show that runs to December 19. My first time to this Turlock Art Event. Interaction with the Stan State Students was part of our Open Studio Tour objective, working out ways to get more artists, art programs and venues onto our Open Studio event map. www.stanislausaos.wordpress.com
I was late to the November Downtown Art Walk, so here’s a note on what I missed. Trevino’s Barber Shop had lamps and sidewalk display, pretty well attended. Jennifer and I ran into MJC Art Club students at various stops. Preservation Coffee had colorful show I could see from across the street. PRAP and ModStop looked stocked for Mod Shop. We got to Still Smoking Late, but I saw the photos of Gerardo Alatorre at work on new body painting demo. I did get to meet Vern Fergel, and his colorful watercolors at Carolynn Huff Gallery at 13th and K. Vern is a retired architect and I believe featured all month. Art Walk Is December 17 this month.
Art at work in the community: the Art Scholars, Youth at Risk program conducted at Mistlin Gallery. Artist referrals end this month, and the classes of this program helping 7th to 12th grade students, will start up its new session in January, with exhibition in April. For information, contact Henrietta Sparkman or Betty Jean Reynolds through Mistlin Gallery.
If interested in Figure Drawing, the Mistlin Gallery hosts life drawing sessions on a weekly basis, in two hour sessions with live model, 7 to 9 pm. Most recent one I attended had 22 artists. . This is a weekly offering we hope to continue into the New Year. Walk in attendance, and $10 fee, bring your own materials. The Barking Dog Hallway and Bathroom galleries now up to 78 sketches on the walls, and growing. Most are mine, but include 4 by Chris Murphy of the music events that go on at Barking Dog. This column started in November, 2007, so this is the first Art View to continue the string since my writing anniversary. CHEERS.
Publishers Note: Jim is a treasure to Modesto and his art and vision are so very much appreciated. Thank you Jim for all you do to make art part of our daily culture. – Chris Murphy
Caption: Artist Vern Fergel at Carolyn Huff Gallery
