Art View
By Jim Christiansen
February, the short month long on photography as Foto Modesto takes over the Art Scene in Downtown Modesto, McHenry Village, MJC, in 25 venues, 25 special exhibits. This second annual celebration of photography and local photographers includes a special show of Treasured Lands, the nationally acclaimed exhibit by photographer QT Luong, the only photographer known to have made large format photos in all 59 National Parks. Treasured Lands will exhibit at the Mistlin Gallery. Luong will be at the Foto Modesto opening reception February 2 and for book signing and formal lecture February 11. Collision V, the collaboration of local Photographers and Poets will complete the Foto Modesto II show at Mistlin.
Downtown venues for Foto Modesto include Picasso’s Gourmet Deli, Barkin Dog Grill, Ralston’s Goat, Slater’s Home Furnishings, Crow Trading, Café Deva, Dewz, Concetta, Prospect Theater Project, Tri-Chromatic Gallery, Chartreuse Muse, Preservation Coffee. Gallo Center will feature the group of photographers behind Ken White’s Life and Times of Modesto February 9 to 28. Modesto Junior College East Campus Art Gallery, and West Campus Great Valley Museum are part of Foto, as are Sierra Vista Offices at 100 Poplar at Needham. McHenry Village venues are Candy’s Carefree Travel and Langlois Music Company. Featured photographers at press time are Bill Harris, David Schroeder, Edward Mendes, Jennifer Williams, Larry Lew, Dan Souza, Raymond Jabola, Greg Savage, Eric Bjerke, Peter Lee, Noah Wilson, Dennis Wister, Anna Barber, Gary Hunter, James Curl, Michael Mangano, Rebecca Harvey, Philip Johnson, Jeremy Center, Mark Peters, George McWilliams, John Wynn, Lorainne Nilson, Micha Burke, and Deby Tumrose. Find a Foto Modesto map or poster to match up photographers to venue.
Midmonth, February offers a busy week of Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras, Valentine’s Day and Third Thursday Art Walk, February 13, 14 and 15. Good month to get some original art or art jewelry early. Not all Art Walk venues are dedicated to Foto Modesto. Art Time and Sip Wine, Doubletree Hotel, Still Smoking, Stanislaus Family Justice Center, Tresetti’s, Carolyn Huff Photography and Gallery, all on the Art Walk map. Look for maps and this month’s theme at www.modestoartwalk.com or their facebook page. Speaking of Facebook Pages, I don’t usually cover them, but the Facebook Group Modesto Art Salon, which coordinated several art events, closed as a group this past month. For those artists in area seeking a FB group, Central Valley Artists, now seeking local artist members. Several others exist, and if you need to find current event postings, I try and keep Artists of Modesto facebook page up to date and of course, here at ModestoView.
Next month, Stanislaus Artist Open Studio Maps will go on sale, $10 each. 59 artists signed up for the April 7 and 8 weekend this year. For information on map sales, email is openstudio.stanislaus@gmail.com<mailto:openstudio.stanislaus@gmail.com> or check the Stanislaus Artist Open Studio facebook page. Favorite from January Art Walk, opening of the new mural at Commonwealth. Winter and Spring classes now taking students at Chartreuse Muse and Mistlin Gallery. Student Artists should check in on the Young at Art show coming up in March. www.ccaagallery.org for entry form link.
