Art View: Honoring the Artists
By Jim Christiansen
Brad Hawn is the “Best of Show” winner of the Mistlin Gallery/ Central California Art Association Autumn Art Festival 2021. His watercolor painting “Home Stretch” is on display at the gallery, along with the other award winners, including his wife Nancy Hawn, first prize in Oil Painting division through October 8. Virginia White won first prize in water media, Tammy Jo Schoppet in 3-dimensional works, Anna Barber in Graphic works, and Marilyn Zinner in mixed media category. Join all the winners and the award ceremonies at the Awards Gala and Fundraiser September 25. Gala includes music, silent auction items, banquet and raffle. Tickets available in advance from the Mistlin Gallery, or at the door. This is an Annual Fundraising event for the Central California Art Association.
Dan Petersen, one of most influential artists and instructors in the 209 died recently. Many local artists took his classes at MJC and cite him as a major influence of their own Art. I most often ran across Dan in the many art shows we entered. Dan often with a “Best of show” watercolor. I never took a class from Dan, but had many conversations over the years, and helped him with his retrospective shows after his retirement from the Modesto Junior College Art Department Faculty. Ever the art enthusiast, Dan will be missed.
Mary Scheinuck was one of Dan Petersen’s students with honors, and colleague at MJC as Art Department Faculty. Mary has her own local exhibition this month at the Kruse-Lucas Gallery on Tully Road. Mary is an instructor at Modesto Junior College and past Gallery Director. Her works in oil, pastel, watercolors, acrylic and mixed media span themes of beauty and abstract filled with color, to statements about the world we live in. She currently works out of her home studio in Manteca.
Maps for the Stanislaus Artist Open Studio 2021 go to print September 1 and should be available mid-month to plan your excursion around the county to visit artist studios. Open Studio weekend is October 16 and 17. For me this is as good a birthday party as I can have. Each artist has their own style, and may host demos, with art for sale. Maps include the studio site, directions, sample photo of type of art each artist produces, and brief description. Some studios will host more than one artist. There is a planned online link for maps, and both are FREE. I will post that link in October column.
Third Thursday Art Walk continues September 16. Look for the yellow balloons. At present the gallery stops are The Dragonfly Art for Life, Preservation Coffee, Mistlin Gallery and Chartreuse Muse. New venues and opportunities for artists in process of being expanded as we go into the Fall planning for Art Walk in 2022. Artists interested in joining future art walk or seeking information how to be part of it, use the contact form on www.modestoartwalk.com
My art replaces Jeff Moore at Barkin Dog Grill this month. I have two works in the Mistlin Gallery Art Festival, in the main gallery and to right of the gallery entrance. One is a classic Coffee Cat, the other an abstract Acrylic painting of a Parasol in Red. In both locations, the art is available to purchase. Back to school class offerings at the 3 Art Walk mentioned galleries, so check in with them for schedules.
