Art View
By Jim Christiansen
It is that love month, February. This year with an extended leap day along with Valentine’s Day. More time to express love for art and local artists. That love of art and artists and art events, main reason I write this column. After mourning losses last month with the year change, the closing of Tri-Chromatic Gallery, and moving on for the Shire Community I love the fact that both groups continuing pop-up events, concerts, shows and special events. Art is not tied to any one location. If we take a seeking art tour of Modesto, you find it all around town. Look for both on Facebook and Instagram and our Modesto View Calendar.
Stanislaus Artist Open Studio is FREE admission this year, free access to in print maps, and first time available online. If you see a free map, pick it up. Check it out. Keep it for reference to contact artists, visit studios and display locations, during Stanislaus Artist Open Studio weekend. Share with friends and plan your visit in advance. 64 local artists participating this year, with different media specialties, different work spaces. The adventure originated nine years ago with the Stanislaus County Travel and Tourism Roundtable to invite the public to meet the artists in our area, where they work and create, outside the usual gallery and formal display experience. Art lovers get to know us better, get to know our work and what goes into it. I hope to have my carport conversion to my art studio workspace finished a few months in advance, so it shows off new projects and old, with space for my fellow artist Richard J Bradshaw. There will be galleries and other venues making room for artists to participate, show you what venues in the know on our local art scene. Look for the maps by March 1, the Open Studio weekend is April 25 and 26. Invite friends to join the party, in town or out of area.
I love art education. One of the Art scenes I don’t cover enough are the galleries and resources, events at Stanislaus State and Modesto Junior College art departments. MJC has an ongoing change in student created murals, and dedicated Art Club and student shows in the East Campus gallery. Stanislaus State Art Department gallery just finished a show of Turlock Regional High School Student art, the up and coming artists. There are classes for students and adults at Chartreuse Muse, Mistlin Gallery, Carnegie Arts Center in Turlock, Modesto Conservatory of Music, Art and Theater on 10th Street, Dragonfly Art for Life on J. There are numerous paint nights going on for recreation, and for learning more. That includes a new spot in Riverbank that I will get more info on soon.
Modesto has location for easy access to pretty good art resources in the 209. Multicultural Center in Merced, to Haggin Museum in Stockton. A cadre of Modesto area Artists will be showing in the annual Tracy Art League Expressions show, or annual fine art show at Delicato Winery in Manteca.
February in recent years has ben FOTO Modesto, our 209 love of photographers and photography. I love that beginning February 4, Adrian Mendoza will have a retrospective 45 years show of his works on display at Mistlin Gallery through February 28 with a special conversation with Adrian on the 13th.
If you have art event or show information, email Modesto View to get on the calendar events@modestoview.com<mailto:events@modestoview.com> or drop me a line at jdc104@yahoo.com<mailto:jdc104@yahoo.com>
