Art View
By Jim Christiansen
May Day, May Day. As I write this column, I’m still in the midst of clearing out my studio for Stanislaus Artist Open Studio. I have quite a bit of framed and unframed art, and the studio is ready for visitors by appointment. If you missed Open Studio weekend, you can come by and maybe take some of these paintings and sketches off my hands! (537 Bodem Street, 209-241-7130.)
Stanislaus Artist Open Studio Tour isn’t quite finished until this month, when we pick the five winners for the $200 gift certificates to spend with the participating artists. The drawing will happen the first week of May. We’d like to thank our sponsors, including ModestoView, NASCO Arts, Gallo Center and others for their support, and the 66 artists who exhibited their work and opened the doors to their homes and studios to show not only what they do, but where they do it, and the tools and resources it takes to create art in our community. Thank you, visitors!
The Central California Artist Showcase runs til May 8 at Carnegie Arts Center and Mistlin Gallery. Best of Show was Anne Pinkowski, with her strapped, neon and found objects. The show exhibits 72 artists from central valley, foothills and bay area communities. The exhibition is a cooperative show of the Mistlin Gallery and Carnegie Arts Center. To see the entire showcase, visit both galleries. I have one painting in the showcase, “Sew What-Not a Stitch” at the Mistlin Gallery. All works in the show are for sale, and commissions on completed sales benefit the two nonprofit galleries.
Last month I was invited to show some art at Hinkley Optometric, 1009 Sixteenth Street, in downtown Modesto. You can see it if you hurry, during business hours, and meet their very friendly and art supportive staff. The 23 paintings, drawings and printmaking, cover pretty much the range of what I do, and received good comments during their opening and trunk show during April Art Walk.
New murals keep going up in Modesto. The Mural on 15th is finished with its agricultural theme, and a new one going up on McHenry backing Sonic Drive-In. Ed Cesena has work up at Barkin Dog Grill, David Bienkowski has paintings up at Tokyo Express, and Jen Coffey has work up at 13th and J as well as her display at DEVA. I got to see most of the work Eva Hass had up at Crow Trading through April 25th. Maggie Camps has paintings up at Chartreuse Muse, and Tammy Jo Schoppet has her ceramics there. Mistlin has their Spring Members Show following the showcase.
May 30 and 31, I have music, art and blueberries to enjoy at the Riverdance Farms Pick and Gather festival in Livingston. I have a lot of signs to create to help you find us, but we have Art, and friends like Poorhouse Millionaires, Faux Renwah, Red Pony, Victoria Boyington and Silly String Band, Boulder Creek Bluegrass Band, Cottonwood Creek, and much more as we do the 11th year on the Merced River at 12240 Livingston-Cressey Road. Great all-ages family event.
More info on that, including tickets and activities listing, see www.riverdancefarms.com. The exhibition includes pieces by 72 artists from throughout the greater Central California region including Turlock, Modesto, Altaville, Ceres, Copperopolis, Coulterville, Cressey, Fairfax, Groveland, La Grange, Livermore, Mariposa, Merced, Oakdale, Oakland, Ripon, Sacramento, San Andreas, San Francisco, San Leandro, Tracy, Valley Springs, and Woodside.
