ArtView: New Beginnings
By Jim Christiansen
New beginnings and Auld Lang Syne. 2022 is here, but first, wrap up old business from 2021. Iconic venue Barkin Dog Grill has hosted its last art on the walls with the announced closing in December. Hanibal Yadegar has been a stalwart supporter of the arts in downtown Modesto for 17 years. Barkin Dog will be sorely missed for the music, poetry, art and photography, community events as much as the loss of great milkshakes, variety of hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches.
Home away from home for the Ernie Bucio band, long time spot for Blue Monday jam, MOST Poetry 2nd Tuesday nights. I did a lot of sharpie drawings and sketches of staff, players, bands, and patrons, that we began to hang on the walls in the hallway, bathrooms finally peeking out into the main room as we turned the corner over the drinking fountain. Chris Murphy, Mark Navarro, Sarah Machado among the other sharpie artists.
Hanibal had a slew of drawings by young patrons decorating the walls of his office. Many artists hung on the special art display panels over the years, along with the collection of concert photographs, special photo collection of music greats and the Adrian Mendoza photo tapestry. An art walk spot for many years with a featured artist, dinner and music. Barkin Dog Grill closing is our Auld Lang Syne nostalgia note for ArtView.
January 15 is the final deadline for the 2022 Stanislaus Artist Open Studio weekend. April 23 and 24 are the new Open Studio visiting dates. Return to the Spring Schedule will be FREE admission, with printed maps and online maps available in March for route planning. Stanislaus Artist Open Studio is open to local Stanislaus County Artists with a completed application form, $75 entry fee. Contact to request more information is openstudio.stanislaus@gmail.com
The first show for Mistlin Gallery is “Abstracts, Impressions and Fantasy.” This is a Central California Art Association member show, with juried entries, and some prizes to be awarded for Third Thursday Art Walk, including a People’s Choice award. I was surprised to get in five out of five entries into the show, which is an open category, so should be an interesting display of anything but realism on the walls.
The Third Thursday Art Walk is January 20, 5 to 8 pm. In addition to Mistlin Gallery, Chartreuse Muse, Dragonfly Art for Life, The Farmacy, State Theatre, on tap. I believe Café Deva. It is that time of year where it is sometimes too cold for the sidewalk displays, but you may see them in the area of Tresetti’s and Preservation Coffee. Beads of Contentment, Intrinsic Elements, Papachino’s and Picasso’s Gourmet Deli and Gallery also good stops when in the art blocks downtown. During December Art Walk, I found the trio of Gary Nelson, Patty Castillo-Davis and Steve Ashman playing on stage for Music Night at Peer Recovery Art Project and they will be back again in January. Third Thursday, good to visit downtown, see what the venues doing.
Lorraine Nilson photography iso n display January and February at the Kruse-Lucas Gallery on Tully. Modesto Junior College new semester will include shows in the East Campus Art Gallery, and the parking lot mural display adjoining the Grange Company, and on outside walls of the Art Department, always available to get an art fix in the new year.
