Art View
By Jim Christiansen
Sometimes you need a road trip. Gives you new ideas, see new things, get out of the rut. My last column just finished before hopping a plane to Boston. I’d never been there before. I lucked into Arts week in Boston. Logged 8 hours at the Museum of Fine Art, looking at exhibits from the ancients, to antique musical instruments, World War I poster art, the Impressionists, acres of gallery on three levels. . I recommend the side trip by Ferry over to Provincetown on Cape Cod, historic and current artist enclave. Quite a few comedy clubs in the Boston area. My Open Mic tee shirt went over well. MAMA award winner Tara Tinsley also in Boston on similar paths. A place full of history, you get a look at both the old and the new. I got to Paul Revere’s house and the USS Constitution, and even day trip on Amtrak to Portland, Maine.
Best day for me, Downtown for the Annual Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival, three stages, international jazz acts, four long blocks of vendors and musicians, in six hours of FREE fun. Same day, I took the metro to Harvard Square and ran into the FREE New England Americana festival playing Rockabilly and acoustic blues, on toward midnight. Saw a lot of street artists there, and met some artists from the Out of the Blue Gallery, a block from my brother’s house with invitation to see their new gallery. Their space is a 6000 sq ft with gallery, performance art and music performing space, resident artist spots, similar to the full area downstairs at Center Stage in Modesto. This kind of spot would be great in the proposed Modesto Arts Block.
Nine days of Boston led to short trip to Santa Cruz for preview of their Open Studio weekends, followed by day trip to Yosemite and Watts Winery in Lodi with old friends, to fully fill out the inspiration needed to appreciate my 60th birthday and get me back to do art here at home. Here’s what’s coming up for November.
Crossroads Country Quilters and Central California Art Association host a Fiber Show at Mistlin Gallery this month. www.crossroadscountryquilters.com
Chella will be featured next month in a solo show at Trewin Framery out on Pentecost Road off Kiernan. An Artist’s reception for the show will be held December 8, 5:30 to 8:30. Chella was also the first of the 40 artists already signed up for 2015 Artists Open Studio. If you’re interested in being on the map, artist application deadline is January 15.
Last month’s pick for Art Walk, Preservation Coffee, where I can’t help but notice the “sold” signs on Art shown there. Barkin Dog featured Modesto View’s Michael J. Magano on the big display boards all month. Helen Million had art up as well at BDG, and the Skeletal Flamingo’s by Eva Haas oddities at Crow Trading were great. Third Thursday as usual, to see what’s new in art downtown. End of the month, get down to MODSHOP and support your local artists and crafters, designers and more. Great buys for the holidays and more. Follow that up the first Saturday in December with a visit to the Dickens Fair at McHenry Museum. Don’t miss either event.
