April Art Spring Bloom
By Jim Christiansen
Don’t be fooled! April showers us with many Spring bloom art events.
Latinx Comic Arts Festival returns in its sixth year to the MJC West Campus on April 3 and 4
Held in the Mary Stuart Rogers building from 11 am to 6 pm both days. This is a FREE family-friendly event, and the only Central Valley celebration of Latinx cartoonists, artists, writers, animators, and friends. See March Modesto View, page 19, for more details on featured exhibitors.
The Modesto Junior College Student Art Show 2026 runs to April 24 at the East Campus Art Gallery, 435 College Avenue, with an Awards Reception on April 9. Kaila D Sa holds a Grand Opening on April 10 of the Eleven19 Gallery at 1119 Kansas Avenue in the Kansas Avenue Business Park.
The Clay Garden Art Market, Saturday, April 18th, features 16+ ceramic artists showcasing and selling garden-themed ceramic artwork! Expect to find garden stacks, floral-themed functional clayware, vases, whimsical clay pots, clay jewelry, garden plaques, clay garden sculpture, and much more! This event is the first of its kind in our region. Activities include raku firing opportunities and wheel throwing demonstrations! The location is a spacious garden at 2003 Ladd Road, Modesto. 10 am to 4 pm. Head North along Carver Road and turn left onto Ladd Road. The property is ½ mile down on the right. Sponsored by Modesto Artists Movement. April 18 is also Earth Day
Stanislaus Artists Open Studio weekend is April 25 and 26, FREE and open to visitors 11 am to 5 pm at most locations. Fifty-eight artists participate this time around, in Turlock, Modesto, and Escalon. Open studio guide booklets are available at Visit Modesto/Arts Council, the Queen Bean, Carnegie Arts Center, Pink Duck Gallery, State Theatre, Dragonfly Art for Life, and participating artists. Postcards for the tour include a QR code for the online map, or search for www.stanislausaos.com. I will be sharing my studio at 212 Olive Avenue with Jordan Jones
Advocate for the Arts Juried Spring Show is on display at the Graffiti USA Museum through April. An Artist’s Reception and Awards presentation with music will take place on April 3. Deborah Barr, Professor at Modesto Junior College, was the awards judge. Friday, April 24, 6:00 to 8:00 pm, a special presentation, “A Thousand Words.” Poets give voice to Art displayed by artists in the “Spring Festival of Art” show. Tickets are $10 at the door. 610 N. 9th Street, Modesto. Open Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm. Admission Free. https://
Shows continuing this month include Focus On: Bill Harris and On the Edge, Abstract at Work at Carnegie Arts Center in Turlock, and Chella at Kruse Lucas Imports Gallery, 525 Tully Road, through May. Youth in Bloom hangs on the walls at the Stanislaus Arts Council/Visit Modesto gallery at 1315 J Street. Visit on April 16 as part of Downtown Modesto Third Thursday Art Walk. In May, the Farms and Fields show opens in Carnegie’s Lobby gallery and will be the anchor site on May 7 for Turlock’s Art Around Town.
Sunday, April 12, a Peer Recovery Art Project fundraiser at the State Theatre, by JB Presents. 25th Anniversary event, Rockabilly Families Reunion, Crazy Daze. Doors open at Noon. A great lineup of Rockabilly and Blues Bands, with Art to support the nonprofit in its Recovery Art, Music, and Special Events. Performers are Daffney Payne Punk Rockabilly Band, the John and Bill Clifton MoFo Party Band, Tony T and the Pendletons.
