Stay Cool With Art
By Jim Christiansen
Turn up the heat outside or visit the air-conditioned Art Venues. June 14 served up perfect weather for the Virginia Corridor Art Market, with a good crowd cruising through on foot. Twenty-one artists, organized by Suzanne McCaslin and the Modesto Artists Movement as a sponsor, made it successful enough for a probable encore in the Fall.
Turn up the heat outside or visit the air-conditioned Art Venues. June 14 served up perfect weather for the Virginia Corridor Art Market, with a good crowd cruising through on foot. Twenty-one artists, organized by Suzanne McCaslin and the Modesto Artists Movement as a sponsor, made it successful enough for a probable encore in the Fall.
Same day found art by KB Designs in Graceada Park for Juneteenth festivities, and sign art with No Kings. That same night, Stanislaus Arts Council held its Second Celebration of the Arts, where Sam Pierstorff and Modesto Art Movement received the community impact award. Other noted award recipients include Jack Souza for Prospect Theater Project, Anne Endsley, and Central West Ballet. Held at the Silos events center with host Aaron Valencia.
June opens Graffiti Summer, but the cars keep on cruising through August. Donna Wayman Maurer’s car-themed art opened last month at Kruse Lucas Gallery and will be on display through August. Donna usually paints in oils, applying thin glazes to get the brilliant colors and depth. The gallery is located in the Kruse Lucas showroom at 525 Tully Rd, across from MJC, and is open during regular business hours.
Amy Morgan won Best of Show in the Farms and Fields display at Carnegie Arts Center with her collage and acrylic work “Last Rows.”. Randy Crimmel, an award of merit for his ceramic piece, “Rebirth- Egg to Egg.” 55 works in the exhibition, by 38 artists, as selected by juror Nicole Slater from 130 entries. On display until July 26. On July 8th, the annual Carnegie Art Showcase will open with 94 pieces from a record 294 entries. I am among the 200 entrants who didn’t get in, but this is a top-notch show every year, and only so much gallery space. This show will run through the end of August. The address is 250 N. Broadway in Turlock.
Art in Every Backpack is a new project for the Modesto Artists Movement. MAM visual arts ambassador Veronica Torres, in partnership with ChalkWild and the Mary Stuart Rogers Foundation, is making an effort to provide therapeutic art backpacks with school supplies and Love, bringing creativity to children in migrant camps. Donations drop off at the Queen Bean started in June and will continue through July.
July 15 should see the start of a new public mural project with the renovations of the Travelers Motel complex to Jenny’s Place. Award in combination of Stanislaus Arts Council in partnership with Upholdings, LLC. Proposals were due June 21, with the award to be announced July 1. The budget for the two mural art selections is $10,000.
Stanislaus Arts Council director Dominique Johnson announced some changes coming in the Stan Arts 2025-2025 Fiscal Year, at the end of the Stan Arts June Newsletter. The 1315 J Street offices and gallery will soon be shared with Visit Modesto to foster a one-stop resource for information on the arts. New visual art shows, yet to be announced, will resume in August and extend beyond the 4-week norm of recent years.
Details on other art initiatives in progress, but we will announce or schedule them until later this month. I will post on August 1 in the Art View column here at Modesto View. Check the Modesto View event calendar.
