Get to know Stanislaus’ artists

Area artists again are opening their doors to offer the public a peek into their process.

The fifth annual Stanislaus Artist Open Studio Tour returns April 25-26. Artists from across the county will share their work as part of the self-guided event. This year, 66 artists will take part, up slightly from 2014.

Modesto artist and Open Studio Tour steering committee member Jim Christiansen said the event’s mission always has been to raise awareness about the area’s rich artistic community.

“This is one way to meet the artists. It’s a chance to see what they do, where they do it, the tools they use,” he said. “It’s something different than galleries. When you go to a gallery show, an artist has maybe five or six paintings up in a good show. But this is a way to see a whole portfolio. You can see dozens, maybe hundreds, of works.”

As in years past, attendees will be able to tour a variety of home studios and galleries. More than 40 stops will be available to view in Modesto, Turlock, Ceres, Escalon, Ripon and Oakdale. Artists will be at each location to show, discuss and demonstrate their work.

Christiansen said this year includes a large number of artists – about 25 percent of the participants – who have not taken part in the tour before. They include Modesto newcomer Chelsea America. The 32-year-old painter moved to the Central Valley from the Bay Area two years ago.

She has rented her downtown Modesto studio in the Beatty Building for almost as long.

“One thing I really appreciate about (the area arts community) is everyone seems very respectful to all kinds of art,” America said. “I was worried it would be closed-minded because there’s a stereotype that comes from going from a larger city to a smaller place. But I haven’t found that to be true at all. People are extremely interested. The scope of practice seems really wide here, too. I think it’s a gem in a way.”

America said visitors will see two large watercolor pieces she is working on, as well as several sketches in her studio.

While the tour includes many painters, there also will be a variety of media represented. Other artists will feature photography, ceramics, woodworking, printmaking, multimedia, mixed media and more. The studios themselves also run the gamut from commercial spaces to converted garages and kitchen tables.

But Christiansen said the event is about more than just showcasing works. The tour allows people to talk with the artists themselves and learn about the overall creative process.

“This is your opportunity to ask a lot of questions about art,” he said. “If the artists collect other artists themselves. What kind of arts books they have. Where they buy things. How to get started. How they deal with storage problems. It’s more educational than just an art walk. This shows really what it takes to get into art and be an artist.”

A free preview of some of the works that will be on display throughout the tour will be available from 5 to 9 p.m. April 17-18 in the lobby of the Gallo Center for the Arts in downtown Modesto.

New this year during the tour will be a giveaway that will encourage more art patronage in the region. The group is giving away five $200 gift certificates from a drawing of ticketholder entries. The winners can use the certificates toward the purchase of original art from any of the participating artists.

Fellow first-time participating artist Richard Serros is no stranger to the area’s arts scene. The 60-year-old art historian has taught at Modesto Junior College for 28 years. He said he wanted to take part this year to help advocate for more venues for artists to display their works.

“I think the city in general needs to be made more aware of the art being done around here,” said the painter, who will have some 30 works for display in his custom-made backyard studio. “I think there’s a good diversity of artists, but there aren’t enough venues for them. People have an attitude if you want to buy good artwork, you have to go to the Bay Area. But there are good artists here. So the best way to do that is to go out and see them displayed.”

This story was originally published April 15, 2015 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Get to know Stanislaus’ artists."