Open Arts in Stanislaus

During tour this weekend, Stanislaus County artists aim to connect with and inspire visitors to their studiosMore than 50 artists in the Modesto area are opening their homes to the public this weekend for a studio tour.

It's a rare chance for people to see how local artists live and work. Available for sale will be watercolor and oil paintings, jewelry, prints, sculptures, cards and more.

"The visitors can talk to the artists, see what they're working on, see them in action," said Alice Richards, who coordinated the event for the Stanislaus County Travel and Tourism Roundtable.

Open studios will be held in 37 locations (some venues will host several artists) in Modesto, Turlock, Waterford, Oakdale and Manteca. Among the participants are longtime artists Chella, Suzanne Staud and Henrietta Sparkman, newcomers to the scene and blind art students.

The last major open studio event in the area was held in 2004 and was organized by the Central California Art Association.

Richards, who is a member of the art association and chairwoman of the Modesto Culture Commission, decided to spearhead the open studio tour in response to requests from artists. Her goal is to highlight the breadth of talent in the region.

Tamara Keiper, a painter in Waterford, was delighted to be a part of the event. She will host other artists — her daughter Alexandra Riddle, David Bienkowski and Denise Hartley — at her ranch on McEwen Road, where she keeps horses and grows almonds. They will have watercolors, oils, pastels and posters.

"I always like promoting the arts in the county," she said. "It's good for society in general to be aware of different forms of expression."

Keiper said she tries to emphasize the value of motherhood in her paintings and to show the importance of raising the next generation. She enjoys painting en plein air (outdoors) and making portraits. She recently finished designing an amphitheater in Norway, where she owns property.

She hopes the open studio tour will inspire people to think about making art part of their lives.

"Art is available to everyone, not just the top 1 percent of the community," she said.

Steve Mudge will show his own metal sculptures and friend Mark Knize's turned-wood bowls at his 1,100-square-foot Modesto studio as part of the tour. He plans to do some grinding and metal cutting and to show a slide show of his creations.