Beloved Fresno artist Robert Ogata celebrated a big milestone in February: his 90th birthday. I attended his birthday party, which was a Who’s Who of the Fresno visual arts scene, at Downtown Artist Gallery. Fresno County Supervisor Sal Quintero was on hand to present Ogata with a proclamation from the Board of Supervisors declaring “Robert Ogata Day.”
You can celebrate, too, at ArtHop, the monthly open house of galleries and studios in the downtown and Tower District neighborhoods. Most venues are open 5-8 p.m. Thursday, March 7. (For a list of venues and times, go to the Fresno Arts Council’s website.) Fig Tree Gallery opens Ogata’s show “Memory” — a fitting title for an artist still going strong. It features new work.
If you want to know more about Ogata and view some of his work, here’s a video studio tour that Joyce Aiken and I made several years ago:
Scarab Creative Arts
The gallery’s third annual themed community art show takes place at the gallery for ArtHop. Local artists Steve Dzerigian and Robert Weibel served as judges. Maggie Courtis at Scarab writes:
This year the theme is “Spirit.” Over 40 artists, both local and from throughout California, submitted 84 pieces for this stellar show. The judges commented the quality of the art on display is, across the board, very well done and provided a wide variety in artistic medium used by the artists as well as a broad array of interpretations of the theme.
The opening reception is 5-8 p.m. Thursday.
Arte Americas
Women get the top (and only) billing this month:
Spectrum Art Gallery
The gallery, devoted to the photographic arts, continues its two-month exhibition “New Works” by a variety of its members.
Downtown Artist Gallery
Clovis artist Kati Thompson works mostly in oil, painting a variety of subjects both from life and in her studio. She is the featured artist at Downtown Artist Gallery. This venue is open for an ArtHop reception and then an artist reception 6 p.m. Saturday, March 9. 20% of sales will be donated to the Fresno City College Art Department.
