Bi-monthly venues provides charming atmosphere

Fresno ArtHop is a program for the Fresno population to view local artists’ work. The event is free and each venue features different artwork. The ArtHop occurs on every first and third Thursday of each month in downtown Fresno, the Tower District, and the Metropolitan area. The viewing begins at 5 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m.

Jayni Placencia hosted a venue at the Romain Historical Building. The potential that the ArtHop artists have is exciting for her and she looks forward to the future of the artists in the community and for her own business as well.

“My dad thought it would be a great way to contribute to the art community,” Placencia said. “It was also a way to help promote interest in out building and potential business for our tenant Prettyman Promos. Going forward, I hope that we can generate more interest in having different artists to keep the art fresh and exciting so that people will continue to come and see the art.”

Senior Vanessa Shubin goes to ArtHop for the local support it reigns in. She also attends to support her sister who has been featured before.

“I like to see the community come together to look at all the small artists in Fresno,” Shubin said. “It’s really cool. I’ve never been featured, but my sister has. She goes to the Chris Sorenson Studio.”

My dad thought it would be a great way to contribute to the art community. It was also a way to help promote interest in out building and potential business for our tenant Prettyman Promos. Going forward, I hope that we can generate more interest in having different artists to keep the art fresh and exciting so that people will continue to come and see the art. — Jayni Placencia

Arthop is an opportunity for local artists to showcase and sell their work to visitors. At the Chris Sorenson studio, every artist is given space for their work to be set up. One artist, for example, set up a sign that stated, “Buy it if you like it; support independent artists.”

These people get the opportunity to create and design things on their own and get money from it. With several of the artists, their love of painting or just art in general began at a very young age and kept growing up to this point.

An especially spontaneous artist at Chris Sorensen, John Coppola, describes what he considers his art style to be.

“I like the style that works. I would consider myself a surrealist, does that help? I’ve been drawing since I was a little kid, but six or seven years professionally,”Coppola said.”Full time only about six months, so I’m a full time artist now and do this for a living.”

Coppola sells his original paintings as well as miniature postcard versions and poster size.

People that attend Arthop may need to stand for long periods of time, so at the entrance a table  is almost always set up with snacks for guests to carry while they look around. The food is free to everyone, and in some cases, the artists bring food to give out in their area. The variety runs from cookies and brownies to crackers and cheese, and for drinks there may be wine or water also available.

The 2016 season for the first Thursdays:

Feb. 4, March 3, April  7, May 5, June 2, July 7, Aug. 4, Sept. 1, Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Dec. 1.

The 2016 season for third Thursdays, ArtHop is held in the Metropolitan area:

Jan. 21, Feb. 18, March 17, April 21, May 19, June 16, July 21, Aug. 18, Sept. 15, Oct. 20, Dec. 15.

This author can be contacted via Twitter: @_Elizabethann16 and @nhudecek16, and via email: Elizabeth Baker and Nicole Hudecek.

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