Every first Thursday of the month, the Fresno Arts Council sponsors ArtHop, an event which educates the community about the local arts through local artists volunteering to showcase their work.

Though some students may think that education is restricted to the classroom, there is much to absorb from culture and from the overall world which we inhabit.

Therefore, I will be attending the event each month and then writing about some of the highlights.

Art may not be found in conventional places such as a museum or art gallery. The places registered for ArtHop are sometimes in stores or in “hole-in-the-wall” galleries of the Tower District.

The first place I went to was a small, well-lit gallery called Clay Mix, with the mantra “Where Earth Becomes Art.”

Clay Mix specializes in ceramic cups, but also features wall fixtures, ceramic egg-shaped objects and figurines. I highly suggest visiting Clay Mix as a fun introduction to art.

Gallery owner Ritsuko Miyazaki describes the various mugs her clients create as intimate, because they touch the lips and the hands. I learned that art can appeal to more than just the sense of sight, as the Clay Mix cups are touched and used in everyday life.

I listened to Miyazaki’s explanations with amazement, because art can often be stereotyped as something only to look at, rather than objects for everyday use. I found this aspect interesting, because I never before thought of cups as a work of art.

Through talking to an ArtHop artist, students have the opportunity to gain insight into the designers’ perspective behind their work and effectively learn about art in a simple way.

However, when attending the monthly downtown ArtHop, I suggest planning out the evening by calling the locations you want to visit. Though not always posted online, the venues are subject to change from month to month.

To make ArtHop more available for those interested, there is also a viewing in North Fresno on the third Thursday of every month.

For more information on ArtHop, visit the event’s website and check out the venues list.

For more coverage of ArtHop, read the Oct. 7 article, ArtHop promotes Fresno creatives.

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