Stockton & Modesto Art Galleries, Museums, Supplies & More

Best art galleries Stockton museums supplies classes

If you are hoping to learn more about art in Stockton and Modesto you are in the right place. Galleries, museums, supplies, schools, shows, events and more will all be broken down in depth on this page.

We are trying to make this a one stop shop that is loaded with everything you may be interested in on the topic at hand. Kicking things off will be the best Stockton and Modesto Art Galleries and Museums where you can see some of the finest exhibitions and collections the city has to offer.

Following that we will get into where you can find all of the best art supply stores near you. Events and shows that are held throughout the year will be the topic of our next section.

Going on an art walking tour or checking out the best statues and sculptures around the city can be a great way to get some sun and culture at the same time. Stockton and Modesto art classes and lessons certainly need a shout out and there are classes for both kids and adults that are available.

Some of you may want to skip the lessons and get right into your next project so local art studios for rent will get a mention. Framing shops, dealers, and appraisers in your area will also be discussed for those who need them.

You can find more of our posts on art around the Pacific Northwest at that link.

Best Art Galleries & Museums In Stockton & Modesto

If you want to check out the best art galleries and museums in Stockton and Modesto you can head to:

At the Haggin Museum you will see works of art from 19th and 20th-century masters as well as from “Golden Age” illustrator J.C. Leyendecker. They also feature a collection of panoramas of Yosemite Valley by Albert Bierstadt, and on the 2nd Saturday of each month they hold hands on events for families with children ages 5-12.

The LH Horton Jr Art Gallery offers excellent exhibition opportunities to local, regional, and national artists, lenders and guest curators. The Mexican Heritage Center is a pioneer in bringing Mexican visual and performing arts to the Stockton community. Their Day of the Dead events are definitely worth checking out.

The Stockton Art League Goodwin Gallery has a free artist demonstrations program in your area to help you learn about processes and concepts that are presented by professional and emerging artists. They also offer a youth art program which provides art education classes to students ages 6-17.

Mistlin Gallery is a space for local artists to exhibit and sell their work as well as where cancer patients and survivors can engage in art therapy. They also host an annual Autumn Art Festival in October in addition to offering art classes for the public from preschool aged kids to adults of all skill levels from 11:30am to 5pm Tuesday through Friday and 12pm to 4pm on Saturday.

Artworks of all kinds can be found in a wide variety of numerous types of media including paintings, ceramics, glass work, photography, metalwork, handcrafted jewelry, and more at Chartreuse Muse. The art school provides a wide range of classes for students of all ages and skill levels and has a fully equipped pottery studio where students can take pottery classes as well as studio spaces that are available for rent.

The Modesto Junior College Art Gallery provides a wide variety of art exhibitions featuring students’ artistic accomplishments, teachers, and other artists working in California and abroad. The admission is completely free plus they encourage the general public to engage in dialogue with the exhibiting artists.

Materials & Supplies Near You

The best local stores to buy art supplies and materials are:

In addition to selling art equipment both Michaels and Hobby lobby also do custom framing. Dollar Tree is a good place to buy cheap art supplies near you.

Shows & Events

Framing art supply stores Stockton lessons near you studios

Some of the top art shows and events in your area would be:

Artsplash is Stockton’s downtown artwalk held every second Friday in the summer and early fall. Stockton Arts Week is a huge event held every October, while the San Joaquin Potters Guild Fine Arts Festival is in November.

We mentioned it before but the Mexican Heritage Centers Day of the Dead events in October are also great.

Domo Walls is a mural festival in Modesto that takes place in October and showcases world class murals in the downtown area featuring regional and international artists.

The Central California Art Association hosts the Autumn Art Festival at the Mistlin Gallery showcasing some of the region’s best artists and their work. Over $2,000 in cash and prizes are up for grabs in this members-only juried art show.

Modesto Art Walk is a free casual event that takes place every third Thursday of the month featuring art galleries, businesses, and organizations that display pieces for the evening as they work together to showcase the best of their creative minds.

You will have the opportunity to listen to live musicians, enjoy food and beverages from one of your favorite downtown restaurants, and view works for purchase at local art galleries and shops.

Art Dealers & Appraisers

Cece’s Art Studio at 2324 Grand Canal Blvd would be where you need to go to get an appraisal or find a dealer. Stockton Art League and Image Connection from our list of best art galleries near you also sell pieces.

If you want to buy some artwork in Modesto you can visit Mistlin Gallery and Chartreuse Muse who we linked you to earlier.

Walking Tours

The Artsplash art walk is filled with visual and performing arts in Downtown held every second Friday from May – October. Look for venues with blue streamers and signs as you walk around town.

Stockton Arts Week is almost like an art walk in your area of it’s own but is only for one week in October.

Don’t forget about the Modesto Art Walk that we linked you to earlier in the events section.

Sculptures & Statues

There are some really nice sculptures and statues around town like:

  • Anchored at 105 N El Dorado St
  • Wat Dhammararam at 3732 Carpenter Rd
  • Blythe Spirit at 5151 Pacific Ave
  • George Lucas Statue at 900 17th St, Modesto
  • Modesto Bee Newsboy at 1421 I St, Modesto
  • Chief Estanislao at 1107 I St, Modesto

Anchored was created by Diana Pumpelly Bates and Steve Petrushka and was put up in 2016 at the DeCarli Plaza downtown. Wat Dhammararam is Buddhist Temple containing almost 100 statues. The enormous 50-foot-long reclining Buddha is a must see, and it is located near Pixie Woods amusement park.

Blythe Spirit is at San Joaquin Delta College Performing Arts Complex near the entrance of Athenton Auditorium.

The George Lucas Statue is also called American Graffiti and is located at the intersections of Downey, 17th McHenry, and J Streets. This bronze statue was sculpted in 1997 by Betty Saletta as a tribute to Modesto’s favorite son, director, and producer George Lucas.

Modesto Bee Newsboy was created in 1995 by artist Betty Saletta as a commission for The Bee. The bronze statue of a boy and a dog is set on a sidewalk corner alongside a small public park on the Northwest corner of I and 15th St.

The statue of Chief Estanislao stands outside of the downtown courthouse and was donated to the residents of Stanislaus County by Tony Mistlin and Family in 2001 and sculpted by Betty Saletta whose name seems to keep popping up.

Stockton & Modesto Art Classes

Whether you need lessons for kids or are an adult who wants to grow his skills you have some options. Some of the best Stockton and Modesto art schools and classes near you can be found at:

Millie’s Art Korner has ainting parties or classes for children, teens, and adults as well as a fun summer art camp. Regina Rose Studio provides art class for kids and adults.

Mowzilicia offers beginner’s traditional art lessons in your area. The Catalyst provides life drawing workshops, workshops for autistic youth, as well as hosts private events.

For those interested in learning about the basics of drawing, painting, or sculpture the Modesto Art Academy is a great option and they offer after school classes and academic lectures of all kinds that are available in private and group formats.

The Dragonfly Art for Life has classes for all ages including drawing, painting, summer camps, and weekly workshops where participants can learn new skills together. On top of that private parties, birthday parties, and team-building events can be arranged upon request plus they also have an art studio available to rent if you need a place to express your creativity.

As you can tell by the name Pottery Magic Modesto is offering pottery lessons for all ages. They also host private parties and have deals where the studio fee is free on Monday and 50% off on Friday.

Nicole Slater Art and The Artist’s Loft offers group and private lessons for kids and teens including a summer art workshop for children from 5 to 17 years old. They also provide an art studio for rent, sell paintings, and do family paint sessions.

Don’t forget about the pottery classes at Chartreuse Muse from our main list.

Studios For Rent Near You

Some places we have mentioned throughout the post that sometimes have studio space to rent include Stockton Art League Goodwin Gallery, The Dragonfly Art for Life, Nicole Slater Art, and The Artist’s Loft.

Framing

Some of the best places for art framing in Stockton and Modesto are:

Iframe has been designated the record’s best of San Joaquin seven times.

The professional framing of custom artwork, photographs, and memorabilia is a specialty of Dawn’s Picture Framing which works directly with customers to help them plan their projects and sort through the numerous molding, fabric, and mat board possibilities.

Aaron Brothers is a frame shop chain and one of the world’s largest custom framing manufacturers.

Hobby Lobby and Michaels from the local art supplies list also do framing.

You may also want to check out some of our other posts on:

Have Fun Enjoying The Stockton & Modesto Art Scene

We just listed the best local galleries, museums, events, shows, supply stores, dealers, appraisers, walking tours, sculptures, classes, studios, and framers that you may want to check out. Hopefully that was enough to satisfy you.

Please do us a favor and use the comments to share your own tips or to let us know if you think we got anything wrong. We hope you enjoy your time at the best Stockton and Modesto Art Galleries, Museums, Supply Stores or doing whatever it else you plan to do with the info.

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