The Artist Tree has always centered art and community as the driving force and unifying purpose behind our brand. The Grand Opening of The Artist Tree’s second location in Fresno, which is also our 10th location, was no different. Located at 3257 W Shaw Ave #109, Fresno, CA 93711, The Artist Tree is just a few miles away from Fresno State University on 5241 N Maple Ave, Fresno, CA 93740
Wanting to celebrate the local art school, we partnered with Gailan Gray, a professor at Fresno State University in the College of Art and Humanities, to help us curate an art show that would feature the talents of the local students. He curated a collection of original art from a group of 15 current students and alumni, hailing from Fresno and the surrounding cities of Clovis, and Kern.
One of these artists, Mariah Garcia, showed a piece called Deific, a painting inspired by her own life and experience as a Mexican American self-taught artist. Garcia, who was born and raised in the Central Valley California, channels her story through imagery. Mariah describes her inspiration as
“… motivated by emotions through my life, creating pieces that allow others to also connect and communicate through the work’s story-telling that can only be told through imagery. I started off creating art as a young child and began to become inspired by various artists throughout my time studying at Fresno State University and personal research.”
You can see other examples of her work at https://artbymargarcia.wixsite.com/artbymar.
Another notable piece was created by Miguel Gamez-Macias, a Hispanic artist born in 2001 in Fresno, California. Raised in a nurturing and tight-knit family, his early years were shaped by moments of imaginative play, new technology, frequent visits to the zoo, and time spent assisting his father with fish tanks. These experiences instilled in him “a lasting curiosity for the natural world and an interest in the constructed one.”
Miguel’s work “Where the Dust Remains” embodies his interest in the natural world. To see more of his visit https://www.miguelgamezmacias.com/
We are so thankful of the Fresno State University students and Gailan Gray who helped make the Fresno Shaw Grand Opening a memorable experience.
If you’re an artist with a story to share, we’d love to see your work in our space. Apply here.
https://www.theartisttree.com/artists/apply/
Check out more highlights from our Grand Opening on July 26th.
