Such a great local venue to enjoy at or to take dance class or to watch live jazz music. Such a…read morewarm welcoming quaint environment with lovely staff/docents. A great inexpensive night out in Turlock! Check out their calendar online for upcoming exhibits and events for your next date night!

If you're motoring on either I-5 or (esp.) CA-99 between Northern and Southern California and want…read morea GREAT place to get out and stretch your legs--one that is less than 2 miles from the freeway--you will really kick yourself if you miss this absolute gem of a museum. It may be small, but the works displayed are varied, and ALL are truly outstanding. And since none of the pieces are permanent, you can go back there every 2 months or so and see completely different artwork. Lisa, the curator/manager for the past 20+ years, is truly passionate about this place, and it really shows. (No, I'm not related to her; in fact, I just met her today during my first visit.) I heard about this place through the old (R.I.P.) AAA TourBooks, and this is *definitely* one of their better "finds."

This review is all about the art gallery in Murphys which shows its art pieces within the tasting…read moreroom called Allegorie. Ms Stine is a very creative artist and hand makes all of the art on display. A wide variety of her art can be seen on her web site, www.stariastine.com She is constantly placing new pieces on display and for sale. This is some of the most beautiful art I've ever seen. There are also hand made jewelry pieces for sale. When you are in Murphys and are looking for a once in a lifetime gift for your loved one, stop in and check out the beautiful pieces on display. You won't be sorry you did. And while your there try tasting some of Calaveras counties finest wines. I am including in this Yelp review the Artists Statement, with the Artists permission, this statement also appears on the web site. 5 thumbs up here folks. Driven by my curiosity and passion for the natural environment, I am interested in the complex tension that occurs between the man made and organic world. As human evolution becomes increasingly dominated by technology and science, our connection with the natural environment has gradually become more distant, reformulating what we consider to be natural or synthetic. As we continue to advance as a species, it is obvious that we share the mutual desire with nature to survive, to persevere, and to thrive successfully. Through this, I have found that a symbiotic relationship is not always formed, constructing an intricate tension within our co-evolutionary development. Primarily, I find most interesting the issues of how we view, understand, and attempt to reconstruct the natural world around us. With our scientific knowledge of nature being relatively surface (but more highly revered), we continue to try to harness the unknown and untame. By sorting information into rigid systems and highly structured formats through studies and testing, dissection and experimentation, we continue our pursuit of harnessing the unknown. Being crucial to our existence, our desire and need to control and manipulate nature is evident. The effects of this are revealed in the ways that we address our bodies through contemporary medicine, and confront the issues of birth and death by means of synthetic intervention and treatment. Similar are the ways in which we cultivate our foods using genetic modification and chemical supplement to optimize results, radically shifting our ideals of what we consider food and health to be. The aspect in which these artificial and organic elements collide and integrate physically and visually through our current events inspires me to further initiate a dialogue and question this dichotomy through my work. Working abstractly in both organic and manmade materials, I hope to allow the viewer a new opportunity to investigate and question the delicate nature of this equation and reconstruct what we assume as ordinary, embrace a renewed curiosity of the natural, and become re-enchanted with the familiar.

This is such a charming shop! Amazing coffee, too. This shop has it all! I'm amazed at the…read morecollection of such talented artists. The owner is one of the sweetest people you'll meet. A truly enjoyable shopping experience.

Some nice local handmade things. Proprietor is a little cold. Don't you DARE shoplift!read more

Well as of last year the Mistlin Gallery closed permanently. It was taken over by the City of…read moreModesto and a good community of artists of all ages were left disbanded. We had a wonderful gallery with events and shows and volunteers committed to the arts. Sad to see it go........

A local treasure that many cities the size of Modesto don't have: a good-sized gallery devoted to…read moredisplaying local art, with a gift shop that sells pieces by local artists, including very affordable prints and cards. Some of the same local artists whose art you can buy also give classes in the learning space. Exhibits rotate often, and there are always announcements for the next one. Now here's the thing with a place that displays a lot of local art: the aesthetics will vary. There are artists I think are top-notch (and I buy the print versions I can afford because my current budget doesn't stretch to originals to go over the sofa). There are artists I think are.. having a great time with self-expression (so I don't buy). Regardless, it is delightful that these are my neighbors (more or less), and many are depicting the local landscape in a part of California that tends to get neglected. Where else can I buy prints of actual Modesto-area places, rather than the "more important" beauty spots elsewhere in the state? I adore this gallery and go as often as I can. Occasionally they will feed you cheese bits or whatever, in a festive way.

Life without creative expression is stifling. Human beings have the need to be creative in…read morewhatever outlet that might be. While I am not artistic, I certainly appreciate artistic expression. I enjoy visiting museums, art galleries and art studios. I am in awe when I view many of the amazing works created by the artists. Thankfully, Murphys has its share of art galleries where one can go to appreciate a variety of creations. The newest one to open is Independent. The store is a working studio for the owner. It is also a retail location where customers can purchase paintings, woodwork, children's clothing, soy candles, ceramics and glass work. Most of the art is produced locally. Independent also carries art supplies so you can let your creativity flow. I feel it is so important to support our creative artists. They create beautiful pieces of art in so many forms for us to enjoy. So, if you ever have one of those days when you can't think of anything to do, go visit an art gallery and support the artists. Happy viewing!

This shop is so cute! They have a lot of locally made items and some other hand made items from…read morethis region. The lady who was working was really nice and conversational while we were browsing. They have a selection of some really dainty and pretty jewelry like this ring I bought and now love! Prices were great for the quality!

This is an AMAZING gallery in this tiny town of Groveland. Some of the artwork there would more…read morethan rival the finest galleries in Carmel and other similar art centers. My wife and I are both painters, so we like to stop to visit any art galleries we see along the way in our travels, and we were very impressed. The art and the prices here will be hard to beat anywhere. Plus, if you're in the mood to relax for a few minutes, there is a small wine bar with indoor and outdoor seating. Brandi, the owner, lives nearby and can fill you in on things to do and see in the area as well. Things slow down in the Winter (Jan-Mar) in Groveland but hopefully you will find the gallery open. We certainly recommend a visit if you are going through there... possibly on a visit to Yosemite which is about 30 minutes away.

Great place to check out the local art scene. Gallery owner is an amazing artist! The ambiance is…read morewonderful. Good music, wine bar, dog and people friendly. Just makes you want to hang out for a while. The owner's son makes these beautiful hand cut, natural tree/wood sliced tables and shelves. He even built her awesome wine bar! Be sure not to miss out on such a great gallery!!!

Art on Main has some really great local artists. We took home some raku pottery and chatted with…read moreone of the featured painters.

I drop in here about once a month to keep up on what is new in the local art community. Pretty much…read moreall of the local artists on display here offer talent, interesting art, variety and reasonable prices. You will not find master works for thousands of dollars here, but a good selection of oils, water colors, ceramics and other eclectic stuff to choose a great memory of Murphys and/or the Mother Lode scene. Probably the biggest sellers are the note cards, all custom made, and the jewelry. But if you want to painting for you wall at home, you can find that here too.

A wonderful array of Artworks, Photography, Handmade items on display and for purchase.read more

This is a small community art center run mostly by kind older lady volunteers who happily greeted…read moremy husband and I as we entered and roamed around looking at at the local artist showcases. They had a sale going on in the back with tons of great deals (like $2 for a giant zip lock bag) full of craft and scrapbook supplies or paints and other artist supplies. Everyone was really friendly - there were three older ladies there the day we stopped by - and offered to help or answer any questions. They had some neat art for sale by local artists and we enjoyed our visit.