Fresno Famous

If you haven't already booked the sleigh (and snow machine) to take you on a tour of December's ArtHop, it's probably too late. But you can still get in the Christmas spirit with this month's festive exhibits and holiday sales.

Always on top of the season, this month Arte Americas presents Navidad en Arte Americas, a collection of nacimiento (nativity scenes) from around the Valley. Stop by on ArtHop or throughout the month of December- admission is free thanks to corporate sponsors.

Next be sure to visit the closing of the Fresno Metropolitan Museum's first Off Site exhibit. The Met will be closed for renovations until next year, and has organized five new art exhibits in the wilds of Fresno in the interim. Artist Claudia Tennyson has brought her unique form of "repair work" to an old, burned house on L Street. Using common household materials like yarn, tape, and string, she's made painstaking embellishments to the abandoned house. It's a rare opportunity to experience work that you can't take home and put on a wall.

For art that's easily giftable and transportable, head to Club Jinnaka. Featuring artists Michael Garcia, Michael Phillips, and Geoffrey Spach, the gallery will be hosting a special holiday sale. We hear rumors that some items are priced at under $100! Works in clay, wood, and canvas will be on display.

There's a collection of nice photography shows this month, starting at Caffe Fulton on the Mall. Fresno photographers Rachael Olmstead, Shannon Hunter, and John Flores will be exhibiting cityscapes, portraits, and live shots. Spectrum Photography Gallery in the Tower District will be showing the work of Juergen Vespermann, who enjoys bringing details of architecture and man-made objects to the surface, emphasizing visual lines and forms. More photography can be found at Come On-A My House, with the work of Mimi Mann.

For a more scholarly experience, check out the Fresno Art Museum's Contemporary - Contemporaneo. The new exhibit features young adult contemporary artists from Guadalajara, Mexico and three young adult contemporary artists from the Central Valley as artists-in-residence. Seeking to explore the talents of young contemporary artists from a country best known for its folk art, the exhibit will showcase work inspired by the artists' interaction and deeper understanding of each others' culture.

From the FAM head to Full Circle Brewery for a taste of Americana. "Kustom Kulture" by Rebecca Caraveo showcases the artist's hand-painted photography. She'll give ArtHoppers a treat when she performs as her alter ego Cattie Ness, Rockabilly Queen of the San Joaquin.