Latest City of Visalia financial report shows surplus despite revenu
Visalia’s latest financial report shows strong continued growth with a surplus, despite experiencing slower sales tax revenue increases in 2023.
An art gallery on the north side of Visalia? It’s not the place many people would think of putting one. But it’s been a dream of Francisco Alonso, a printmaking teacher at College of the Sequoias, since he returned to his hometown.
He and two collaborators have opened the Oval Gallery in the small angular building on Oval Park, gradually drawing in residents and Alonso’s printmaking students from COS.
After getting his master’s at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, he immediately got a job teaching art at COS. He started attending art venues but couldn’t find one he related to.
“I was fresh out of grad school and used to having intellectual discussions about art and all kinds of topics,” he said.
Having grown up on the north side, he wanted to live there and found a small house in the Oval district. Because he felt people were resistant to coming to the area, he turned his home into a gallery during First Friday Art Walks. He invited people to come in to see different artists’ works and to talk about art, the environment, the power of words and other topics Francisco was used to discussing.
New opportunity
His tiny venue became popular, with people staying late into the evening. Then, the Arts Consortium, Tulare County’s art council, moved to Oval Park. At the same time, the Old Lumberyard was being remodeled into The Lofts at Fort Visalia, which became the Consortium’s new home in December.
That left the building on the Oval open. The city and the Arts Consortium wanted to keep it as an art venue.
Alonso and artists Eden Santos and Jesse Ochoa took up the challenge. They moved in Alonso’s printing press and screen printing equipment and, for their first show, let attendees make their own calendars.
“In the Mexican culture, at the end of the year, every business gives out a calendar,” Alonso said. “We decided to do that as a thank you to the community.”
They set up screen printing with a design and calendar and let each person print their copy.
“That will be our tradition. Each year, we will change the image on the calendar,” he said.
Non-traditional
“This is not a traditional art gallery,” Santos said. “We relate to the north side community. Yes, we have homeless people around, but people are learning this is a safe place.”
Families walk by and are curious.
“When we opened our doors, we explained that this was no longer a place to pay your bills [which it had been years before]. We invited them in, gave them a tour, and asked them to participate in making art,” Alonso said.
Often, guests didn’t know that art could be anything different from painting.
Student workspace
Another unusual thing about the gallery is that Alonso’s students can use it as a workspace.
When Alonso was doing his undergraduate work at Sonoma State, he had 24-hour access to the print shop and spent much of his time there. However, it’s difficult to get projects done when the COS lab is open, so students now have an added option.
“It’s good experience for the students,” he said. “It changes their perspective of making art, gives them pride in the community, and educates them simultaneously when people come in and ask how they did something.”
Recently, COS Print Works club students were working on their float for the Porterville Cinco de Mayo parade. Last year, they entered a 60-foot armadillo, a big hit with the children along the parade route.
This year, they are making an even longer axolotl, a salamander-like animal found only in Mexico.
Alonso is passionate about exposing his students to possibilities.
“When I was a student at COS, I didn’t know about higher education,” he said. “That’s one of the lectures I have with students.”
Pauline Arellano, president of Print Works, said Alonso’s class has opened her eyes.
“When I got to COS, I felt lost,” she said.
Her goal is to go to Long Beach State.
Art shows
“I’m really excited to be part of the gallery,” said Santos, an art student at Fresno State. “I have my own space to do art, to work with people and form friendships and brainstorm ideas.”
Adam Perez, a photojournalist published in Time magazine and the New York Times, discovered the Oval Gallery when he saw the armadillo in last year’s parade. He showed his work during the March exhibit, featuring photos from his series on local farmworkers, LatinX next generation, and his family’s connection with the United Farm Workers.
The April show opens during the First Friday Art Walk on April 3. “Maturing Introspective: A Duo Exhibition” features work by Central Valley artists Vivian Aranda and Mario Campos Jr.
How to attend
When : Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Fridays from 5-8 p.m., and Saturdays from 2-8 p.m. The new art show opens during the First Friday Art Walk, May 3, 5-9 p.m.
Where: 808 N. Court St. Visalia on Oval Park