The Central Valley Showcase exhibit at the Carnegie Arts Center and the Mistlin Gallery in Modesto is opening today with the winning artist being announced during the opening reception.

This is the third year the two galleries have collaborated on a spring juried exhibition which, in a cooperative effort, presents the area’s finest work in a variety of artistic media.  To see the show in its entirety, visitors must see the works on display at both galleries.

Working with a single panel of jurors, 150 works were accepted from the 338 entries. Curators from both galleries will divide the accepted works, to hang approximately half at the Mistlin Gallery and half at the Carnegie.

“The goal is to create the most meaningful viewing experience through comparison and juxtaposition of the works at each venue,” said Carnegie Director Lisa McDermott.

Judges selected winners on March 23, and will award the more than $3,000 in prizes to the winners at the opening reception from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. tonight. Awards will be presented in Turlock at 6 p.m. and in Modesto at 8 p.m. The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.

The exhibition includes pieces by 76 artists from throughout the Central California region, including Altaville, Atwater, Ceres, Chinese Camp, Fairfax, Galt, Groveland, Hughson, La Grange, Livermore, Mariposa, Merced, Mi Wuk Village, Modesto, Murphys, Oakdale, Oakhurst, Palo Alto, Ripon, San Leandro, Saratoga, Stockton, Tracy, Turlock, and Waterford.

The judges for the 2016 Showcase were Gerald Boyd, painter & pastel artist; Cara Weston, photographer; and William F. Wilson, Cultural Arts Manager of the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts in Tracy.