Scarab Creative Arts
in the Press
Tyler Alcé grew up in a matriarchal family where stability was linked to a traditional 9 to 5 job and spent years working in government positions in Fresno.
Despite this, she always dreamed of making a living through art, though she was told that pursuing a career as an artist wasn’t realistic—a belief she carried with her for many years. . . .
A Pick for February ArtHop Celebrate Black History Month with 'Down with the Clique'
Donald Munro
The Munro Review
February 6, 2025
In celebration of Black History Month, Scarab Creative Arts returns with the popular exhibition “Down With the Clique.” It opens Thursday night at ArtHop, the monthly open house of galleries and studios in the downtown and Tower District neighborhoods. I checked in with curator Tyler Alce for an update: . . .
SCARAB CREATIVE ARTS: Maggie Courtis writes:
We’ve got something exciting going into our gallery for October. Seven new Scarab Creative Arts studio members are displaying their work, 2 and 3D. Chieko Delgado is the illustrator for the new Mas Masumoto book coming soon. Some of her paintings used in the book . . . .
October ArtHop Picks
Donald Munro
The Munro Review
October 3, 2024
SEPTEMBER ARTHOP PICK: CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF GALLERY 25
Donald Munro
The Munro Review
September 5, 2024
Mark this down in the Book of Great Ideas: In 1974, Joyce Aiken, a groundbreaking professor of feminist art at Fresno State, founded Gallery 25, a cooperative gallery she envisioned as displaying and encouraging women artists.
She probably never dreamed she’d be celebrating its anniversary 50 years later. . . . .
5 PICKS FOR JUNE ARTHOP
Donald Munro
The Munro Review
June 6, 2024
5 PICKS FOR APRIL ARTHOP: SCARAB CREATIVE ARTS WELCOMES FIBER ARTIST TRUDY PERRY
Donald Munro
The Munro Review
April 4, 2024
We all know the rule: Don’t touch the art. But for fiber artist Trudy Perry, whose new exhibition is featured at Scarab Creative Arts in a highlight of April’s ArtHop, she offers a loophole. “I even have a small piece for everyone to touch because it is so tempting to touch my art,” she says. . . . .
5 Picks for March ArtHop
Donald Munro
The Munro Review
March 7, 2024
Discovering the Joy of Ceramics and Where to Begin Your Own Wheel Throwing Adventure: Pottery Wheel Classes
Natali Carrera
FresYes.com
January 18, 2024
Hello, readers! I’ve recently embarked on a fascinating journey, one that involves getting my hands dirty – quite literally. I’ve been taking a ceramics wheel throwing class at a local art studio, and it’s been nothing short of amazing. Though I’ve had some exposure in the past, it had been years since I took a formal course, . . . .
What better way to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month than with a themed art exhibition?
That’s the philosophy of Tyler Alce, a member of Scarab Creative Arts, a Fresno State student and a working artist. She organized and is participating in “Down With the Clique,” which marks Black History Month. It’s one of the highlights of Fresno ArtHop, . . . .
6 PICKS FOR ARTHOP: BLACK HISTORY MONTH AT SCARAB, HARRIS AT FIG TREE, AND MORE
Donald Munro
The Munro Review
February 1, 2024
The Munro Review Picks for September Fresno Arthop: Smiths at Scarab
Donald Munro
The Munro Review
September 7, 2023
The Merced-based Contemporary Humanitarian Artists Association(CHAA) is featured at Scarab Creative Arts for June's Fresno Arthop. It will be a large group show with works by Joel Aguilar, Iris Asai, Frank Ayala, Cheryl Barnett, Abel Corchado, Lisa Gilliland-Viney, Richard Gomez, Kate Jackson, Charles A. Perez, Eddie O. Rodriguez, Ruben Sanchez, Sue Thompson and Oscar Torres. . . .
5 Picks for June ArtHop
Donald Munro
The Munro Review
June 1, 2023
5 PICKS FOR MAY ARTHOP: ROBERT WEIBEL AT SCARAB
Donald Munro
The Munro Review
May 7, 2023
Robert Weibel says his head and heart are always full of new ideas. I love the creative spirit — and the sense of urgency — behind that statement. (He goes on to say: “I want to do it all, and there’s limited time,” which also gives his art a sense of urgency.)
Weibel’s new show at Scarab Creative Arts (729 E. Divisadero at Broadway) is one of my highlight picks . . . .
Kambrya Bailey is a talented, inspiring artist from Fresno, California who uses her artwork to explore themes of spirituality, religion, nostalgia, heritage, intimacy, grief, and love.
Kambrya Bailey: Fresno-Based Artist Featured at Fresno Arthop at Scarab Creative Arts
Terrell Jackson
The Color Blck
April 8, 2023
5 Picks for February Arthop: Salazar at Fig Tree, Gallery 25 Visits Scarab, Dzerigian at Downtown Arts Gallery, and More
Donald Munro
The Munro Review
February 2, 2023
Members of Gallery 25, the long-running Fresno art cooperative, have been holding down the virtual fort for a while now. Now some of its members are getting the chance to get back to a brick-and-mortar show. They’ll be featured in the gallery at Scarab Creative Arts.
Work from Rebecca M. Barnes, Cynthia Carter Cameron, Lylia Forero Carr, Karen LeCocq, Michele Sani and Joan K. Sharma will be on display.
Our church family is invited to the opening reception of David Jon Christensen's photography in the Scarab Creative Arts Gallery on Thursday, September 1st from 5 to 8 p.m. The reception will be held in conjunction with Fresno's Downtown Arthop event held the first Thursday of each month. Scarab is located at 729 East Divisadero, at the corner of Broadway and Divisadero.
David Jon is an internationally known and sought after photographer. A recent addition to his list of impressive accolades was his work photographing a celebrity wedding featured in Vogue Magazine.
Scarab Creative Arts is a new shared space art studio, gift shop, art gallery, and arts education center that was launched by Maggie Boyajian Courtis in 2021. Classes in a variety of media are available for adults and children. Artist members include Arpi Keledjian and Grace Chavoor.
David Jon
Photography
Exhibtion
First Armenian Presbyterian Church
Mosaix
April, 2022
Fresno Ceramics Artist Originally from Ukraine Raises Funds for her Homeland at ArtHop
Kathleen Schock
KVPR
NPR For Central California
April 29, 2022
Marina Holladay is a Ukrainian-born ceramicist who lives in Fresno. As the Russian invasion unfolds in her homeland, Holladay is using her connections to the local arts community to raise awareness, and money, for the people of Ukraine. Her handmade jewelry in the colors of the Ukrainian flag is available by donation at Scarab Creative Arts, Clay Mix and Root General in Fresno. . . .
Art is coming alive inside Scarab Creative Arts Center in downtown Fresno.
Artists have room to create, and now the space is open to the public.
"I always loved this building. I used to work here. My first job out of college was making stained glass windows here when it was Scarab Glassworks, which is why we kept the name Scarab because it's such an iconic place," said Maggie Courtis, owner of Scarab Creative Arts Center. . . .
Scarab Creative Arts
Opens in Iconic Building
in Downtown Fresno,
ABC 30 Action News
April 8, 2021
Local Artists at
Scarab Creative Arts
Busy Ahead of
Small Business Saturday
KGPE
Your Central Valley.com
November, 2021
The Saturday after Thanksgiving is known as Small Business Saturday. It was started by American Express in 2010 to encourage more holiday shopping at small businesses.
It’s one of several busy shopping days for local makers of arts and crafts.
Christmas shoppers seeking local handmade arts and crafts as gifts aren’t experiencing the inventory bottlenecks plaguing other types of items. . . .
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A Fresno artist originally from Ukraine said she simply couldn’t see the war going on, and see her home country in need and not do anything.
Now she’s been able to help by raising $6,000 for doctors without borders in Ukraine.
“For me as an artist I thought, when it’s so little you can do, art can bring us all together, and together we can make a difference, ” Mariana Holladay said. . . .
Fresno Artists Come Together to
Raise Money
for Ukraine at Scarab Creative Arts
Katherine Phillips
KSEE KGPE
May 5, 2022
Scarab Creative arts and Other Local Companies Raise Relief Funds for Ukraine Crisis, May 2022
Nico Payne
ABC Channel 30
NPR For Central California
April 29, 2022
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Companies both big and small are lending a hand to help with the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
From a simple bake sale to matching donations contributing hundreds of thousands in relief funds, Action News highlights some of the local efforts to help families in Ukraine and how you can take part.
In celebration of Art hop, for the month of March Scarab Creative Arts will be donating a percentage of its profits to help with relief efforts in Ukraine.
"The gallery is donating 10% of anything that sells in our gift shop to Ukraine and one of our members, Marina is from Ukraine and she is donating 100% of the revenue from her sales," said Maggie Courtis, Owner of Scarab Creative Arts.
Spring Awakening:
Downtown Fresno's
Scarab Creative Arts
Sara A Peterson-Comacho
Kings River Life Magazine
April 23, 2022
As the weather warms and the spring arts season kicks into full bloom, Scarab Creative Arts in downtown Fresno welcomes the return of ArtHop after its yearlong hiatus, offering up a variety of art exhibitions, classes, and other events, in addition to the ArtHop’s first-Thursday receptions.
Kings River Life reached out to Scarab’s founder Maggie Boyajian Courtis to get the scoop on what the one-of-a-kind creative space has in store for Fresno’s bustling arts community. . . .