PREVIOUS EVENTS

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ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH!

     SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: RE:FORM PILATES

By: Mariah Ring

    Whether you are a novice or an expert in Pilates, RE:Form in Downtown Modesto has a class for you. With upwards of thirty classes a week, hosted by their certified staff, there is a class for everyone. Owner Julie Betts-Albert is a life-long athlete and has been an ACE certified trainer since 2003, becoming a Pilates instructor in 2007. In 2019, she took over as owner of RE:Form and moved to their current location, at 1211 J St. in 2020. 

     Julie was originally on track to start a CrossFit journey to improve her obstacle course  racing skills when an opportunity to teach Pilates arose. After a major setback presented itself in the form of an injury, Julie recovered through the practice of Pilates. Pilates equipment allows users to heal pain and gain strength while remaining therapeutic, which allowed Julie to keep moving in a way that benefitted her. She stated that her goal with RE:Form is to reduce the pain others experience and that she wants people to feel their best. Her favorite part about running the studio is when attendees are able to leave class no longer in pain and are able to experience longer periods between episodes of pain if they have chronic conditions. She is passionate about helping others improve their health and well-being and proud that she can offer an array of classes to meet clients at any experience level.

      RE:Form is a spacious studio with multiple rooms to accommodate different class sizes and types. They offer pre-Pilates, Pilates, and progress level classes to best meet the needs of every experience level. Several pieces of Balance Body equipment are available for use, including reformers, Pilates chairs, spring boards, a ladder barrel, and a trapeze table. On occasion, dance and yoga classes are offered at the studio, which includes YEP’s monthly community yoga gathering. In addition to partnering with YEP, RE:Form works with different local organizations each month to fundraise. 

      To see a schedule of classes, purchase a membership, or learn more about RE:Form, visit them on Instagram, @modestoreforms, or at their website linked below!

ORGANIZATION SPOTLIGHT: DOWNTOWN

STREETS TEAM - MODESTO

By: Mariah Ring

       Over the past five years, the Downtown Streets Team (DST) has housed over 150 Team Members in Modesto. DST “builds Teams that restore dignity, inspire hope, and provide a pathway to recover from homelessness” by providing valuable experience and case management to those experiencing homelessness, who are referred to as Team Members. DST is able to help Team Members with a unique working model that utilizes volunteer Team Members to clean up communities while providing work experience and fostering self-sufficiency.

      The Downtown Streets Team organization has been operational since 2005 when founder and former CEO, Eileen Richardson, saw a need for a program like this in her own community. After starting the non-profit locally, it began to grow and spread into several other California cities. In 2019, Modesto welcomed DST to the city as they realized that this could greatly benefit their growing population of people experiencing homelessness. Starting with just their flagship program for volunteers, the Modesto branch of DST has evolved into so much more and has benefitted not only team members, but also the community. The DST Flagship Program is a volunteer work-experience program that allows those that are experiencing homelessness to join a Team that works to clean up parks, streets, waterways, and other public spaces. Modesto also has a dedicated volunteer Parks Team that focuses on the beautification of local parks and trails. The Streets Team Enterprises (STE) is the social enterprise piece of DST that focuses on supporting individuals with barriers. Individuals are hired to lead DST volunteer Teams, which allows for transitional employment and skill development for more permanent positions. Unique to Modesto is an Alumni Program whose goal is to keep Team Members housed after completion of their program and housing placement. Case managers help Team Members and alumni with housing navigation, connect them to community resources, help figure out move-in costs, and any other individualized support that Team Members may need. 

     To join the Team, individuals must attend a weekly Success Meeting to first join the program waitlist, which are hosted every Wednesday at 12 PM. At these meetings, individuals will learn about the benefits of joining the Team, such as building community, sharing resources, case management support, and basic need stipends.  Celebrating successes of Team Members and acknowledging their growth throughout the program are important parts of the journey, according to Project Managers Collin Brown and Andrea Carranza Olivares. Collin expressed that treating Team Members as Human Beings is at the forefront of what DST does and ensuring that they feel not only empowered but also dignified changes so much for their confidence. Witnessing individuals' growth during their journey is Andrea’s favorite part of her position, seeing how a little bit of love and care can go a long way to help discover self-worth and self-confidence. The work that DST has done and continues to do in the community is much needed and has impacted the lives of the over 150 members housed, as well as the surrounding community.

     To learn more about their programs, join the team, or learn more about volunteering opportunities - attend one of DST’s weekly Success Meetings, held on Wednesdays at 12 PM at 623 H St. in downtown Modesto. For additional resources, visit DST online at their website linked below, or their Instagram, @dst_modesto

CREATIVE NATIVE Q & A: PUKA TUTIS POTTERY

 Q: What is your name and hometown?

A: Julienne ‘Puka’ Pin. My hometown is Pleasanton CA, but I have been living in Stockton, CA for 8 years.

Q: How were you first introduced to art?

A: I was first introduced to art when I was gifted a polymer clay kit for Christmas one year. I quickly fell in the love with the tangible medium, and began sculpting miniature woodland creatures and mountainous landscapes. By age 13 I had moved on to stoneware clay and began to create more functional forms at my middle school’s Pottery Club. This marked the beginning of my pottery journey.

Q: What is your favorite medium to work with and why?

A: My all time favorite medium to work with is red clay. There is something magical about taking a humble ball of clay, transforming it with your hands into a unique masterpiece, and then having the freedom to squish it back down and mold it into something entirely new, embodying the endless possibilities of creativity and rebirth. I specifically love to work with red clay because it helps me reconnect with my Andean ancestors. I can feel their whispers guide my process and I hope to build upon their legacy.

Q: Is creating art your full time career? If not, is that your goal?

A: I am a full-time Ceramic Artist and Instructor at my home-based pottery studio. I am also the newly appointed President of the San Joaquin Potters Guild and have big plans for the Central Valley! My current goal is to create a larger Ceramic studio for our community to provide a much needed creative outlet and safe space, for children and adults alike, to experience the beauty of clay. I am quickly outgrowing my current space!

Q: Where do you find inspiration? Are there artists that inspire you?

A: Spending a lot of my childhood in Perú, I have always been surrounded and inspired by indigenous ceramic art. As a child, walking through the streets of Lima and Cusco, I was always called to the Artisans of the Incan Market. Admiring the passion and the painstaking detail of the works of art displayed at each booth, I could only hope that one day I would find myself amongst them, sharing our culture with the world. I hope to make my ancestors proud!

Q: Do you have advice for youth that are interested in pursuing a career in the arts but may be anxious to start?

A: For young artists, looking to pursue a career in the arts, I will always share the quote, “Feel the Fear and do it Anyways”. Put yourself and your work out there. Embarrass yourself. This is the price of entry to become an experienced and polished artist. How can people know you exist if they haven't seen your work? How can you improve if you haven’t shown your work to the world and gotten any feedback? Nowadays social media is an amazing tool for a working artist to get their name out there. I especially love it because it physically documents your growth, and it is easy to scroll back to the beginning of your feed and see how far you have come. There are also a ton of local opportunities to display and sell your work, so don’t be shy and become a part of your community!

Q: What do you believe is the most prominent or most recurring theme in your art? What does this theme mean to you?

A: Through my work, I try to display the idea of “The Cycle of Life” and “Rebirth”. I tend to gravitate towards natural forms such as plants and animals with a focus on serpents and fungi. Both of these entities have their own unique way of displaying this theme. The serpent, a prominent symbol in my culture, represents the connection between the earthly realm and the underworld. Serpents embody the idea that death is not to be feared, and by shedding their skin and emerging anew, they represent a continuous cycle of death and rebirth. Fungi, on the other hand, flourish in decay and bestow new life to the world. This theme has been important in my journey through life, as I’ve personally had to go through these cycles of rebirth, spending many years healing from generational traumas. Through the embracement of my art and culture, I am slowly reborn in the image and likeness of my ancestors, and can feel my spirit more closely in alignment with who I was always meant to be.

Q: Where can people go to view or purchase your art?

A: My Ceramic Art is available for viewing through my website, my Instagram, and in person at the Haggin Museum Store. I also frequently attend local markets and craft shows. Follow my Instagram page to stay updated on my pottery journey!

Website: www.pukatutis.com

Instagram: @puka.tutis

Q: Do you have any community events or collaborations coming up that you would like to promote?

A: My next upcoming show will be at the San Joaquin Potters Guild “Fine Arts Festival”  located at the Central United Methodist Church, on November 22nd & 23th. This will be our 29th Annual show, where artists of all mediums come together to showcase their incredible handmade masterpieces! Just in time for the holidays, this is the perfect place to find some thoughtful and unique gifts!

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS