An exhibit at Monterey Museum of Art pays tribute to one of MoCo's most recognized--and unknown--local artists.

One of Monterey County''s most ubiquitous artists is finally getting some recognition. From the statue of Father Junipero Serra at the intersection in Carmel where Serra Avenue, Portola Road, and Guadalupe Street collide, to the historical sculptures that grace the courthouse in Salinas on Alisal Street, Jo Mora''s artistic impact on the county is everywhere. But, although some of Jo Mora''s works have become landmarks, relatively few people know the artist behind them.

This Friday, the Monterey Museum of Art opens "Jo Mora: Artist and Writer," an exhibit devoted to the artist who lived in the area from about 1920 to the time of his death in 1947.

"In many ways, his work is recognized by many people but not identified as being created by him," says Peter Hiller, guest curator for the exhibit. "For instance, the Father Serra statue in Carmel Woods. Everybody has driven by it but doesn''t recognize it was created by him. The Salinas courthouse is another example, there''s no indication that it''s done by him or anybody else. It''s not publicly proclaimed that it was created by him.

"There was a humbleness about him. He loved the work he did, but didn''t necessarily call attention to it. This is an opportunity to toot his horn for him."

According to Hiller, this exhibit will help bring attention to Mora''s regional significance, and the range of his endeavors. "We have work from somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 to 40 different lenders, from as far away as Illinois. The exhibit spans the different media that Jo Mora worked in." And that''s saying a lot.

Mora had an artistically restless soul that pushed him to work in almost every media imaginable. "We have watercolors, pencil drawings, sculptures, oil paintings, as small as a 4" by 6" pencil drawing to a mural he painted for the Canterbury Hotel in San Francisco," says Hiller.

Mora, who was born in Uruguay, moved to Massachusetts with his family at an early age. After serving in the army during World War I, he brought his family to the Peninsula. Although Mora is probably best known as a "cowboy artist" who recorded the life and times of western saddlemen, his wide-ranging historical interests drove him to write two books on the history of the West (Trail Dust and Saddle Leather and Californios.)

"[Mora] had a seemingly unabashed love of creative endeavors," says Hiller. "There doesn''t seem to be any challenge that he backed away from. And he succeeded with everything he ever tried."

In conjunction with the exhibit at Monterey Museum of Art, both the Monterey History and Art Association (at Casa Serrano in Monterey) and the Carmel library (at the Park branch) will be showcasing their collections of works by Mora.

Opening Receptions

Gallery at Ventana

"Whale Totems." Dedication of large marble whale sculpture by Warren Arnold is followed by exhibit of smaller marble wildlife works. Also, "Alchemy of Possibility," works by Carolyn Mary Kleefeld taken from her book of the same name. Next to the Ventana Restaurant, Highway 1, Big Sur. 667-2787. Reception: 6/27, 2:30pm. Through: 6/30.

Monterey Museum of Art

"Watercolors on Paper," works by Marie Brumund. (Also "Jo Mora: Artist and Writer." Through 9/6. (See story this page.) 559 Pacific St., Monterey. 372-5477. Reception: 6/26, 5:30pm. Through: 8/16.

Pitzer''s of Carmel

One-day exhibit of paintings by Bev Doolittle. Dolores Street and 6th Avenue, Carmel. 625-2288. Reception: 6/27, all day. Through: 6/27.

Art Listings

Back Porch Fabrics and Quilt Gallery

"Painting with Fabric." An exhibit of quilts by Margie Copsey. 157 Grand Ave., Pacific Grove. 375-4453. Through: 6/26.

Call for Entries

The Monterey County Fair is seeking entries for its annual exhibits and contests. Categories include: Photography, two- and three-dimensional arts, floriculture and more. Entry deadline is 7/8. For more information call 372-5863 or 757-3110. Through: 7/8.

Call for Entries, The Sequel

The Carmel Business Association is looking for a new logo. First, second and third prizes will be awarded. Deadline 6/30. For more info call 624-2522.

Carl Cherry Center for the Arts

Mixed-media sculptures by Norman Foster and mixed-media drawings by Diana Greenleaf. Guadalupe Street and 4th Avenue, Carmel. 624-7491. Through: 6/26.

Carmel Art Association

"Orphans of the Storm." Art work in various media featuring animals. Five works will be auctioned off, as a benefit for the SPCA, during a 6/28 garden party. Plus, an exhibit of work by CAA''s seven newest members. Also, watercolors by Edwin Adamson, Alicia Meheen, Margaret Roberts, William F. Stone, Jr. and Edward Norton. Dolores Street, between 5th and 6th avenues, Carmel. 624-6176. Through: 7/1.

Carmel Valley Manor

"The Canals of England." Color photographs and stories of English canals by Mary Adair. 8545 Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel. 626-4711. Through: 7/31.

Chapman Gallery

Works by SC Yuan, Hank Ketcham, Ron Elstad, Keith Lindberg and Colden Whitman. Also portrait artist Gail Reeves will be painting in the gallery every Saturday. 7th Avenue, between San Carlos and Mission streets, Carmel. 626-1766. Through: 9/6.

Clark Fine Arts

Impressionist works by W. Watts (early Carmel), H. Dooley (Carmel modernist), and YS Lin (contemporary). Cannery Row Antique Mall, 471 Wave St., Monterey. 655-0264. Through: 7/12.

First Murphy House

Turn-of-the-century summer dresses from the Gallery of Historic Costumes. Lincoln Street and 6th Avenue, Carmel. 624-4447. Through: 7/31.

Gray''s Art Gallery

"Jimi Claybrooks." Full-size reproductions of Claybrooks'' egg tempera paintings. 1104 Broadway Ave., Seaside. 899-1069. Through: 7/12.

Grove Homescapes

Paintings and monotypes by Marie-Louise Rouff. 472 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. 656-0864. Through: 6/30.

Juice and Java

Watercolors by Mary Ellen Okelberry. 599 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. 373-8652. Through: 7/16.

La Mirada

"Fragile Traditions: The Art of the Asmat." Traditional works by native people of New Guinea from the collection of Loet Vanderveen; "Armin Hansen and William Ritschel: California Paintings from the Permanent Collection," through 7/26; "Gardens as Art and Sacred Space," an exhibit that combines photography, painting, and mixed media installations that "rejoice in the extraordinary bloom of the garden, after our devastating winter." Featured artists are Elizabeth Murray, Mary Holmes, Susan Dorf and Jeanne J. Templeton, through 7/17. 720 Via Mirada, Monterey. 372-5477.

Monterey Peninsula Airport

"In Flight." In addition to humans, migratory birds visit Monterey each year. See the humorous avian art and photographs in the Mezzanine Gallery: Also "A Bird''s Eye View," fourth and fifth grade students from Bay View School take an artsy look at our area from above. In the Upper Level Gallery. Off Monterey-Salinas Hwy. 68, Monterey. 624-7910. Through: 6/30.

Pacific Grove Art Center

"Collective Visions." Photograph works by the 44-member group, The Image Makers. "In Twisted Color," photographs by Cheri Gyuro; "Naturally Stoned," sculptures by Lauren Becker; "Saturday''s Nudes," drawings by Betty Rees Heredia and class. 568 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. 375-2208. Through: 7/10.

PG Museum of Natural History

"Leaping Elk, Dancing Men: Prehistoric Art of the Russian Altay." Photographs by Christopher Hulse; "Wildflowers of Monterey County," landscape photos by Linda L. Smith (through 6/30). 165 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. 648-3116. Through: 8/16.

Rox Arcana

Group show by members of Monterey Bay Metal Arts Guild featuring jewelry and other small metal works. Carmel Plaza, Ocean Avenue and Junipero Street, Carmel. 624-3122. Through: 7/31.

Sculpture House and Gardens

"Spirit of the Human Form." All new works from Gay Gordon, Christopher Moon, Mark Bava and Jane Morba. Four miles south of Rio Road on Highway 1, Carmel Highlands. 624-2476. Through: 7/30.

Searle Art

Figurative drawings by Rick Harper, Melanie Yanez, Anita Benson; "Paris Metro Stops," works by J. Williamson. 639 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. 373-0126. Through: 7/3.

Shallcross Gallery

Abstract oil paintings and prints by Mira Kamada. Inside Galerie Monterey, 499 Calle Principal, Monterey. 655-0642. Through: 7/31.

Stowitts Museum

"Stars of the Golden Age of Dance." An exhibit of performance paintings of dancers Anne Pavlova, Michel Fokine, Tamara Karsavina, Adolph Bolm, Vera Fokine, Isadora Duncan, Stowitts and Nijinsky. 591 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. 655-4488. Through: 6/30.

Valley Art Gallery

"Steinbeck Country." Members of VAG present works based on storylines and points of interest in Steinbeck''s writings. 218 Main St., Salinas. 422-4162. Through: 6/29.

Vehicle Gallery

Photographs of Central Coast wildflowers by Caroll Bernstein and Lou Bernstein. In Camera Exchange, 551 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. 373-0448. Through: 6/30.

Weston Gallery

"Selected Artists." Photographic works by Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Irving Penn, Yousouf Karsh, Paul Strand and Imogen Cunningham. 6th Avenue, between Dolores and Lincoln streets, Carmel. 623-4453. Through: 8/31.

Winfield Gallery

Large-scale ceramic sculptures of fruits and vegetables by Betty Spindler; "Symbols of Life," monotypes reflecting "symbology universal to all cultures and people" by Tracy Adams. 6th Street, between San Carlos and Dolores streets, Carmel. 624-3369. Through: 7/3.

Zantman Art Galleries

Premiere Carmel exhibit of still life paintings by Robert Douglas Hunter. 6th Street and Mission Avenue, Carmel. 624-8314. Through: 7/10.