Windows Of Sound

Last month, Arts Benicia hosted ‘Windows of Sound’, an exciting event designed by artist Tom Stanton and poet Ronna Leon which featured sound art by Artists, Poets, and Musicians. Here are some photos from the event! :

 

 

Edges of Light: Family Day

Though we are used to seeing artists at the Arts Benicia gallery, last Sunday we got to play host to crowd of little artists! At our Family Day, kids and their families were invited to admire our new photography exhibition while creating amazing photographs of their own using a photo process called solarization.

In the end, this event was a hit, bringing families and friends together for a sunny afternoon of artmaking. We would like to give a big thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers that helped to make this event possible, and we hope to see you all at our next family day!

Edges of Light: Now Open!

On October 9, we hosted a reception to celebrate the opening of our new exhibition “Edges of Light”. Those who came had a night to remember, experiencing the medium of photography in a whole new way while partaking in delicious hor d’oeurves and engaging conversation.

“Edges of Light” features works by a diverse range of artists that challenge existing ideas about what photography is, what its supposed to look like, and what techniques and materials are possible in its creation. Come see the exhibition for yourself between now and November 6 at the Arts Benicia gallery! Open hours are 12:00 – 5:00 pm, Thursday through Sunday.

Arts Benicia’s 18th Annual Art Auction!

Every September, art lovers and collectors from all over the Bay Area attend Benicia’s most exciting event: Art Benicia’s Benefit Art Auction! Now in its 18th year, the evening will once again feature auctioneer Ed Gold of Reynolds & Buckley to enhance the experience for donating artists and guests alike.

Come preview the artwork in the Arts Benicia gallerybetween now and September 19! Our gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from 12:00 – 5:00 pm.

For more information about this year’s art auction, check out: www.artsbenicia.org/currentexhibition.htm

ABAIR: Artists’ Talk

Last Saturday afternoon, the ABAIR project came to a close with a lively artists’ talk by John Ruszel and Alex Potts. Before a full house of visitors, the artists discussed what went into the creation of their work, from the concepts that inspired them to the nuts and bolts of their process.

Unfortunately, all good things must eventually come to an end. Though the ABAIR project has ran its course, it will be remembered fondly by everyone that had the opportunity to witness its amazing success. Thanks to everyone that made this project possible, and stay tuned for news about our upcoming auction!

ABAIR: Up & Running!

Last Thursday night, the gallery opened its doors to the public to celebrate the completion of artists Alex Potts and John Ruszel’s spectacular installations. Visitors had a wonderful time admiring and engaging with the artwork, and enjoyed the opportunity to discuss the works with the respective creators.

Visitors will have another chance to meet the artists before the installations are removed on Saturday, August 21 at 1:00. Alex Potts and John Ruszel will be giving an artist talk concerning the installations and answering general questions.

Yarn Bombed!

It’s official. Arts Benicia has been yarn bombed by BSIK – the Benicia Sisters in Knitting.  We don’t know just who they are, or where they’ll strike next, but these guerrilla knitters have given us a great gift.

If you’re like us and had never heard of yarn bombing before today, here’s the low down.  Yarn bombing (also known as  yarnbombing, graffiti knitting or yarnstorming ) is a type of temporary street installation that utilizes crocheted or knitted materials thought to have originated in Houston, TX. While yarn bombing is often interpreted as an attempt to reclaim a or personalize a space, we feel this  speaks to the tightly woven arts community not just in the arsenal district, but in Benicia as well.

While some places get a door handle cozy or a an exploding tube of color slinking down a pole in the neighborhood, we discovered over 70 individual little knit bombs draped from the railing outside the gallery door when we came in to work today. They sway and tinker in the breeze, beckoning the passersby  into the gallery like a stream of renegade secular prayer flags adorning a temple, and we love them.

We don’t  know how long these  little bombs will be with us.  A day? A week? A month? Until the rain comes? We suspect they’ll vanish in the dead of night, as quietly as they came. But they’re here now, and they are beautiful.

ABAIR Update: Open Hours are Over

With only a few days left before the opening, every moment counts as artists John Ruszel and Alex Potts work to complete their installation pieces. Here are a few photos from the last day of the project’s open hours:

In Ruszel’s work, long strings span the length of the gallery, connecting two large sculptures which hang on opposing walls.

 

Potts continues to work with gourds, fashioning them into interactive pieces by placing speakers and motion detectors inside of them.

The exhibition will open this Thursday, August 12, with a reception at 7:00 pm, and will continue through Friday, August 20th. There will also be an artist talk on Saturday, August 21 at 1:00 pm, where John Ruszel and Alex Potts will discuss this work and their processes with the public.

ABAIR: Installation in Progress

A quick sneak peak at Alex Potts’ installation in progress…

Potts & Ruszel  will be in the gallery working to finalize their installations before the opening next Thursday at 7:00, so come check their work in progress out between 1:00 and 5:00 this Saturday & Sunday!

ABAIR: Arts Benicia Artist In Residency Project

On July 20th, we kicked off the ABAIR project at Arts Benicia, welcoming artists John Ruszel and Alex Potts to create site specific installations in the gallery. The artists have 4 weeks to work out their ideas in the space, a substantial length of time that is rather unusual.

The contemporary art form of site specific installation  gives artists the opportunity to seize the totality of a given space. Just as painters use color, line, and shapes to create art on a canvas, installation artists create art within the space of a gallery. In this way, they create an environment in which the visitor not just views art, but is immersed in it.

Both Ruszel and Potts have created works of this nature in the past.

John Ruszel, Ring, 2010

A recent graduate from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Ruszel uses materials such as muslin, string, and wood to create tension sculptures.  Ruszel states that “with this installation, I plan to expand my explorations of physical forces such as gravity and tension to include the more subtle and subjective relationships between separate structures – the ways that components need not touch to interact, and the ways that parts can form a whole. hopefully, these structures will press people to move beyond the regular viewer/artwork mindset and experience the work more intimately.”

Alex Potts, Resonance, 2008

Potts, who holds a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Degree from San Francisco State University, is a sound sculptor who works with gourds. He  places speakers in each of the dozens of gourds hanging in his installations and uses them to amplify ambient sound. The gourds are arranged in the space to create sweeping shapes that transform it visually as well as sonically.