SUMMER OF '09 ARCHIVES: Leaving a Mark

This was my interview with Fred Schlatter, a local artist most famous for developing many of the signs for businesses around town. His style is very unmistakable, so it was nice to put a face behind the man who'd been creating all those signs.
Probably the most interesting thing about covering this story is that when I went to interview Delando Pagan (Yes, I spelled his name wrong in the article) of The Rellik Tavern (which I think had been open for only a few months at this point), Christi had to go inside and bring him out because I was still under 21 at that point. All in all, this was a fun story to write. Fred was a very nice person, and as far as I know, he's still creating art, but I'm not sure if he's created any more signs.

Gallery 621 artists interpret winter

(Originally published in the 12/10/15 edition. The print edition misspelled Susan Aulik's name.)

   Winter is not the most pleasant time for a lot of people. The cold, wet and gray air and landscapes can make for a bittersweet couple of months. However, 12 Benicia artists have managed to find beauty in this polarizing season, and their interpretations of winter can be seen at Gallery 621’s current show “Rain: Art Inspired by Winter.”

   “Rain” has been running since Dec. 4, and it features various paintings, drawings and sculptures with each artist’s take on winter.

   “We always like to have a theme to paint to,” participating artist Lee Wilder Snider said. “It’s a nice motivator for artists to have a theme now and then to paint to.”

   The gallery named the show “Rain” but expanded the theme to encompass all of winter.

   “Although in Benicia, winter time really does mean rain,” Snider said.

   Snider was inspired by the gray colors of winter, and she was also excited to do a graphite drawing again.

   “I haven’t worked in black and white for a long time in terms of a graphite pencil,” she said. “I’m mainly a painter in oils and acrylics, so one of mine was done in graphite.”

   Other participating artists include Nikki Basch-Davis, Jerrold Turner, Susan Aulik, Robert Nelson and Kathy Oja. Some, like Basch-Davis, captured the mood of the rain while others, like Louise Victor took on a more abstract approach.

   “It’s just wonderful to see the beauty in both the pieces and how they resonate even with each other,” Snider said. “They’re very different approaches to painting.” 

   “It’s wonderful to see these two voices speaking to the same theme with their own style and eloquence.” 

   It is this variety that Snider appreciates most.

   “As one of the original members of Gallery 621, what I love doing is walking in and seeing the different voices of everyone who’s there and what they brought to the theme or in their own work,” she said. “It always is a joy to see how each painter or sculptor approaches their art, and it’s just an added interest when we have a theme and people speak to that with their own work.”

   The show has already become a huge hit among visitors. The gallery received an increase in visitors last week when neighboring Plein Air Gallery hosted a reception on the night of the Annual Tree Lighting, so people stopped by Gallery 621 afterwards. 

   “The people who were walking down to see the Holiday Tree Lighting stopped in and embraced what I call the art district,” Snider said. “It’s nice having a partnership down there with Plein Air.”

   The community embraced what they saw, and the show even captured the interest of kids.

   “A lot of families came in, and it was really heartwarming to see an 8-year-old grab his father and say ‘Come look at this one! Come look at this one, Dad!’” Snider said. “It was nice to have different age ranges too.”

   Snider hopes viewers continue to take in the work and reflect upon the theme.

   “I hope they engage with the work and look at all the different voices that speak,” she said. “Instead of a written message, it’s a feeling message. I hope the come away feeling good that this gallery is in Benicia and that people are painting about things and showing things and trying to capture what it means to be alive.”

   Gallery 621 is located on 309 First St. “Rain” will run until Jan. 31, and a reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 12. The artists hope to open up a dialogue on the season of winter and meet with the community. For more information, contact the gallery at (707) 297-6860. 

Why make art? Artists respond in new exhibit

(Originally published in the 10/14/15 edition)

   Why do artists make art? It’s a simple question, but every artist has their own take on why they pursue art for a living. This premise is the focus of Arts Benicia’s newest exhibition “Why Make Art: Twenty-Five Benicia Artists Respond.”

   The exhibit can be viewed at 991 Tyler Street starting today with an opening reception to be held on Saturday. Longtime Benicia photographer and event co-curator Hedi Desuyo posed the question “Why make art?” to 25 local artists. They responded with short statements which will be on display next to their works of art and will be accompanied with portraits taken by Desuyo.

   Desuyo says the project began a few years ago when she started taking portraits of the artists. From there, she had the idea to do an exhibit.

   “I wanted the exhibit to be more than just artists’ portraits,” she said. “I wanted some of the artists’ work, but I also wanted a statement on why they make art.”

   In her more than 30 years with Arts Benicia, Desuyo has seen plenty of artists come through, and she has felt they’ve had stories to tell.

   “Over the years, you see people who have always been here and newcomers,” she said. “You see their work, but you say ‘Who are they? Why are they using this particular subject matter?’ So I started posing that question ‘Why do you make art?’”

   Desuyo began emailing local artists with the titular question, and they all responded with their own reasons. Desuyo says she is impressed with the responses she’s gotten.

   “You think you know people, but you don’t know what’s inside with a lot of them,” she said. “For me, that’s one of the most rewarding parts.”

    The featured artists include Sam Morse, Pam Dixon, Manuel Neri, Mernie Buchanan and over 20 other Benicia artists. Desuyo says that the artists represented are very passionate about their work.

   “There are people who see art more as an escape or a hobby, but the people here are all serious about it,” she said.

   The artists took liberties in how they chose to answer the question. Some were only a sentence long, others were longer and one response by Lee Michael Altman was written in the form of a poem. 

   The responses also included some humor. One statement by Anthony Riggs begins “I paint because I am possessed. I hate paint. It’s sticky. It’s difficult to control. I get it in my hair. Paint is colored mud.”

   Riggs’s statement goes on to say how in spite of all this, he loves to paint and will do it again each day.

   “They’re all statements from the heart,” Desuyo said.

    The featured artworks include paintings, sculptures and even more abstract work like a stone hanging by fish hooks from a piece of wood, which was designed by Mike Kendall. 

   Desuyo says she hopes the exhibit gives visitors a chance to see what art making is all about. 

   “To me, every brush stroke is a decision,” she said. “There’s the decision of ‘What color am I putting here?’ or ‘Which direction is the brush going to go?’ I think that’s really fascinating.”

   “Why Make Art” will be on display at  Arts Benicia Suite No. 114, located at 991 Tyler St., until Sunday, Nov. 15. An opening reception will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. The gallery is open from noon to 5 p.m. on Wednesday through Sunday.