September 2020 Featured Artist

ROBERT NELSON

September 4th through September 27th

Robert Nelson’s art involves primarily recycled materials assembled into whimsical Assemblage Sculptures.  A lot of Bob’s sculpture materials are found along Benicia’s shoreline.   This trash trove might have floated out on to the Bay and Ocean if not saved for Bob’s creations.   As a retired County Planner he is acutely aware of our Throw-away Society and our ever growing landfills.  With that in mind the hidden message in his work is Let’s do a better job reducing trash and how we dispose of it.  Driven by his sense of community, vivid imagination and wicked sense of humor he’s doing just that.    

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Always a fan of Outsider and Folk Art, Bob adds visual movement to his sculptures bringing what was static trash a new life and story.  Robert Arneson’s work has long been a favorite of Bob’s so he enjoys keeping Arneson’s mischievous and playful touch alive and well in Benicia.

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August 2020 Featured Artist

Gallery 621 Featured Artist

for the month of August: 

Daniel Hunter

PAGES

from the book

Everything Explained

Once again, Hunter has developed a new style of work for his featured show.  The work is a selection of pages from an imaginary book, Everything Explained.  Each page features enigmatic lines of text in rich colors and shapes, surrounded by the border of contrasting colors and shapes.  The effect is intriguing, and challenges the viewer in terms of whether to regard the pages as mysterious text or as paintings.  Viewed either way, the work ranges from bright and playful to more dark and serious, and leaves the viewer to wonder what secrets were contained in missing pages.

Each page is painted with enamel on 16” X 20” thin wooden sheets that are affixed to wooden panels.  Hunter uses a reverse process in which he first applies blended color, then a material that preserves that color while he adds another layer of paint.  Layer upon layer is built up in this way until he is satisfied with the result….or sands down the paint and starts again.  This is a very similar process he used when working with layers of ceramic glaze on his clay work.

Hunter’s new work can be seen at Gallery 621 from August 7 to September 6, Friday through Sunday from 12:00 to 6:00 PM.  The gallery is located at 309 First Street, Benicia. There will not be a reception for this exhibition.  Please wear a face mask.  Hand sanitizer is provided at the door. 

Page 7, from the book Everything Explained

Page 7, from the book Everything Explained

October 2019 Featured Artist

Remembering Kathy Oja

The members of Gallery 621 are remembering and honoring Kathy Oja with a featured artist exhibition. The show is from Thursday, October 3rd through Sunday, October 27th with a reception Saturday October 12th, 2 - 7 pm.

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Kathy Oja, Benicia resident, artist and member of Gallery 621 passed away suddenly and unexpectedly July 1, 2019.  Of Finnish descent, petite, blonde and blue eyed, the spirit of her art always expressed her great love of the Mexican culture.  Kathy’s artwork progressed from colorful acrylic brush paintings to collage and finally to the technique she developed. Using spray paint she built intensely vivid pieces with great depth applying seemingly endless layers of integrated patterns.  Kathy’s expressive work was selected for the Sutter-Solano Hospital Collection as well as numerous private collections.