The public is invited to visit Benicia’s newest art gallery, the Arata Art Gallery, during the formal Grand Opening Celebration, and see the ‘sneak peek’ exhibit that shows one piece of work from each of the 25 artists who will be featured over the next two years. The celebration is scheduled for January 12, 2019, 11am-5pm at 637 First Street. Join owners Geri and John to see a wonderful art show in their new gallery, have a sip of wine, and taste complimentary savories and sweets.
Geri (Arata) and John Pruett fell in love with Benicia the first time they visited our special town. So much so, they immediately knew they wanted to make Benicia their “forever” home. A huge bonus attraction was that Benicia has such a thriving art community and a citizenry that supports the arts. Once moving here, Geri, a classically trained artist herself, wasted no time getting involved in Benicia’s art world.
In September, Geri noticed a for lease sign at 637 First Street in Benicia. She and John immediately inquired about the availability of the space, thinking it would be perfect for an art gallery. The prospect of joining the other fine galleries on First Street was exhilarating to them both.
After securing the lease, Geri and John busily began preparing the gallery space to create an optimal environment for showcasing beautiful art. The focus of the gallery is to represent both emerging and established artists from Benicia and the region in a variety of genres. All of the artists who will be represented have demonstrated excellence in portraiture, cityscape and landscape expressionism, pop art, contemporary fauve, abstract expressionism and more.
Water Break, Barbara Fracchia, Kensington, CA |
Ceramic sculpture, jewelry and photography artists, all of whom have exhibited superior skill in their medium and challenge the norm of their genre, will also exhibit at the new gallery. Local artists including Manon Jodoin, Terry Hughes, Jeffrey Tovar and Toby Tovar, are scheduled to have shows in the gallery along with regional artists Thalia Stratton, Barbara Fracchia, Bill Weber, and Richard Rico. Over twenty artists have been scheduled for 2019-20 to exhibit with an individual show. Some of the artists will experience having their very first solo show, and others have been featured many times in their careers.
Regular gallery hours will be Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 11am-5pm and Sundays 1-5pm. Check out the list of scheduled artists and an image of their work at Aratafineartgallery.com.
