BAYarts June gallery shows

"Meditation" by Chris Benavides, oil on linen.

The powerhouse names in the BAYarts galleries this month are Chris Benavides, Jim Osborne and Eileen Dorsey.

Artists and friends Chris Benavides and Jim Osborne will be displaying work in the Sullivan Family Gallery, with an exhibition titled "A New Season." The pair had long and fulfilling careers as illustrators for the American Greetings Corporation where they were co-workers. Now they are both exploring new and varied artistic pathways, distinct from their former lives in the world of commercial art. This collection of personal artwork aims to reflect on what a new season of their lives will bring.

Between the pair of them, they have amassed several accolades and gallery inclusions.

Osborne especially likes building up washes and thick layers of paint as a process of creating a final product. This, he says, is a "satisfying process" for him. His artwork involves a laser-focused attention to realistic detail.

Benavides is keen on the simplicity and honesty that a work of art can bring. He explains that he likes there to be "no hidden meaning, or manifestos. Just a simple, honest reaction and response to what I see." As a way of continually honing his craft, he attends Open Studio at BAYarts, where artists work from a figure model. His emphasis on portraiture involves the creation of strong, striking compositions. The works also capture a romantic sense of atmosphere.

In her new body of work, painter Eileen Dorsey explores a sense of place and home. The exhibition is appropriately titled "Home Is Where the Art Is" and will be on display in the Dianne Boldman Education Gallery. Work in this collection is landscape-driven, featuring places Dorsey has had a personal connection with during her life. Some are locations from her childhood, while others are places she connected with as an adult.

Recently, Eileen Dorsey was voted Scene Magazine's Best Local Artist for 2018. Her artwork utilizes expressive painting techniques, manipulating oil paint with a palette knife that creates texture in the artwork. Dorsey also sometimes applies a softening effect by removing wet paint layers with paper.

Color is critical for Dorsey. She explains, "With a palette that changes for each painting, I make a point to challenge myself with color combinations." And the payoff is high.

One piece for the show features a scene of a beach cliff with a faint Cleveland skyline over Lake Erie. Between the open cerulean blue sky and intimacy of dusky shadows under the trees, Dorsey's point-of-view about feeling at home and connected to the beauty of nature is clear.

Opening receptions for both exhibitions will be Friday, June 8, from 7 to 9 p.m.

Jessica Stockdale

Jessica Stockdale is the Marketing Manager at BAYarts.

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Volume 10, Issue 11, Posted 10:10 AM, 06.05.2018