The Arts Benicia Gallery, located at 991 Tyler Street, Suite 114, in Benicia, is pleased to present "WOODwards (keepers of the wood)", a survey of contemporary art made from or about wood. The exhibition is juried by artist Robert Brady, who will also be exhibiting a selection of his work. The exhibition is from June 8 through July 21, 2002. A reception will take place at the Arts Benicia Gallery on Saturday June 15 at 3:00 pm.

Wood is a material which has been used by artists and artisans throughout art history in singularly diverse ways. Asian, European, African, and indigeonous cultures everywhere have carved, burned, joined, laminated, assembled, peeled, polished, painted, and stained wood for centuries to fashion religious, cultural, and ceremonial objects representing a fabulous variety of artistic expression.

About Robert Brady, juror: Noted Bay Area artist Robert Brady established his reputation in the 1970's as one of the moving forces in Bay Area California Figurative Ceramic Sculpture. In 1990 he began working in carved wood and mixed media, continuing to use figurative and mask forms, and adding new, more abstracted references. The recipient of several NEA Fellowships and numerous guest artist and lecturer appearances, Mr. Brady has work in numerous public and private collections, including the San Francisco Fine Art Museum, the Oakland Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum, the Stedelijik Museum in Amsterdam, and the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian.

Arts Benicia is located at 991 Tyler Street, Suite 114 in Benicia, California.
Gallery hours: Thursday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. or by appointment
For more information please call 707-747-0131