Arts Benicia gets playful in new juried exhibition

Diana Krevsky’s “Beware the Trollman,” a take on the popular Troll dolls, is one of the centerpieces of Arts Benicia’s new juried exhibition “The Art of the Toy,” which opens Saturday and runs through Dec. 22. (Photo by Nick Sestanovich)

In many respects, the holiday season is a nostalgia-inducing time for a lot of people. Whether it is the atmosphere, imagery or deluge of Christmas songs, even grown adults can not help but be whisked back to the days of opening presents under the tree and receiving the hottest new toys. Whether timeless playthings like train sets or dolls or less timeless items like Teddy Ruxpins or Furbies, there is a whimsical association with toys that adults look back on as they get older, largely due to the creativity and imagination that came with them.

It is this sense of nostalgia that Arts Benicia has chosen to tap into for its new juried exhibition “The Art of the Toy.”

The exhibit is a collection of works of art by 44 artists from throughout the country that explore the toy as a work of art and a vehicle for imagination. To select the most fitting works, Arts Benicia’s exhibition committee chose Tony Natsoulas as its juror. Natsoulas is a UC Davis fine arts graduate who serves as exhibition coordinator of the Coker Family Gallery at Blue Line Arts in Roseville. His own ceramic work has been described as very humorous, making him a good fit for a juried show regarding toys, Arts Benicia Exhibitions and Programs Manager Mary Shaw said.

“His work is very playful and ironic, sometimes sarcastic,” she said. “We thought he would be a good choice as a juror.”

A call was sent out online to artists from across the United States. Many of the selected artists came from Northern California, but others were chosen from as far away as Illinois and Georgia. Shaw said that much has changed with the advent of the internet about how juried exhibitions are conducted.

“Technology has changed the way art is viewed for juried shows,” she said. “It used to be that people would bring in their work, and since the jury is a competition the juror would come in and take a look at everybody’s work and say ‘Yes, this is in and this is out.’ They had to look at the actual physical work.”

“In some ways, it’s more difficult for the juror and the artist, in that the artist has to know how to present their work physically so that it is at its best in a jpeg, and the juror has to understand that as a facsimile, the jpeg is probably not going to show everything the work has,” she added. “Tony just knocked it out of the park. Since juried competitions are now viewed mostly digitally, he’s used to doing that as a juror.”

The work featured uses a variety of styles, including paintings, ceramics and a whole lot of 3-D work— all related to toys.

“This was an all-hands-on-deck show because of so much 3-D work,” Shaw said.

The works utilize a lot of youthful imagery, including building blocks, My Little Pony, teddy bears and more. Marie Bergstedt’s “Triker Girl” features a dress standing next to a tricycle made out of crochet. Other works are a bit more humorous. Mark Mattioli’s “Action Inc.” features a diorama of several action figures lining up outside a building to apply for a superhero position. Likewise, Susan Else’s “When Ponies Dream” is a motorized carousel made out of a quilted collage that when turned on, spins its pieces around, lights up and plays music as horses ride humans for a change.

Shaw appreciates the diversity on display.

“There’s less attachment to the viewer and more attachment to (the artists) themselves,” she said. “There’s a more personal element that you might not see in a more formal exhibit.”

“The Art of the Toy” will open Saturday, Dec. 3 and run through Thursday, Dec. 22. A member preview featuring a walk-through with Natsoulas will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. tonight at Arts Benicia. This event is not open to the public, but the opening reception from 2 to 4 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3— in conjunction with Open Studios— will be. Additionally, Family Art Day will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11. All events will be held at the Arts Benicia Gallery, located at 991 Tyler St., Suite No. 114. Additionally, through Dec. 18, Arts Benicia will be accepting donations of non-toxic art supplies and toys for the Benicia Community Action Council. A donation station will be set up in the gallery.

For more information on any of the above items, contact the gallery at 747-0131.