Benician’s documentary depicts work on city-commissioned ‘Wind, Water, Land’

When a work of art is put on display, it is the finished piece that the viewer sees. What happens behind the scenes — the hours of planning, design and trial and error — usually remains an untold tale.

Fortunately for Benicia art lovers, when it comes to the Benicia Arts and Culture Commission’s first public art piece, “Wind, Water, Land,” that isn’t the case.

A 20-minute documentary by local filmmaker John Beck depicts the work that went into creating the five-panel metal and glass work that was unveiled in March at the Benicia Community Center. The film is now available on DVD.

“It’s a behind-the-scenes (look at) very prominent local artists,” said Beck, whose works include “Harvest” and “The Monks of Vina.”

“When a work of art is displayed for the first time in the gallery, you don’t get to see all the stuff that went into it. Now we are getting to see all of the behind-the-scenes, you know, the backstory. It’s kind of a peek behind the curtain.”

In the film, artists Brian Giambastiani, Mike Kendall, David Lindsay, David Nourot, Micheal Nourot and Nick Nourot are shown creating the work. Beck said filming took about a year, beginning with meetings, then moving to the creation of the glass and metal components that would be used in the final piece.

When Beck first started filming the artists, they were working separately in their own studios, making it difficult for him to conceptualize how the work would come together. Early in the film Giambastiani, lead artist of the project, is seen spray painting the frame layout on the floor of his workshop.

“Brian had the vision from the beginning,” Beck said.

It wasn’t until later in the project that a moment came that Beck considers one of the more exciting in the film.

“The frames were in Brian’s studio. When they finally dropped in the glass orbs that David (Lindsay) made and Nick Nourot’s cattails, we just kind of stood back, had a beer and looked at it — it was like, ‘Oh wow, I can finally see how it’s coming together.’ It was a little moment three-fourths of the way through.”

Beck said when he first started filming the artists, he didn’t know them well. “But they slowly opened up. Before long they were texting me saying, ‘Hey, you gotta come down, we’re going to be doing the cattails again today!’

“It was a cool accomplishment. I think they all feel like they were part of something special. Not just the film but the making of the art.

“And for me it was an excuse to hang out with artists.”

Beck said he sees “Wind, Water, Land” frequently and enjoys the reaction others — especially kids — have to it.

“What’s fun for me is, I have a four-year-old daughter … (who) goes to preschool (at the Community Center), and I get to see the artwork two or three times a week. The kids think they’re cool, and I get to say ‘Oh yeah, I saw that being made.’”

A DVD of the documentary is available for purchase for a $10 donation at Benicia Public Library, Benicia Main Street, Bookshop Benicia, Camellia Tea Room and Benicia Certified Farmers Market.

The documentary also will be shown at the Benicia Film Festival at the Majestic Theater on Sept. 6.