An example of Tom Stanton’s paintings of the Carquinez Strait. Stanton’s paintings will be paired with Joel Fallon’s poetry for the new Benicia Public Library exhibit “My Town is a River Town at the Edge of Land,” which has its opening reception Saturday, May 13. (Painting by Tom Stanton)

The newest exhibition at the Benicia Public Library combines the work of a painter with the work of a poet.

“My Town is a River Town at the Edge of Land” is a showcase of the work of artist Tom Stanton and poet Joel Fallon, who was appointed as Benicia’s first poet laureate in 2005, a position he held from 2006 to 2008. Both artists frequently captured Benicia in their artistic output. Stanton has been painting images of the Carquinez Strait for nearly 30 years, and Benicia was a recurring topic in many of Fallon’s poems. The works were a natural match, so Stanton considered the idea two years ago to have the show at the Library’s Marilyn Citron O’Rourke Gallery where Fallon’s poems about Benicia would be displayed alongside Stanton’s paintings of the Strait.

“I thought it would be great fun and informational to the public to put his poetry on the wall and combine them with my paintings,” Stanton said.

However, Fallon died in August of last year as the show was being planned. Although Stanton intended for the exhibition to be held while Fallon was still alive, he decided to still move forward with it. In addition to the exhibit, there will also be a poetry reading featuring all of Benicia’s living poets laureate. Stanton said the primary idea of the reading and the show is still for attendees to have fun.

“It is still primarily an art exhibit,” he said. “There’s still paintings on the wall with poems next to the paintings.”

The exhibition will feature a selection of Stanton’s paintings of the Carquinez Straits from 1988 to 2016. The paintings are all oil paintings that depict the landscape and waterscape of the Straits, but Stanton said the depictions are varied.

“They run the gamut, depending on the year, from relatively abstract to quite literal,” he said.

As he had done for other shows in the past, Stanton opted to exhibit the works at the library because of its accessibility.

“I find it to be probably the only venue in town where I reach every audience,” he said. “Arts Benicia certainly has its audience and reach, but it’s not everywhere. The Library seems to cover all the bases.”

Additionally, Stanton said the Library presents a unique method of bringing poetry to the public and making it more accessible, something Fallon strongly believed in.

“My Town is a River Town at the Edge of Land” will be displayed from Wednesday, May 10 to Wednesday, June 14. The opening reception will be held beginning at 3 p.m., Saturday, May 13 at the Library’s gallery, located at 150 East L St. Additionally, there will be a poetry reading at 6 p.m., Thursday, May 18 at the gallery, where all the living poets laureate as well as other Benicia bards will read Fallon’s poems and poems of their own inspired by Fallon’s work. An open mic session will follow.

“It’s like a circle game,” Stanton said. “It really makes it a living event.”

Both events are free and open to the public. The Library’s hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays; and noon to 6 p.m., Fridays through Sundays. For more information, contact the Library at 746-4343.

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