Who: “Varela: A Second Life” Art Exhibit/Reception
When: Reception: Saturday, January 6, 2007, 5:30-7:00 pm, exhibit will run throughout January.
Where: D’Arte Center at 115 E. Jackson in Harlingen, Tx.
Contact: Celeste De Luna @ litebluna@yahoo.com or (956)454-1809
D’Arte Center is pleased to announce the opening of a new art exhibit titled “A Second Life” by artist Benjamín P. Varela. Varela was born in Brooklyn, New York and lived and made his art in Wisconsin, Chicago, and currently in South Texas. In 1980s Chicago he was a member of the respected Mexican Printmaking Workshop during which he made large abstract prints (monotypes). Varela’s prints are in the collections at the Bronx Museum and The Museum of South Texas in Corpus Christi. He is affiliated with the Narciso Martinez Cultural Center in San Benito and co-curated the exhibit “Graphico Popular En Chicago” in June 2006. In 1999 he received his BFA in Kingsville and his MFA from UTPA Edinburgh in 2005. He is also a member of the Harlingen Art Forum and teaches art at UTPA and STC.
Varela is well known regionally for his unmistakable style of painting, using dots and patterns depicting a personal iconography based on his life and memories. Flying turtles,
“casitas” with faces, checkered horses, the sun, and moon are all part of Varela’s harmonious opera of imagery. The artist states “The mind produces images of our experiences, which gives energy to create the ideas in visual form. This is what I call the power of the image.”
An interesting aspect to this exhibit is the artist’s connection to Harlingen. Bill De Brooke, local Harlingen community leader and art collector has the largest collection of Varela’s work, a total of about 20pieces. DeBrooke will be lending D’Arte Center part of his collection for this exhibit. A reception will be held with artist January 6, 2007 from 5:30-7:00pm at D’Arte Center (115 E. Jackson St.) This will be followed by Varela giving a lecture on his work on January 22, 2006 at D’Arte Center at 6:30pm.
TAOB Note: Harlingen will be hosting its fourth artwalk on January 6, 2007 from 4:00-6:00 pm after Jackson Street Market Days. People can expect to see walk to 12 locations to see art, have refreshments, as well as a live band on the street.
D' Arte Center at 115 East Jacson will have maps to the Artwalk locations. Please contact Artwalk organizer Celeste De Luna at litebluna@yahoo.com or (956) 454-1809 for more information.
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