Curriculum Vitae
1948 Born in York, PA
Currently work and live in Costa Mesa, CA
Gar Benedick is an emerging artist working in both abstract fine art photography and abstract acrylic painting. His passion is to create the invisible, visible. His fine art photography is created in the camera at the time of exposure. Gar likes using a "Real World" medium (photography) to create abstract art. He is fond of saying the photograph finds him and he becomes the vehicle through which the art finds its way to the print. His fine art acrylic paintings on canvas take inspiration from his photography and the unrecognized characteristics of everyday life giving him the freedom to create from the images in his mind.
Education
1971 BS in Landscape Architecture, Penn State University, State College, PA
This education was/is very instrumental in developing his visual perception
1971 Self-taught in photography and darkroom techniques
1974 Studied photography under Arthur Taussig & John Upton, Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, CA
Exhibitions
2021
June - Themed show “Spectrum Gestalt” at the bG Gallery at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, CA - One original abstract photograph (Giclee on metal) in the show.
NOTE: Most of 2020 and 2021 consumed by Covid.
2020
October - Themed online show "Patterns" - Grey Cube Gallery in Los Angeles, CA - Two original abstract photograph in the show.
Feb 1 - Mar 28 - Themed show "Into the Light" - at OCCCA Gallery in Santa Ana, CA - One original abstract photograph (Giclee on metal) in the show.
2019
Nov 8 - 9 - Holiday Art Show at Costa Mesa Women’s Club - 10’ x 10’ booth set up with multiple photographic and acrylic art work and original art clothing items.
Oct 19 - Nov 2 - Themed show "Portal" - bG Gallery at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, CA - I had 2 original abstract photographs (Giclee on metal) in the show. One sold before opening night.
Sept 6 & 7 - ArtVenture 2019 - Costa Mesa's Premier Juried Art Event - I had 3 works of art accepted, two original abstract photographs (Giclee on metal) and one acrylic abstract painting.
Aug 3rd - First Annual 3G (Grapes, Galleries, Guitars) Wine Tasting event at the Newport Beach Country Club. The evening was about wine, art and music. Artists showing by invitation only. I displayed two acrylic painting and two fine art original photographs printed Giclee on aluminum.
July - Online exhibition through FusionArtps.com – Theme: Lines, Shapes, Objects - One original fine art photograph accepted. "Abstraction5744"
June 23 - Aug 4 - One acrylic painting, "Twogether Again" 40" x 30", juried into Showcase Gallery's "Print Paint Draw" show. The Showcase Gallery is located in Santa Ana behind the temporary Orange County Museum of Art.
June 19 - Two works of art (one photograph and one acrylic painting) accepted for the Orange County Chapter of the AIA Annual ArtWalk held at the Orange County Museum of Art. The photograph, "Abstraction 3338", was awarded a Juror's Choice award.
May 31 - July 4 - Two abstract original photograph Giclee prints on aluminum were juried into the fine art show at the San Diego Fair in Del Mar, CA in the "non-representational" fine art section. One work was awarded an Honorable Mention and sold shortly after the show by a fair goer. Click here to see these two prints...
March 1-17th - Two abstract paintings and one fine art abstract photography in the Brooks Theater Gallery in Oceanside, CA
February - Eleven painting shown in the 484 North Gallery in Laguna Beach, CA. 2 large paintings, 48" x 30" and 30" x 40" and 9 Studies in Square Spaces, 12" x 12".
2018
October - One painting shown in the Laguna Art Gallery as part of a 20 artist gallery show
June - AIA ArtWalk, AIA annual networking art walk, Santa Ana, CA - One night event attended by local SoCal architects, designers and interior manufacturer reps. Juried entry event. Showed two works, an abstract acrylic painting and fine art abstract photograph.
May - Show opening during Art Walk, May 3rd, in Laguna at Shelia Olsen Fine Art Gallery. My work was shown in the main gallery for the remainder of the month of May.
April - Online exhibition through FusionArtps.com – Theme: Open - Two fine art abstract acrylic paintings accepted
March - Online exhibition through FusionArtps.com – Theme: Color - Two fine art abstract original photographs accepted
January - Three abstract paintings published in Jan/Feb issue of ArtAscent Magazine (online and print) – Theme: Portraits
2017
December - Online exhibition through FusionArtps.com – Quarterly Group Art Exhibition - Theme: Photography - Three fine art abstract original photographs were accepted
September - Online exhibition through FusionArtps.com – Theme: Photography - Three abstract photo works of art accepted.
August- AIA ArtWalk, AIA annual networking art walk, Santa Ana, CA - One night event attended by local SoCal architects, designers and interior manufacturer reps. Juried entry event. Showed two works, "Dance", an acrylic painting and "Crayolors on the Loose", fine art photograph.
July - Online exhibition through Linus Gallery, Signal Hill, CA – Theme: Abstract
June - San Diego County Fair, CA - Abstract acrylic painting "Wind" entered in non-representational (all medium) art category.
May - First Thursday Art Walk, Shelia Olsen Gallery (Roof-Top Gallery), Laguna Beach, CA (3 artists showing) This was the first time showing my Acrylic fine art painting to the public.
2016
December – Online exhibition through Linus Gallery, Signal Hill, CA – Theme: Quiet - Three photo works of art accepted.
October – Online exhibition through Linus Gallery, Signal Hill, CA – Theme: Movement - Two photo works of art accepted.
October - Online exhibition through FusionArtps.com – Theme: Colorful Abstraction - Two photo works of art accepted
September – Online exhibition through Linus Gallery, Signal Hill, CA – Theme: Texture - Three photo works of art accepted.
September - Online exhibition through FusionArtps.com – Theme: Waterscapes - One photo work of art accepted
August – Two photo works of art published in ArtAscent Magazine (online and print) – Theme: Patterns
August - Online exhibition through FusionArtps.com – Theme: Cityscapes - One photo work of art accepted
July - First Thursday Art Walk, LGOCA Gallery (Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art), Laguna Beach, CA (group exhibition)
July – Online exhibition through Linus Gallery, Signal Hill, CA – Theme: Movement - Two photo works of art accepted
July - Online exhibition through FusionArtps.com – Theme: Red, White & Blue - One photo work of art accepted
June – San Diego County Fair – One photo work of art won an Honorable Mention in the class, Non-Representational Art, All Media. Piece sold after the show. #2/50
June - Online exhibition through FusionArtps.com – Theme: Light & Shadow - One photo work of art accepted
May - First Thursday Art Walk, Townley/Olsen Gallery (Roof-Top Gallery), Laguna Beach, CA (group exhibition)
May – Group exhibition at OCCCA in Santa Ana, CA - Theme: tXtMe - Two works were accepted into the show. Show ran the month of May.
May – Online exhibition through FusionArtps.com – Theme: Leaves & Pedals - One photo work of art accepted.
March - First Thursday Art Walk, Townley/Olsen Gallery (Roof-Top Gallery), Laguna Beach, CA (group exhibition)