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Benny Alba

Benny Alba (born 1949) in Columbus, Ohio, is an artist residing in Oakland, California.

Family Influences
Benny Alba is descended from several maternal generations in the Arts. Alba's great grandmother was an oil painter. Alba's grandmother trained as a concert pianist. Her mother held a Master of Fine Arts degree in ceramics, teaching at Ohio State University Academy. A salt-glazed ceramic sculpture by her mother was exhibited in the Treasure Island World's Fair in 1939. Known throughout her life for experimentation and versatility in many art fields, Alba’s mother worked in acrylic painting, mixed medias, weaving, glass on metal enameling, plastic sculpture, metal work and others. Alba's father, an engineer, was an inventor and CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Originally interested in violin and seriously pursuing photography, he became a manufacturer when WWII quickly altered the American economy and cultural focus, after which he managed the family business. One female ancestor from Alba’s paternal side of the family was a very early graduate of University of Michigan's Medical School.

Early Influences, Education and Exposure to Art
Alba's art influences and education include early exposure to anthropology through "The London Illustrated Times," a magazine of mostly sepia photographs of archeological digs and National Geographic articles portraying other cultures. Art was a constant topic in the home, due largely to her mother’s continuous intellectual art interests and active work as an artist. Both parents were deeply involved with the natural world as well.

During Alba’s high school years, the artist attended classes at The Columbus Cultural Arts Center, part of the Columbus Recreation Department, where professional artists Mary Jane Alford, Jon Wahling, James Mason, Bill Aigner and Dora Rosenfeld taught her painting, dyeing, etching, and glass on metal enameling. Alba would receive continuous mentoring by these artists during her artistic development and career. Alba spent a week at Penland School of Arts and Crafts summer program attending lithography and silk screening classes.

After Alba graduated high school, she traveled with her family to Europe, where they visited museums and architectural sites in Germany, Spain and Italy. The young artist was especially impacted by Gaudi's Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, a multi-day visit to Documenta exhibition in Kassel, and works seen in Italy that included an array of architecture, sculpture, icons, murals, and mosaics, including Fra Angelico's gold leaf enhanced murals.

Alba then began her studies at Kent State University, with a focus on literature. While there, she returned to Europe for a summer hitchhiking jaunt, traveling from England to Germany then into Spain to visit museums with particular paintings in mind. Upon returning to the States, Alba witnessed the shootings at Kent State, and soon after left the University and her studies to live in Berkeley. Her activities included an influential class, “Woman as a Serious Artist” and a model drawing group along with regular visits to many local museums.

Six years later Alba enrolled in University of Michigan. During this period her artistic media broadened to include painting abstracts and began a practice of painting on a daily basis. She earned a Bachelor of Psychology degree from the University of Michigan. While in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Alba regularly organized artist groups for figure drawing sessions. She hosted consciousness-raising and women’s liberation groups, and participated in civil rights projects – all movements that would continue as topics of interest throughout her career.

In 1984 Alba moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area to immerse herself in the rich mixture of cultures. At that time she joined Visual Art Access, a mentoring service for career-minded artists by Michael S. Bell.

Exhibition History
Following her return to California, Alba joined the San Francisco Women Artists Gallery, exhibiting in juried shows at the Gallery and other venues throughout the USA and abroad.

Alba has had more than 100 solo exhibitions and has participated in more than 330 group exhibitions. A selection: University of Mary, Welder Library, Bismarck, ND Northwest Art Center, Minot State University, Minot, ND Lake Region Heritage Center Museum, Devil's Lake, ND Louisburg College Art Gallery, Louisburg, NC Jasper Rand Museum, Westfield, MA Maturango Museum, Ridgecrest, CA Warren Britt Gallery, University of Alabama, Montgomery, AL Adell McMillan Art Gallery, EMU Cultural Forum, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR Moser Library Gallery, University of California, Berkely, CA University Club, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA Saginaw Art Museum, Saginaw, MI North County Museum of Art, Park Rapids, MN Las Vegas Art Museum, Las Vegas, NV

Alba’s prints and paintings are held in public art collections, beginning with the acquisition of “Lost Blood: Ghost Dance” by the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Others include those of the Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, AL; Greenpeace, San Francisco, CA; Portland Art Museum, Gordon Gilkey Collection, Portland, OR; and Tyler Museum of Art, Tyler, TX; among others*. “Far Away,” Alba’s oil painting acquired by the Art in Embassies collection, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, is one of the few Art in Embassies works that are permanent purchases.

Major Painting Series
Alba’s early work and interest was in printmaking – linocuts, lithography, and etching. Although she continues to work in this medium, painting became her primary focus while she was attending University of Michigan. Begun with experiments in abstraction and color fields, her works changed to symbolism, a trend that continued for decades. Later on the artist shifted to landscapes, with increasing focus on the sky as subject. Her work over these four decades can be categorized into several major bodies of work:

Old and New World (1980s) – A series of paintings and prints that speaks to the intermingling – rather than homogenization – of USA cultures, including an awareness of Native American rights, feminism and the importance of Native American thoughts and beliefs regarding North America.

Alaska Journey (2000s) – Landscapes sourced from a long drive to Alaska through Canada, this first series marks the artist’s shift from symbolism to landscape as an exclusive topic. The series includes paintings and prints.

Beauty, Thy Name is Night (installation, 2007 – 2010) – A series of paintings regarding night; often exhibited in near total darkness with quotes by notable authors and philosophers describing night written in white chalk on flat black-painted drop cloths installed on walls. Viewers were supplied with flashlights to seek out the quotes.

American Storms (2010 – current) – These are oil paintings of extreme winter storm weather experienced by the artist while delivering solo shows cross-country. Painted on canvas or paper, a few are large format of 10 to 14 feet wide.

Awards, Commissions and Recognition

Alba’s artwork has garnered awards, recognitions and honors by venues and arts organizations nationwide. From 1994 through 2008, she is listed in the Marquis Who’s Who® publications: Who’s Who in the West, Who’s Who in the World, and Who’s Who in American Women.

Alba has presented as a lecturer, served as guest speaker and juried multiple exhibits throughout her career.

Alba’s active role serving on boards began in 1984, following her move to California as she joined the local branch of the Women's Caucus for the Arts. After being juried into the highly respected international organization, the California Society of Printmakers, Alba rose from artist member to serving as board member, and finally serving as President for three year-long terms beginning in 2003.

In 2010, a retrospective exhibit of Alba’s artwork and career was held by the Oakland City Crafts and Cultural Arts Gallery. This made visible many of the artistic influences over Alba’s career – including abstract art, symbolism, psychology, anthropology, archaeology, surrealism, and feminism. The influence of Burchfield, Klimt, Dove, Avery and others, including American Regionalists O'Keefe and Hartley, was also evident. Alba’s lifelong interest in the ideas and perspectives of first nation cultures, particularly Hopi and other Southwest tribes, shone through the artist’s work as well.

A Commitment to Community
Alba’s strong personal belief in service, community and collaboration influenced her career in several ways. Upon her move to California, she joined Apprentice Alliance, as Master teacher/artist in this San Francisco based organization. For almost 30 years, she has trained apprentices.

In California, she led pro bono workshops on photographing artworks. Alba has sponsored poetry readings and musical events at her art exhibitions. A collaboration between poetess Cynthia Harris and Alba went on for years. That association culminated in events at the famous Cody's Books in Berkeley, Barnes & Noble at Jack London Square in Oakland, CA, and finally at one of Alba's museum solo receptions. For over 20 years, she hosted numerous guest artists as part of East Bay Open Studios, an annual citywide public art event.

Current
Alba continues an active career in solo exhibitions, teaching apprentices, public speaking, jurying exhibitions, judging awards, as well as serving as guest speaker.

Alba's works are visible at bennyalba.com and varoregistry.com/alba, among other sites.