sedona news – The City is inviting the public to reserve a date for the next Artist Reception to be held on Thursday, February 6, 2025 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM in the City Hall and Vultee Conference Rooms at City Hall. Masu. There, 75 paintings created by Carol Benally will be on display. Special musical guest will be award-winning Chapman Stick player Michael Kollwitz.

A native of Boston, Benally spent his time studying the art of Renaissance masters and Impressionists, as well as the Native American art collections he found at Boston’s museums. He then pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston.

After college, Benally, intrigued by Georgia O’Keeffe and her unique contemporary paintings, ventured to New Mexico, where she was inspired by the open lands and artistic traditions of Native American culture. . She then met her husband and made Pinon, Arizona their home for over 35 years. Her family, including her daughter and grandchildren, lives in Dineta, on the Navajo Reservation.

Benally, who calls the Sedona area his second home, continues to enjoy painting throughout the Southwest in addition to painting the plein air of the Colorado Plateau. Her paintings express the spirit of land and sky, evoking the essence of a particular place and time. She paints landscapes in situ, using a variety of colors, textures, and shapes to create complex and delicate depictions of landscapes. Benally explores new ways to express spatial relationships and distance using layers of paint, brushstrokes, gradients, and the diffusion of light.

“I have always been drawn to irresistible forces that bring me closer to the earth with the touch of color and brush, where I shape and express the power and spirit of the land and sky.The more I look, the more “We must strive throughout our lives to portray the rich beauty and convey our emotional connection to our environment,” Benally said.

“After visiting Carol and seeing the many beautifully painted landscapes that fill her studio and decorate the walls of her home, I wanted to give her a solo exhibition. Decades of experience in painting I was impressed to see how humble she is despite her amazing talent. This is a local hidden treasure for the general public. This is a great opportunity to learn more,” said arts and culture expert Nancy Lattanzi.

She has won many awards in Arizona as well as New Mexico plein air contests and is represented by many galleries in the area. She is currently represented by West of the Moon Gallery and Sedona Artist Market in Flagstaff, Arizona. She is a member of the Oil Painters of America, the Impressionist Society of America, the New Mexico Plein Air Painters, and the Arizona Plein Air Painters.

More ways to see art and meet artists
In addition to the artist’s reception, the public will be able to meet the artist in the Council Chambers on Thursday, March 6, 2025 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., during which Benally will speak about his work and There will be a demonstration of painting. An opening viewing will also be held at the Capitol on Thursday, April 10, 2025 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Additional tours are available by appointment only. To make a reservation or for more information about the City Hall Art Rotation Program, contact Lattanzi at 928-203-5078 or NLattanzi@SedonaAZ.gov.