Arts Encounters at the Beninis: Next Event

FEATURED ARTISTS for MAY 2006:

Saturday and Sunday | May 28th & 29th, 2006 | Ten to Six Saturday, One to Six Sunday

Presentations begin promptly at 1:30 pm & 3:30 pm

     Dr. Clay Stubbs, DVM
     Bronze Sculpture of the Wild West
      Johnson City, Texas

Dr. Clay Stubbs, who has practiced veterinary medicine for 41 years, is renown nationwide as a specialist in the field of equine dentistry. What started out as the recognition of the relationship between behavioral problems and toothaches, to put it simply, evolved into a specialization that has Stubbs in high demand and holding patents for special equine dentistry equipment and tools. A Texas A & M graduate, Stubbs began to experiment with bronze sculpture in 1980, while incapacitated several months from a serious back injury. Advice from a foundry on the mechanics of casting in bronze launched his interest in creating bronze pieces with a western theme. Being a descendant of ranchers – his family has been in Blanco Country since 1867 - he was intrigued by his colorful family history, especially trail drives after the civil war, and he created bronzes of this era.

Beej Nierengarten-Smith
Printmaker, Book Artist
New Mexico

Art of the Book
(Saturday only)

Beej Smith’s focus at this ARTS Encounters will be her hand-constructed and hand-printed books as original works of art, in which she often incorporates whimsical themes. Her pieces will be on display at Kirchman Gallery. She utilizes all book art structural forms and frequently uses a hand-built box or found box as a container for her books and found objects. Smith also focuses on printmaking and multimedia art, specializing in photolithography, Japanese woodcuts, and etching. Her subject matter includes political and social issues as well as fantasy and abstraction. Beej also has 25 years of museum experience as a curator, administrator, educator, and consultant, including more than 20 years at Laumiere Sculpture Park in St. Louis. She has written numerous exhibition catalogues on contemporary sculpture. She holds a BA in art history and design, a MA in art history and museum sciences, and a Ed.D. in instructional theory and curriculum design. www.flashwitch.com//beej

Mike Blakely
Singer, Songwriter, Author
Texas

Mike Blakely, born and raised in Wharton County on the Coastal Plains of Texas, learned to play the guitar at age eight, taught by his musically inclined father and began writing songs in his teenage years. Graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism, he set aside his musical career and began writing, shifting from journalism to fiction, he wrote historical novels set in the American West, eventually publishing 15 books. Though he wasn’t playing much live music during this time, he continued to write songs.

After meeting John Arthur Martinez, the two developed a songwriting partnership, composing numerous songs together, landing cuts on Arista and Dualtone record labels. His dual career as a novelist and a performing songwriter doesn’t leave Mike much spare time, but he enjoys his ranch near Marble Falls, Texas, and likes to ride and train horses, hunt and fish, and travel. He is as comfortable on the back of a horse as he is at a book signing or a live musical performance. Mike Blakely is a rare talent, a prolific writer, and an established veteran of the American entertainment industry in print, over the airwaves, and at his live performances.

Peter Lampros
Certified Picture Framer
The Woodlands, Texas

Lampros has held the Certified Picture Framer distinction from the Professional Picture Framers Association for more than 20 years. He wlll present a history of framing, styles of art, how artists have affected the evolution of framing, and frame selection considerations.
www.LamprosGallery.com

For further information, visit www.Benini.com or call 830-868-5244.
The events are free of charge and open to all.

FEATURED SPEAKERS ARCHIVES PRESS AND MEDIA PHOTO GALLERY VISITING LINKS COMMENTS	FEATURED ARTISTS for MAY 2006: Saturday and Sunday \| May 28th & 29th, 2006 \| Ten to Six Saturday, One to Six Sunday Presentations begin promptly at 1:30 pm & 3:30 pm

	Dr. Clay Stubbs, DVM Bronze Sculpture of the Wild West Johnson City, Texas Dr. Clay Stubbs, who has practiced veterinary medicine for 41 years, is renown nationwide as a specialist in the field of equine dentistry. What started out as the recognition of the relationship between behavioral problems and toothaches, to put it simply, evolved into a specialization that has Stubbs in high demand and holding patents for special equine dentistry equipment and tools. A Texas A & M graduate, Stubbs began to experiment with bronze sculpture in 1980, while incapacitated several months from a serious back injury. Advice from a foundry on the mechanics of casting in bronze launched his interest in creating bronze pieces with a western theme. Being a descendant of ranchers – his family has been in Blanco Country since 1867 - he was intrigued by his colorful family history, especially trail drives after the civil war, and he created bronzes of this era.

	Beej Nierengarten-Smith Printmaker, Book Artist New Mexico *Art of the Book* *(Saturday only)* Beej Smith’s focus at this ARTS Encounters will be her hand-constructed and hand-printed books as original works of art, in which she often incorporates whimsical themes. Her pieces will be on display at Kirchman Gallery. She utilizes all book art structural forms and frequently uses a hand-built box or found box as a container for her books and found objects. Smith also focuses on printmaking and multimedia art, specializing in photolithography, Japanese woodcuts, and etching. Her subject matter includes political and social issues as well as fantasy and abstraction. Beej also has 25 years of museum experience as a curator, administrator, educator, and consultant, including more than 20 years at Laumiere Sculpture Park in St. Louis. She has written numerous exhibition catalogues on contemporary sculpture. She holds a BA in art history and design, a MA in art history and museum sciences, and a Ed.D. in instructional theory and curriculum design. www.flashwitch.com//beej

	Mike Blakely Singer, Songwriter, Author Texas Mike Blakely, born and raised in Wharton County on the Coastal Plains of Texas, learned to play the guitar at age eight, taught by his musically inclined father and began writing songs in his teenage years. Graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism, he set aside his musical career and began writing, shifting from journalism to fiction, he wrote historical novels set in the American West, eventually publishing 15 books. Though he wasn’t playing much live music during this time, he continued to write songs. After meeting John Arthur Martinez, the two developed a songwriting partnership, composing numerous songs together, landing cuts on Arista and Dualtone record labels. His dual career as a novelist and a performing songwriter doesn’t leave Mike much spare time, but he enjoys his ranch near Marble Falls, Texas, and likes to ride and train horses, hunt and fish, and travel. He is as comfortable on the back of a horse as he is at a book signing or a live musical performance. Mike Blakely is a rare talent, a prolific writer, and an established veteran of the American entertainment industry in print, over the airwaves, and at his live performances.

	Peter Lampros Certified Picture Framer The Woodlands, Texas Lampros has held the Certified Picture Framer distinction from the Professional Picture Framers Association for more than 20 years. He wlll present a history of framing, styles of art, how artists have affected the evolution of framing, and frame selection considerations. www.LamprosGallery.com
For further information, visit www.Benini.com or call 830-868-5244. The events are free of charge and open to all.