“The artist, Bennett, is a founder of Santa Barbara’s Aeolian Center, where she devised a series of continuing education seminars and workshops at the juncture where art meets psychology. Bennett’s rendering of the symbols uses shapes and images common to our unconscious archetypes as a starting point for reader engagement with the textual material. “I use collage because I want to create something new of those existing images, to add to that collective visual idea we have inside of us. I want it to be a stopping place, not the final destination,” she explains. “I want people to see it and say, we don’t have to be rigid to the original versions … we can look beyond them.” Read the full article >>>

“Beneath Mt. Montecito at the Riven Rock home of Frank McGinity, and outdoor art exhibit featuring local artists took place on Sunday as a benefit for the Art Foundation of Santa Barbara. (-) In addition to Ralph Waterhouse, participating artists included Ann Sanders< Chris Potter, Patricia Post, John Iwerks, Ray Hunter, Chris Chapman, Danuta Bennett, and Andrea Anderson. The Art Foundation of Santa Barbara’s mission is to educate the public about the work of artists with a special focus on Santa Barbara County and the Central and South Coast of California. “

“For Danuta Bennett, who specializes in expressive, evocative realism and is one of this year’s featured artists, the annual tour is more than just an opportunity to sell her art. “Even though there are not always conversations about art, it is still a warm and fun event. And I crave that kind of closeness with people who are receiving your art. It makes everything comfortable.: said Bennet, who works from The Clay studio in Goleta, predominantly on Acrylics, oils, and pencils. Bennet said she is inspired by people who visit her studio. “When creating, I am only with the image or the painting I am creating. It’s great when I open the studio because I meet new people and see their reactions… Generally, I am very private, but then I put my soul on the canvas for everybody to take it, interpret it, and love or hate it. But when I talk to somebody who has never seen my art before, they will notice different elements and respond differently, and sometimes that allows me to get inspired for the next piece.”

“My studio is part of the Clay Center, becoming a creative hub for the Santa Barbar srt community for ceramic artists, painters, and sculptors. In contrast to gallery shows, opening my studio gives me and, hopefully, my visitors a more personal experience with my art by making the encounter more relaxed and less intimidating. I can introduce myself as an artist, the art maker, or the storyteller.” Shared Danuta Bennet, a Polish-born artist specializing in expressive, evocative realism. Danuta’s work continuously moves between abstract representations, surrealistic images, and realistic lines in her search for personal artistic vocabulary. Studios are unique spaces. Creating art is, for the most part, an individual pursuit. The studio is where artists go to process the arrows that hit close to home, find their voices, raise their fists, and challenge themselves to respond. It’s the place, a place to regroup, and especially a place to play. Each participating artist has developed space to meet their needs and nourish their creative spirit.”