Gale Bennett tribute on exhibit at BIG ARTS

COURTESY PHOTO Artist Gale Bennett BIG ARTS is showing two exhibits honoring the late Gale Bennett. "The Legacy of Gale Bennett, Part 1: A 45-Year Retrospective" is in the Phillips Gallery, and "Part 2: The Work of His Students," is in the Founder's Gallery. Works are available for purchase. An artists reception will be held on Saturday, Nov. 1, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at BIG ARTS, 900 Dunlop Road, Sanibel.

Mr. Bennett died in March after a stroke, but he had battled illness for some time. He was 68.

He was the winner of the 2008 Angel of the Arts Lifetime Achievement Award, and was a popular instructor in Southwest Florida, and in Giverny, France. He was a prolific painter, producing more than 30 paintings in 2007, which, according to his wife 'Cello, was close to his yearly average. She has donated his painting "Three Palms" for sale to raise funds for the BIG ARTS scholarship program in memorial for both Mr. Bennett and Bill Phillips, who died in August. Mr. Phillips was one of the founders of BIG ARTS.

Mrs. Bennett is one of the curators of the show, which highlights the evolution of Mr. Bennett's work. His legacy spans over four decades and includes a variety of work from figurative to semi-abstract to impressionist. His fascination with the natural environment infused much of his work. Using only the primary colors; red, blue and yellow and white, he created vivid hues which showcase his talent for capturing light and color.

COURTESY PHOTO Chalk Cliffs Near LaRoche Guyon by Gale Bennett Mr. Bennett lived in Florida growing up, then studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York, and after exhibiting in Manhattan galleries, returned to Florida for good in 1968. He opened a school called ArtStudy in Giverny, France, in 1996, where he spent six months every year. There, he took students to paint in impressionist artist Claude Monet's garden.

"The Legacy of Gale Bennett: A 45-Year Retrospective" exhibit is sponsored by visual arts patron season sponsors June Rosner and Russ Bilgore. "The Legacy of His Students" exhibit is sponsored by season sponsors Deborah and John La Gorce. Both run through Nov. 10. The artwork is available for sale.

Founders Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Phillips Gallery hours are 1 to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For further information about this exhibit, information about upcoming events at BIG ARTS, to purchase tickets, sign up for workshops, or become a member, call 395-0900, e-mail info@BIGARTS.org or log on to www. BIGARTS.org.