The Galveston County Daily News

GALVESTON — The Galveston Arts Center will present two exhibitions during ArtWalk on Saturday. Chuy Benitez’s “Summer in the City” and Mark Schatz’s “Earth Below Us” will remain on view through Nov. 22. The exhibitions are free and open to the public.

Curator Clint Willour will lead a gallery talk with the artists at 6:15 p.m. Saturday.

Benitez’s “Summer in the City” features digitally composed color panoramic photographs taken in New York City in 2009 and Houston in 2008.

Documenting ethnic community groups, Benitez photographed “Danzantes” (traditional Aztec fire dancers) in Central Park and a Hare Krishna parade in lower Manhattan. Using digital imaging technology, Benitez “stitches” together multiple photographs to create a single horizontal image.

In 2008, Benitez photographed the effects of Hurricane Ike on Houston’s Hispanic community, documenting the distribution of supplies and bottled water and clean up and repair efforts. These works were included in the publication, “Houston. It’s Worth It. IKE.”

Benitez is an internationally exhibited and collected photographer who lives and works in Houston. He originally is from El Paso.

Schatz’s sculptural installation addresses the potential effects of global warming. He uses materials accumulated or discarded in domestic environments — cardboard, scrap wood and Styrofoam — and scale-modeling methods used by hobbyists.

Schatz, a native of Michigan, lives in Houston and teaches at The Glassell School of Art at The Museum of Fine Arts and at San Jacinto College. His work recently has been featured in exhibitions at Lawndale Art Center in Houston and at College of the Mainland.

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At A Glance

WHAT: “Summer in the City” and “Earth Below Us”

WHEN: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Galveston Arts Center, 2501 Market St., in Galveston

INFORMATION: Visit www.galvestonartscenter.org or call 409-763-2403

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What is ArtWalk?

Galveston Arts Center has produced ArtWalk on Saturday nights in the heart of the historic district for more than 20 years.

The event has spread to other parts of the island. ArtWalk occurs about every six weeks and takes place in existing commercial galleries, nonprofit arts spaces and what are called “other walls,” such as restaurants and retail stores. Each exhibits art and welcomes viewers, later hours and refreshments.

One of the Galveston Arts Center’s largest programs, ArtWalk promotes visual art and artists, offers alternative places to see and learn about art and hopes to bring newcomers, as well as welcome return visitors to the art community on the island.