Arts Benicia Presents Steve Mainini at Benicia City Council

Steve Mainini at Benicia City Council Chambers

January 20 to April 20, 2026
Jean Purnell & Wendy Buresh, Curators

Benicia City Hall
250 East L Street, Benicia

Artist Statement

Since I could first make a mark, I have been intrigued by the problem solving and processes used to make art. To this day, I am still learning and developing new ways of making my mark by using different mediums, techniques, surfaces, and at times constraints.

The “Groundhog Day series” was inspired by the daily unvaried walks I took during the Covid lockdown, and reminded me of the movie for this series title. All paintings were done with a firm 1 hour time limit, and painted on site “plein air” style. I completed 43 paintings over 7 weeks. The time limit helped me to paint by using my instinct. To react to what I perceive rather than think and to rely on my gut feeling during the mark making process.

“Urbanscape series” I experimented with different ways of applying and combining mediums on a textured surface. My intention with urbanscapes was to visually explore the juxtaposition of the landscape and overpass/tunnel and the interaction that it creates through intriguing positive and negative spaces.

The “Pixel Hierarchy series” paintings and drawings that combine and explore the way a computer perceives our visual space and the way we perceive our surroundings.

“Crossroads series” are mixed media pieces using drawing and painting mediums that were truly about throwing everything I could at making a mark to see what would stick. Abandoning conventional methods of marking making and exploring nonconventional methods. Symbolically, crossroads are paths we choose, choices we make, and that was my intent with this series in narrative and process.

I do not seek out subject matters in my work, but rather I am drawn to them. Then, I decide how best to render the subject and what medium, surface, and technique I will use. — Steve Mainini