The arts collided in a true collaboration as Santa Clara’s Studio Bongiorno opened its new show, “The Show with No Name,” on Aug. 30.
With the lights turned down low and candles lit to set the mood, Thomas Sage and The Chemists provided musical accompaniment as guests perused the new art adorning the studio walls. Sage, who incorporates jazz, rock, classical and funk into his original compositions, plays Australian didgeridoo in addition to keyboard, adding a unique element to the drumming of Nicholas Priess and vocals of Nate Gardner.
Artist Chris Moon, whose work is often seen at the studio, is one of the featured artists in the show and added a dance element to the event as she swayed her hips to Thomas Sage and the Chemists in a belly dancing routine that kept the crowd mesmerized.
While hips were shaking and music was tantalizing, artist Timothy Dilbeck, who has a handful of paintings in “The Show with No Name,” live-painted a piece inspired by the event throughout the evening – one that was eventually given away in an opportunity drawing at the end of the night. A bright blue, streaky background set the stage for Dilbeck’s piece. From the top, right corner, thick, black semi-circles emanated across the canvas. Near the middle of the painting, a black outline of Sage playing a didgeridoo is seen, with a road leading from the bottom of the instrument to the image’s foreground. On the left side, a silhouette of skirted woman, hip thrust to her right, dances to the beat. Throughout the evening, Dilbeck filled in the black paint with his signature glyphs – blue for the dancer’s body and white for her clothing, red for Sage and the road, and yellow for the “sun” shining light onto the scene.
“Thomas Sage and the Chemists did not disappoint,” said Studio Bongiorno owner, Phil Bongiorno, whose work is also featured in “The Show with No Name.” “Chris Moon’s seductive style of belly dancing and Timothy Dilbeck painting live to the sights and sounds, added to the successful happening.”
Fittingly, Nelson Primeaux, a long-time supporter of the studio, predicted he would take home the piece of art, and won the evening’s prize.
“Nelson has supported the studio since day one,” said Bongiorno. “No one wanted the painting more than him and I couldn’t be happier that he won.”
“The Show with No Name” runs through Nov. 3 at 500 Lincoln St. in Santa Clara (at Bellomy, across from the Santa Clara Mission Cemetery). Studio Bongiorno will hold another night of acoustic music on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 6:30 p.m. with guests The Citrus Sound, Drinking Water, The Housing Glow and others. Visit www.facebook.com/pages/Studio-Bongiorno or www.studiobongiorno.com for more information.
