A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

For Rubenstein Chan Gallery, art is more than just a canvas. With their newest exhibit, Textual Integration, 14 artists demonstrate creative ways to incorporate text as part of their art. Text and poetry are not added elements, but rather essential forms to the composition.

“Primarily, it is a group show, as such it has a different feel to it,” said gallery owner Bonnie Rubenstein. “In this show, we are dealing with 14 different styles and it is more of a challenge to create a cohesive look to the show. But it’s also a lot of fun.”

On Saturday, April 18, from 2 to 5 p.m., a reception will honor the opening of the exhibit, which is set to run through May 31.

Rubenstein accrued the posse of artists from various places and relations — some of whom she has worked with for years, and others who she met more recently — all of whom work with text.

The featured artists include: Jana Brody, Kevin Claiborne, Patricia Houghton Clarke, Linda Ekstrom, Wrona Gall, Stephen Holland, Rod Lathim, Kathy Leader, Cynthia Martin, Salvatore Matteo, Tom Pazderka, Benjamin Provo, Larry Vigon, and Michael Vilkin.

Rubenstein drew her inspiration for the exhibit from her interest in graffiti, “which often incorporates text. We decided to work with paintings and photography that incorporated words and phrases, sometimes whole paragraphs,” she said.

The gallery, nested in Carpinteria, was opened by Bonnie Rubenstein and Irene Chan in 2025, and has housed many creatives since its inception. This exhibit is showing off a new type of art, one that they have not featured much prior.

“For people for whom text art is unknown or unusual, I hope that they would see and accept that there are no boundaries when it comes to art, to look at work that is saying [literally] something different,” said Rubenstein.

Part of Rubenstein’s philosophy with this exhibit resonates with a quote by President John F. Kennedy when he eulogized Robert Frost at Amherst in October 1963: “If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him. We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth.”

Rubenstein Chan Gallery also plans to incorporate poetry into the show. Santa Barbara Poet Laureate George Yatchisin will work alongside several local poets to write verses based on the art in the gallery, and there will be reading in the gallery at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 14.

Rubenstein Chan Gallery is located at 410 Palm Ave Unit B3 in Carpinteria. Visit rubensteinchan.com for more information on the gallery and their upcoming exhibits.