San Jose’s community-based, artist-owned First Street gallery, WORKS, hosts its benefit auction next weekend, with work available to view now and bidding starting next Saturday evening, the 22nd.

I’ve served as a gallery sitter and will be back Thursday the 20th, 2-4 for another shift…and the artwork is diverse and lovely! Several people who’ve been featured in Synchronized Chaos over the years have pieces up for auction, including Reuben Rutledge, Kimy Martinez, Wayne Jiang, and many others.

Announcement from the gallery:

 Over 100 Bay Area artists have donated their work to support Works/San Jose, located on 451 South First Street, near parking garages and in a reasonably safe neighborhood, and the community art and performance center of the South Bay! Pieces range in size and form, media and subject, creating a diverse array of artwork that represents the broad artistic spirit of artists in and around San Jose. The art will be auctioned on Saturday May 22nd to support the ongoing activities of Works. Gala reception and final preview at 5 p.m., bidding for live and silent auction begins at 7 p.m. Please join us for an exciting evening! Wonderful folks will be there, lots of lovely positive energy so come on out!

Also, THIS weekend, the 14th-16th, is Open Studio weekend in Hayward and Castro Valley. Plenty of other wonderful work available for view and purchase…come support another emerging art scene, and plenty of folks in the Synchronized Chaos family and whom we’ve featured will show work here, also. http://www.haywardarts.org/OS_2010/