AIR >> GCAC

I am a 2024-25 ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE at the Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana, CA

From GCAC newsletter (link):

Ben Kinsley is fascinated with trees, nature, and sound. During his first visit as GCAC artist-in-residence earlier this year, we shared the City of Santa Ana’s 1869 origin story – William H. Spurgeon climbed a sycamore tree and spotted the area to build the town. Using the UFEI Big Tree Registry site, Kinsley discovered, along with the original sycamore tree that is still alive on 5th St., there are five champion big trees exist in Santa Ana – one national champion (Ficus Drupacea, Brown-Woolly Fig, next to Santa Ana’s Main Public Library) and four state champions (including the Koelreuteria Paniculate pictured above). GCAC took Kinsley to these trees as research toward the development of a new project that, at this point, is planning toward a year-long series of programs and sound-based events at these five Santa Ana National/State champion tree locations – a private backyard, community park, Santa Ana Main Public Library, public street, and a cemetery.