■ Dozens to participate in one of several events in a big art weekend for Benicia

Downtown Benicia’s Holiday Open House is Friday, the spark that starts a weekend of artistic happenings in the city, including the annual December Open Studios event in the Arsenal.

During the Open House, Benicia Plein Air Gallery and Gallery 621 will open their doors for opening receptions to new shows.

Plein Air Gallery’s show is themed “JOY,” and the feature wall has paintings by the gallery’s artists designed to bring joy to the heart and eye.

The gallery also has its tree full of mini paintings, an annual favorite of gallery visitors. The mini paintings hanging on the tree are artists’ way of thanking those who have visited and supported the gallery, by offering the works for as little as $10.

The reception will take place 5-8 p.m. at 307 First St.

Gallery 621’s reception is for its final show, a holiday-themed affair consisting of gallery members, former members and invited guest artists. The gallery will close its doors for good at the end of the month.

“It’s a big blow-out at the end,” gallery founder Pam Dixon said.

The art will have an “upbeat” theme to it, she said — fun, bright, colorful and in the spirit of the season, but not necessarily relating to Christmas. The focus will be on smaller, more affordable works of art.
Gallery 621’s opening reception will take place Friday 5-8 p.m. at 621 First St.

Artists in the Arsenal will be abuzz this weekend for the annual December Open Studios, which always takes place the first weekend in December, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

All of the studios are on Jackson and Tyler streets in the Historic Benicia Arsenal Artist Community Studio buildings, which were built between the 1850s and the 1920s.

About 40 artists will participate in the Open Studios, with many opening their Arsenal studios to guest artists for the weekend. Painting, sculpture, printmaking, jewelry, glass and more will be on display and for sale.

For more information and a list of participating artists, visit mikekendall.com/decos13.html.

And while visitors enjoy Open Studios, they will have a chance to check out Arts Benicia’s newest show, “Form & Function,” an exhibit of unique handcrafted objects that are both “aesthetic in form and utilitarian in nature.”

The show, juried by Kate Eilersten, director of the Sonoma Valley Museum of Arts, is a showcase of art and design of the best regional fine and applied arts, and includes basketry, ceramics, textiles, wearable art, glass, metal, furniture, jewelry and toys.

An opening reception for “Form & Function” is 7-9 p.m. Saturday at 991 Tyler St., Suite 114.

The city’s glass artists also will be taking advantage of Benicia’s Open House vibe.

Glassblowers from Smyers Glass will have their annual Holiday Open Studio Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 675 East H St. Visitors will have the opportunity to watch artists create vases, wine glasses, paperweights, holiday ornaments and more from the 2,000-degree molten-glass furnaces.

Lindsay Art Glass, located just off First Street at 109 East F St., is participating in the Open House Friday from 6-9 p.m.; then, on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. they will have glassblowing demonstrations.

For the curious and adventurous, Lindsay has been offering the chance try blowing your own glass ornament Wednesdays through Saturdays. For information and to schedule an appointment email retail@lindsayartglass.com.

Finally, Benicia Public Library, 150 East L St., will have an opening reception for Kerry Lee’s solo show, “The Many Muses of Kerry Lee,” Sunday from 1-5 p.m. in the Marilyn Citron O’Rourke Gallery.

Lee calls her first show a “celebration of finding her Muse at the age of 53, and releasing a near lifelong artist block she terms ‘creative constipation.’”

The exhibit follows Lee’s 18-month artistic journey to unblock herself and create her paintings through guided visualization.