Susan Street had to really step out of her comfort zone for her new show at Plein Air Gallery. For one, her paintings were not done on site but rather through using photographs of a recent trip to Cochiti Lake in New Mexico as a reference. Street had been making the trip for about 20 […]
Artist’s Northern California neighborhood series on display at library
For the past eight years, Benicia artist Donna Covey has made a name for herself by painting images of local landmarks in Northern California communities such as Benicia, Napa, Vacaville, Truckee and Suisun Valley. Those who have spent any amount of time in said places might have seen her paintings, but the uninitiated will be […]
Plein Air Gallery artists find ‘peace’ in new show
The word “peace” is commonly associated with the holiday season, certainly in 2017. With ongoing wars in the Middle East and Africa, divisive politics in Washington and frequent mass shootings and terrorist incidents worldwide, peace is a desire that, in the minds of many individuals, outweighs any material item. When the time came for the […]
Arsenal artists’ holiday Open Studios tradition continues
In the mid-’90s, Arts Benicia began hosting Open Studios, in which artists open the doors of their studios to showcase the creative environments they work in. The event was such a success that it became an annual occurrence each May, drawing 4,000 visitors each year, many from outside Benicia. However, Benicia being the art haven […]
Be there– and see squares: ‘Perfect Square’ exhibit returns to Gallery 621
Last year, Gallery 621 members hosted the exhibit “Perfect Square,” featuring works that were exactly 12 X 12 inches— no bigger and no smaller. The exhibit was such a success, that the member artists are hosting it again, bringing the premise full circle— or rather full square. According to member artist Nikki Basch-Davis, the gallery […]
Library exhibit brings tribes together through artwork
It is a family affair at Benicia Public Library’s art gallery. The new exhibition “Gathering Tribes” features the work of not one, not two but three artists who are all related either by blood or through marriage. The artists showcased are Vicki Byrum Dennis, a Gallerie Renee Marie member; her sister and HQ Gallery member […]
Plein Air Paint Out returns for second year Saturday
Last Year, Benicia Plein Air Gallery held its first Plein Air Paint Out to bring artists out of their studios and into the open air to paint scenes of Benicia and win prizes. The event was a success, with 40 artists taking part and East Bay painter Cleo Vilett winning first place, which resulted in […]
‘Hot Summer, Cool Art’ on display at Gallerie Renee Marie
Reception scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 19 Gallerie Renee Marie is celebrating summer with its new exhibit, “Hot Summer, Cool Art.” All gallery artwork will be priced at $100 or less. “Our artists are bringing in work that they are willing to let go of at great prices,” painter and gallery co-founder Renee Marie Jordan said. […]
Artist captures evolution of creative process in new Gallery 621 show
Every artist’s work evolves over time. This is certainly true of Gallery 621 artist Kathy Oja, who has chosen to highlight how her creative process has changed over time in her new featured exhibition “Unforeseen Consequences,” which is on display through Sept. 3. The exhibit features various forms of paintings by Oja, but according to […]
Boatyard draws inspiration for poets, Plein Air artists in new exhibit
One of the most eye-catching sights in Benicia is the old Joe Garske Boatyard, located between C and D streets. When it opened in the 1950s, it specialized in marine services and oil spill cleanup in the Carquinez Strait. Now, the shipyard is a cluster of old fishing and utility boats, cranes and other nautical […]