Keri Luiz, assistant editor for the Benicia Herald from 2011 to 2015, is the featured artist at Gallerie Renee Marie this month with her collection of skull-themed artwork. (Photo by Don Luiz)

By Vicki Dennis
Special to the Herald

Artist Keri Luiz has had a longtime fascination with skulls.
“I think skulls are beautiful,” she said. “All the shapes, dimensions, the curved surfaces. We all have this fascinating work of art sitting on top of our necks.”
She is bringing her love of skulls to Gallerie Renee Marie, 1038 First St., Benicia, in October, when she will be the featured artist of the month. In an exhibit called “Skullcentric,” Luiz will showcase skulls, both in her jewelry and in acrylic paintings. There will be an artist’s reception at the gallery Saturday, Oct. 8 from 4 to 7 p.m. as a part of the final Art Walk for 2016.
For centuries, skulls have had a wide variety of symbolic meanings in all cultures. They can be images of death, mortality and a warning of danger, but they also can represent fearlessness, wisdom and protection, according to Luiz.
“In ancient Celtic cultures, the skull was viewed as the seat of power, or even the house of the soul, an interpretation which particularly resonates with me,” she said.
But, she admits, sometimes a skull is just a skull.
“I really enjoy drawing them and seeing how I can apply them in my creations,” she said. “Since this is October, I am embracing the skull concept a bit more.”
The largest work in Luiz’s exhibit is an acrylic and pinstriped quadtych featuring four very stylized graphic skulls painted up in a tribute to a well-known rock band famous for its theatrics and over-the-top stage makeup.
Although a committed artist since she “could barely hold a crayon,” Luiz’s career has taken many interesting twists and turns. A graduate of the Academy of Art College in San Francisco, she spent 19 years in the publishing industry, primarily as a graphic designer as well as a web designer and teacher. From there she spent four years as assistant editor for the Benicia Herald. But throughout her career, creating art was never far away.
“The need to create is a vital part of me,” she said. “If I don’t feed that creative beast in my head, I start to feel unbalanced.”
Luiz’s art takes many forms, ranging from jewelry to painting to pinstriping, all of which will be on display during her October show. Designing under her business name, Phoenyx Arts, she creates elegant yet earthy jewelry that incorporates intricate wire wrapping and cold connections involving mixed metals and fabrication.
“Lately I’ve also been playing with etching, using it to add texture and design to some of the mixed metal pieces,” she said.
Luiz also is a long-time hot rod enthusiast, and some of her show’s subjects come from that genre. Among the subjects her paintings explore are eyeballs, monsters and tentacles.
Her love of pinstriping art will come into play as well. Luiz is a proficient pinstriping artist who translates the delicate, detailed and intricate designs she paints on cars and other objects into her acrylic paintings.
Like many artists, Luiz is inspired by observing the world around her. While she may see the same things as others, her interpretations are fresh, unusual and uniquely her own. Random things can encourage her to create a completely unrelated piece of art.
“For example, I had an idea for a drawing that came from the texture on a wall. To me, it looked like an undead rabbit bursting out of a grave. It became the inspiration for one of my inkTober drawings,” she said.
InkTober is a monthlong challenge originated in 2009 by artist Jake Parker, she explained. His goal originally was to improve his own inking and drawing skills, and since then, it has become a worldwide phenomenon.
“I started doing the InkTober Challenge in 2013, and while it is very challenging and often exhausting to do one ink drawing every day for the month of October, it is also very rewarding,” she said.
Luiz became familiar with the Benicia art scene when she covered it for the Benicia Herald.
“I got to know many of the artists here in Benicia, including Renee Marie Jordan. I wrote a few articles about the exhibits she had at Jordan Real Estate before she brought in Stephanie Gray to officially create a gallery,” she said. “I got to know her better after we both were in Mike Kendall’s studio for Open Studios, and she invited me to join the gallery last year.”
A side benefit of her gallery membership is at that she remains involved in Benicia’s art scene now that she is no longer at the paper. Luiz lives in Concord with her husband, Don, and their cat, Mickey, a frequent star on her Facebook page. More of her work can be seen on www.phoenyxarts.com.
Luiz’s work will be on display through Sunday, Nov. 6. Gallerie Renee Marie, 1038 First St., Benicia, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
For more information, call 707-480-5501, email galleriereneemarie@gmail.com or visit www.galleriereneemarie.com.

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