Owner of Dos Gatos praises local art community

By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

Benicia has drawn artists, art lovers and gallery owners for decades. This week the trend continues.

Located above the Camellia Tea Room on First Street, Dos Gatos Gallery will open its doors Saturday with an opening reception for its winter exhibit.

Marcalan Glassberg, owner of Dos Gatos, wanted to open a gallery that would feature local artists who may not be well known, as well as those who are nationally known.

“This is my new enterprise. I’ve never owned an art gallery before,” Glassberg said.

His experience has been in performing arts and graphic art for many years. “Early on I was involved in education, English and theater arts, which led me into the performing arts industry, first in New York City, then in Los Angeles,” he said.

He worked on and off Broadway, as well as in television and film. His experience extended into the music industry and the graphic arts. Currently he teaches English at San Ramon Valley High School.

“I’m very happy doing what I’m doing,” he said.

Glassberg moved to Benicia one year ago from Los Angeles. He noticed how the art community “serves Benicia in a very strong way,” and wanted to become a part of it.

“I think it’s a venture which is, as well as being mercantile, is more of a cultural activity to me,” he said. “It’s also a way of connection to the city itself.”

Glassberg grew up in Long Island, and “when I started living in Benicia, I realized it reminds me of living and growing up in Long Island,” he said. “It has weather which is very much the same, the demographics are the same. … I grew up in a small town like Benicia, and lived most of my life in that kind of environment.

“When I started meeting people, and started really appreciating Benicia, it was like I’m home,” he said.

He said he has been getting in contact with local artists about showing their work at the gallery. “We are looking for people who are not locally known, even though they live locally. There’s a huge art community,” he said.

“I’m looking to expand the exposure of local artists as well as bring in work from other places.”

The winter exhibit consists of five artists, one from Benicia and four from Los Angeles.

The local artist, Lourdes Maritza Menendez, has lived in Benicia since the 1990s. Armida Schneir, Christine Zardeneta, Dorthe L. Horttor, and Diane Evens all hail from Los Angeles.
Glassberg’s vision for the gallery is to keep the art traditional, or mainstream in medium and content.

“We’re not looking to be a gallery that exposes some of the outer edges of experimental art, though it’s a very valid aspect of art. What I’m looking for is classical type of things,” he said.

If You Go
A ribbon cutting at Dos Gatos Gallery, 828 First St., Suite B, will be Friday at 4 p.m. The grand opening reception is Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gallery’s hours are Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by appointment. Dos Gatos also will be open for special downtown events.