By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News-Gazette Special to the Herald A giant patch of garbage that covers twice the area of Texas is growing exponentially in the Pacific Ocean between Hawai’i and California, according to Scientific Reports. And much of the debris are tiny pieces of plastic, which is why the patch wasn’t discovered until […]
Gallerie Renee Marie to feature ‘Shape of Water’ exhibit in March
Staff Report “The Shape of Water” is not just a recent Academy Award winner for Best Picture. It is also the name of Gallerie Renee Marie’s spring show, which will have its opening reception on Saturday, March 17 from 4 to 7 p.m. According to co-owner Stephanie Gray, the co-op gallery’s members decided on the […]
Arts Benicia highlights ‘Next Generation’ of local student artistry
Once again, the artistic youth of Benicia have their works displayed in the same gallery often reserved for seasoned artists. In other words, Arts Benicia’s “Next Generation” exhibition is open for viewing. “Next Generation,” a semiannual exhibit showcasing work by Benicia artists ranging from kindergarteners to high school seniors, had its official opening yesterday. The […]
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 […]
Mrs. B’s Blather: What can doing art teach us?
I started doing art at the Benicia Community Center. I had an interest in water color painting since I was 10 years old and the fifth grade class across the hall had a teacher that taught them that medium.I was excluded. It took me another 60 years to get my hand and my bankroll together […]
Arts Benicia auction to celebrate milestone anniversary, Sept. 23
There are a few certainties every September: the start of football season, Labor Day and Arts Benicia’s annual auction. Past auctions have celebrated the past including such themes as “The Great Gatsby,” the Wild West and the 1960s. The 25th annual Art Auction and Gala will continue the tradition by celebrating a different kind of […]
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 […]
Suisun Valley art collective finds new home in Benicia
Benicia’s newest art gallery is actually not new to Solano County nor is it just a gallery. The Little Art Shop was founded in 2000 as a potter’s studio in Fairfield’s viticultural Suisun Valley region. Located on Mankas Corner across the street from the restaurant of the same name, the studio eventually morphed into The […]
Letters: Tobacco ads and new graduation requirements
School board policy: The real story Benicia is an “Art Town”, and very proud of the fact. So why has your school board recently voted to potentially slash art, theater and everything else that makes Benicia High School a Gold Ribbon-winning model school? Our recent California Ed Board win, Congressional Art Competition wins and Bay […]