Artcentric owner Aline Kerpoyan poses in front of the many items that have been created in her store. (Photo by Benjamin Miramontes)

Enter a space. Imagine colorful, soft pastel yellow and lilac walls with a large painted crescent moon adorning the wall across from you, welcoming you into this space. The walls are covered with shelves holding countless paints, brushes and pieces waiting to be chosen and given color by customers. These are among the wonderful things one can witness when they first walk into Artcentric Pottery Painting on First Street.
The owner, Aline Kerpoyan, has been a resident of Benicia since 1992, and she opened Artcentric in 1998. Kerpoyan runs her small business on the side of a full-time job working for Colorobbia Art based in Florence, Italy. Kerpoyan’s work requires her to teach other art studios how to host and lead workshops in painting, glass fusing and much more. She is a driven individual with a passion for both her craft and teaching. When asked why she decided to open Artcentric, she said, “I’ve always wanted a place for me and my family to spend time together doing something meaningful.”
On the same note of meaningful time spent with family, Kerpoya views that as a primary reason for families to come spend an afternoon at Artcentric.
“We don’t just sell pottery or crafts, we create memories,” she said.
Kerpoyan describes her business as more of a place of gathering than a business, with an emphasis on letting anyone of any skill level enter and have access to express their creativity through the different services they offer. The space is safe and family oriented with numerous pieces of pottery both parents and their children will enjoy.
Walk-ins grant the most freedom, and people are highly encouraged to drop in with friends or family and begin work on a project like glass fusing, pottery painting or a mosaic. For those who choose to paint a piece of pottery, Kerpoyan will hand-glaze the piece, fire it in a kiln and have it ready for pickup a week after their visit. Kerpoyan will be at the shop to help anyone with questions on painting technique and more. For those who would like a more structured or step-by-step lesson, she offers classes as well. Children can sign up for a Summer Art Camp that meets throughout the summer and teaches its participants about the different art offered at Artcentric. A more in-depth homeschool program is also available. Adults can participate in Italian painting workshops, Ladies Night, Glass Fusing workshops, Mosaic workshops, clay pottery molding, wheel working clay and more.
For those seeking additional information, all of Artcentric’s info is available online for viewing. Anyone can receive their newsletter through Facebook(Facebook.com/Artcentric), email (artcentric@yahoo.com) or Instagram (Artcentric1).

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