Benicia will transform into talented arts hub on Saturday
It's been about two years since the Benicia Arts Alliance started dreaming of hosting an arts festival. What's finally coming to fruition on Saturday is not your standard festival.
For Benicia, it's no booths or food trucks. All art.
"It's going to be exciting but also different," said Vickie Marchamd, the project manager of the festival. "It's something new and not just going to be a lot of booths. We want to throw it back to all the old artwalks from the past."
The festival, taking place all over Benicia, will feature a trolley giving free rides to galleries in the city. The 13 venues will feature approximately 300 artists. Art enthusiasts will find galleries, music stages, performances, public art, floral installations, and featured experiences from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The art on display is diverse and has something for all ages. For instance, at Ingle Ink, visitors ages 12 and up are invited to choose a free temporary tattoo and add a little extra art to their day.
Benicia Literary Arts will present a short morning program featuring poets and writers of short prose, bringing language, story, and imagination into the heart of the festival. That takes place in the Gazebo: The Cafe At The Inn, located off 145 E D St.
Fans of Pablo Picasso will want to check out Benicia Arts Festival's Sip of Art History program, where a character performer will bring the legendary artist to life with playful conversation, creative flair, and a little artistic mischief.
There is also the option of spending the day with the artists at The Little Art Shop, where many of the gallery's artists will be on-site to share their work, process, and inspiration. Throughout the festival, artist Matt Greenwood will demonstrate live glass blowing and torchwork, giving visitors an up-close look at the heat, timing, skill, and movement behind his craft.
From 4 to 5 p.m., the energy there will move outdoors as Veil in the Wind Bellydancers and The Flairs perform along the water's edge, featuring 12 dancers and four musicians in a vibrant live performance.
Gallery 621 features an all-day exhibition featuring contemporary artwork in textile, sculpture, and painting. Happy Life Pottery will offer a hands-on mosaic art experience with jewelry and mosaic artist Michelin Silva. Stone Hall Gallery at the Museum of History Benicia will host an exhibition featuring Charlynn Throckmorton alongside a dynamic group of local artists working across painting, sculpture, ceramics, mixed media, and assemblage.
The Benicia Plein Air Gallery showcases an Art in Bloom installation by Marceline Evans of Daughter of Luna. Evans will create an interpretive floral piece inspired by artwork in the gallery, bringing a fresh botanical perspective to a space known for paintings rooted in light, place, and observation. Visitors can enjoy the artwork, the flowers, and the gentle surprise of seeing one creative form respond to another.
The NY2CA Gallery, located at 617 First Street, will offer hand papermaking artist Jane Ingram Allen, who is inviting festival visitors of all ages to help create a community art installation using handmade paper pulp and wire mesh. Each house takes about 15 minutes to make, making this a hands-on stop for families, friends, curious makers, and anyone who wants to leave their mark on the festival.
Shannon Magee of Beautified Finds will create an interpretive floral work inspired by artwork at the gallery. Visitors are invited to stop in throughout the day, take in the art, and experience the beautiful conversation between flowers and visual art at Arts Benicia, located at 1 Commandant's Lane.
A bunch of ex-military, ex-athletes, ex-boyfriends, ex-convicts, ex-dishwashers called the Ex Capitals will also be performing music at the State Capitol Lawn.
This is just a small sample of the day's event. For a list of all the day's events, visit beniciaartgalleryalliance.org/plan-your-day/#schedule.
"I think I'll finally take a sigh when this is over," Marchamd said, with a laugh. "It's been a collaborative team effort. Each of the galleries has artists to explain the work and offer expertise, as a number of them are co-ops. It's a chance for people to come into the galleries and for the community to come together and open up the city's art talent. People are going to have a really fun day."
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