Benicia artists, gallery owners, musicians, and performers are all abuzz over “Art in Bloom,” the first ever citywide Benicia Art Festival taking place Saturday. I’ve noticed some delightful changes to First Street during the past weeks — in particular the giant mural that is in progress at Vickie Marchand’s building which houses her NY2CA Gallery between W. F and G Sts.
When I walked by last week the mural looked finished. Since then layers of new paint have transformed the image into a gigantic phoenix, wings spread across the entire side of the building. Giant flowers have shown up at 13 galleries, plein air painters are setting up their easels, capturing the streets and landscapes of Benicia in anticipation of a final show and sale at the Plein Air Gallery Saturday evening. The town is dressing up for a party and the anticipation is palpable. BeniciaArtsFestival.com for an hour by hour interactive program. Sponsored by the City of Benicia, The Benicia Gallery Alliance, NorthBay Health, and others. All events are free.
Stopped by Sunday to see how far they had gotten on the mural. Vickie was dazzling in a ruby red dress and shoes, accessorized with a sparkling red crystal necklace. I had seen the mural a week before when it looked entirely different. “What brought all of this to pass?” I asked her as I observed three artists on ladders and scaffolding putting the finishing touches on their artistic contributions.
“My goal was to create a piece of public art that would become a destination — something that would inspire people, spark conversation, and invite them to engage with it in their own way. This was three years in process. I asked Benicia artist Carl Heyman, NEA Fellow, for initial advice. He and his wife Akiko Suzuki are founders of the Global Art Project. Carl has painted murals in San Francisco and East Oakland and introduced me to two other mural artists — Kemit Amenophis from Oakland and Mike D’Amelio, Livermore.”
“Mike and Kemit immediately understood what I was looking for. I’ve been across country five times looking at public art and murals and thought we all need an uplift that gives us hope and inspiration. So it’s happening. I wanted it to include segments of Benicia’s art community, as well. So Mike and Kemit left 13 blank spaces within the bird’s feathers to be embellished by a wide spectrum of local talent.”
Painter Vicki Dennis had just climbed a wobbly ladder and hoisted herself onto a very tall scaffolding to put finishing touches on her portion. Thankfully there was a strip of shade in which to work. She asked me to hold her ladder as she mounted the steps to the very top and then backed herself onto the scaffolding, brushes and paint in hand. Wish me luck.” she said. “I have my insurance card in my pocket. Just kidding.” she said. Scary!
A car drove by and the driver shouted “It looks good guys. Keep it up!”
“How did you pick the 13 artists?” I asked Vickie.
“I wanted a diverse mix of creative voices and subject matter, so checked with members of the Benicia Art Gallery Alliance to see who they would recommend, and started compiling a list. We have acrylic painters, animal painters, landscape painters, and even a tattoo artist. There are many layers to this phoenix. The goal is to have it 80% completed by Saturday. I have learned so much about murals and graffiti in the past months,” she added.
Guest artists are Annette Batchelor, Betty Lucas, Carol Dalton, Charlyn Throckmorton, Jean Purnell, Mary Williams, Mishayla Ingle, Stephanie Gray, Tymm Urban, Vicki Dennis, Vincent B. Concepcion, and Wendy Buresh. Larnie Fox and Bodil will collaborate on a feather.
Arts Benicia has something planned for every hour of the day — a spinning lounge playing old vinyl as you sip a cool drink and sample munchies, and a flute concert, culminating in a reception at 4 pm for the much anticipated opening of the annual membership show “Art of Community.”
Art lover Kurt Weisman was on his way to Lucca’s to hear music as he does every Sunday afternoon. He stopped to view the mural and greet his friend Stephanie who was hard at work. “I love that each feather is another Benicia person. I saw this last week and thought it incredibly beautiful. It’s taken our town from being cool to off the charts amazing,” he said. “Have you seen the mural section in Boise Idaho where you can walk down alleys and squares and be surrounded by murals?” I asked. “I was born in Boise, but left when I was a year old,” he said. Serendipity.
Pop into Blackbird Gallery to collaborate on a painting of Mona Lisa, or make a handmade paper house at NY2CA Gallery. Observe live glass blowing and music, music, music all over town. Nine floral designers will pair living arrangements with artworks at each of the galleries. See an hour-by-hour listing of events and interactive map at: beniciaartsfestival.com
If you get tired of walking you can hop on the trolley that will ferry you to the Library, History Museum, and Arts Benicia for more music, libations, and exhibits.
I logged on to the Festival site and gasped. I saw that Bob Ross, that velvet voiced, curly haired artist who taught painting on television for decades, is to appear at Artcentric Gallery I thought he died? Went to wikipedia to confirm it. Then I saw that Picasso will hold court at Cafe at the Inn and Frida Kahlo will nurse a tequila at the bar at Baxters. Then I got it. Hope she doesn’t run into Jackson Pollack. Diego was enough trouble.
Perhaps Frida and Picasso will cross paths. They met previously in Paris in 1939 where he admired her work. If not, they’ll always have Paris. Would be interesting if Bob Ross and Picasso sat down over a cafe au lait at the Inn and shared their particular artistic philosophies. Perhaps Bob will want to paint the Strait. Can envision him sitting on a bench in front of an easel at the end of First St., talking to himself softly and saying “Let’s add a happy little tree right here at the end of the pier.”
Letters From Benicia 