I recently visited the art studio as I was attending the Obtanium Cup Contraption contest with some…read moreof my favorite peeps. The event I speak of was too much fun. Madcap madness! The art studio was an unexpected delight! I had no idea it was there! I must have spent over an hour in the smallish studio. We chatted with an artist or 2 and just really enjoyed all of the art! People are so creative and full of passion and art is a great way to share with the world. Perspective is everything. They have a website you should check out if you would like to visit. I most definitely recommend doing that and then checking out Mare Island. Make a day of it!

From the owner: come visit us after January's California Freeze-for JeanCherie's opening on February 16- the Art…read moreThaw!

I have nothing but positive things to say about this place. A friend and I signed up for the…read more"Ladies Night Out" and were in for a fun surprise. We had no idea what to expect going in, but we were extremely happy to see such a cute and intimate set up! The host, Jennifer, planned this night SO WELL. She had macaroons, cookies, coffee/tea for us to enjoy, with relaxing music playing in the background. Jennifer also had a massage therapist, Anna, join and offer each of us a massage (amazing!). As for the activity itself, the watercolor painting was really fun and relaxing to do. We were able to turn our watercolor art into cute bookmarks. (Stickers, hole punchers, and tassels were all provided!) On top of everything provided, we even got a small gift bag to take at the end of the night. My friend and I can't wait to take another one of Jennifer's classes in the future

Had a wonderful relaxing art class at Once Upon A Canvas! I loved her wide variety of activities…read moreand goodies! The class was focused on self care/mindfulness which I absolutely loved! It's been a long week and this was just what I needed. She had someone there to do massages, had tea, coffee, yummy sweets, key chain making, and a beautiful art project. I drove all the way from Sacramento to attend with my mom and I would absolutely drive all the way back down here again to take another class here. Can't wait for my next class!!

Update: I picked up my jelly fish lamp from my class and I absolutely love it! It's mesmerizing!…read more It comes with the lamp stand which has a pretty long cord, two color changing light bulbs with a remote, and the attachment to hang the tentacles. (Some assembly required.) Attaching the tentacles can be tricky once you factor in the space the light bulb takes up. I ended up not attaching all of them and storing the rest as spares in case something happens. I would lay down a towel or assemble over a soft surface in case you drop a tentacle. FYI Jelly fish lamp pick up is typically two weeks after your session. Most other projects are available for pick up 16-48 hours after. I messed up and came too early because I was very excited (about 1 week after the class). Douglass went out of his way to disassemble one of his premade jelly fish pieces for sale to give me the lamp stand so I could take it home there. That's outstanding service! But I also wanted to help others so this doesn't inconvenience him again... Highly recommend taking a glass blowing class with Douglass or a member of his team before he retires! (If he discontinues the jelly fish class I hope they replace it with a workshop like Build a Bear that lets you customize a jelly lamp from premade parts available and help you assemble it there in the shop. That way you can see exactly what you're getting, potentially get colors that can't be made in the class like the dark blues, have different textured tentacles, and have the satisfaction of taking your piece home right away!)

My boyfriend and I came here with a reservation for a Saturday at 10 AM. There was one other couple…read morein the building and we were able to get started fairly quickly. The glass blowing process takes about 10 to 15 minutes per person depending on what is being created for a tier one purchase, which is what we all had. I created a small vase and my boyfriend created a shot glass. Not only was the instructor incredibly talented, but his ability to give direction and instruct while creating a fun experience for everyone was just next level. We've already recommended this business to a few family and friends, and I definitely plan to take another class in the future.

Wonderful experience for everyone, especially children, seniors, etc. Exceptional instruction &…read morecare provided by a gifted artist who lives in Vallejo as well! Great works are on display in the show window & on the walls, some by the artist available for purchase, who has shows in the local (Benicia as well) businesses. The Art Classes are perfect for summer break time & for home-schooled kids. Sketching in charcoal, oils & water colors are introduced in a quiet, friendly atmosphere.

Nice studio. Owner semi-pleasant. Looking forward to my children enjoying some vacation summer…read moreexpression.

Very cute little gift shop and pottery studio. I've always wanted to come in and finally got to…read morevisit. They close at 6 so if you come after that you will miss them. Staff were very informative about their classes that are offered. I have been searching for a local pottery class and was so happy to see this one. I look forward to taking a class soon.

I signed up for a handbuilding chip and dip bowl project class. The cost was $72 which includes…read moreeverything (tools, clay, apron, instructions/help, glaze) and the class itself took 3.5-4 hours. The class size was about 8 people. We arrived 10 minutes before 11am and the gallery was not opened yet. So we strolled around Benicia and by the time it was 11am everyone else was checked in and sitting. My friend and I were two of three newbies. The other attendants had been there before. Our instructor was Robbie. Robbie is fantastic! Ceramics can be a lot more difficult than expected. But Robbie made it fun and it was easy to follow along. The small class size made it personalized and easy to get further help if you feel you missed a step or wanted help or ideas on further customizing your project. Robbie provided many ideas for how previous classes added a unique touch to their chip and dip bowls like widening the dip bowl area, stamps, a different edge that is straight rather than wavy etc. We were shown glaze options at the end of the class including samples of what the finished color would look like. My friend chose Nutmeg and I chose the grey-green glaze. In about three weeks I got an email that our pieces were ready for pick up! Robbie was there again! She carefully wrapped our projects for me. We also chatted a little about the other classes (flowers) and their inventory. I couldn't be more pleased with the end result and the class itself was really fun! I see why people keep coming back to do different classes! The store itself has a great variety of art pieces. They obviously have ceramics. Including a little clearance cart at the front of the store. Student pieces which are also discounted. They have metal work. And jewelry. They have cards from local artists. What a wonderful addition to Benicia! I'm sure I'll be back again soon either for another class or just to browse what beautiful pieces they have for purchase.

We came in for a team building day and had so much fun- it was a little bit stressful to pick out…read morean item to paint on the spot so try to research ahead of time if you can. The instructions were clear and easy and our finished items were so cute!

What a cute little ceramic painting studio in downtown Benicia. $6/person for studio fee with a $3…read morehelper if needed plus the item you choose to paint. The ones we were looking at ranged from $5 to $17. $5 for the flat pieces like the crown and gingerbread and $17 for the unicorn. All you have to do is paint it. They will glaze and bake it for you. Pick it up in a week after a month they throw it away. Super friendly owners. My niece had a great time I would take her again. Also...If you have extra bubble wrap that you get from shipping packages please consider giving it to this location as they use it to wrap up their customers fragile artifacts. Recycle. Reuse. Repurpose!

Now that it is almost time to go back to school, I went to El Comalito Collective to buy a…read morebackpack. I figured I needed a new item for the school year. I enjoyed the space, so many beautiful pieces of art. I wanted to take them all. I was very impressed by the fact that El Comalito Collective is a combination of a small arts and crafts shop and a gallery. I've been told that different artists are invited to show their work in the gallery free of charge (as of right now.) Painting and wine events, as well as craft events are also held at El Comalito Collective and I can't wait to be part of such events. I am not a painter but I can always pretend I am while sipping on some shiraz. What an incredible way to help the Latino Artists Community.

What a gem! The window display at El Comalito Collective caught my eye while touring the area with…read moremy family. I am so glad we took the time to stop in & check it out! Edgar was warm & welcoming, offering detailed info on the artwork & its origins. I am so happy with my purchase! Beautiful pieces with proceeds benefitting the artists/communities where they were crafted. Whether you are interested in purchasing a lovely gift, or just checking out some truly unique work I highly recommend a visit to El Comalito Collective!

Maria Talacona is an amazing artist. Her studio in Benicia on Columbus Parkway was always my…read morefavorite. She went to Sonoma for many years where there was a greater demand for fine art but now she is back to Benicia on First Street. Her work is wall to wall amazing and honestly, I have so many of her pieces and I actually just bought another piece that I am waiting to be framed. I always tell her that I can't think of anything else I would want on my walls. I have a lot of art from Jim Buckles, Eyvind Earle, and Caroline Young but I must confess I have more works by Maria Talacona than any other artist. Her works are so near and dear to my heart because she is local and I know her so well. She mainly does fine art commissions for the Napa Valley Wine Community but here in Benicia, she is well known for her florals, grapes, and olives. At her studio downtown, she has a wonderful kitchen line with plates, towels and oven mitts that were in all the stores like Kohls, Target, and Walmart. She has won many awards but she gives back to the community by teaching Paint Nights on Friday Nights from 6 pm to 9 pm. I went to her Friday night class and it was super fun and I did really well. She does a Family Fun watercolor workshop three Saturdays a month (she is closed the 2nd Saturday of each month). They are super affordable as well. Anyway, I am her number one fan. Anyway, I hope Maria captured all I had to say when I wrote a testimonial for her website but also I just had to share again how I feel about her awesome work.

SPA TIME FOR YOUR CREATIVE SIDE: took my great friend for decades to an art class here. We've…read moreenjoyed many a resort beach spa uplift yet chill outing over the years. So my hope was to have a new but similar experience & knew I'd succeeded when she said 'this feels good". The vibe setting ( so Benicia quaint) was peaceful & accommodates a range of activities & # of people: for Art studio class; original even custom Art/prints/ framing/Custom Jewellery!!!! and Gallery. Great to view, purchase, and or participate. We left there making plans for our next escape there.

Had been wanting to check this place out but never had the time. I saw that they had a rock…read morepainting class and decided to try it and take my 12 year old son. We had a great time instructor (forgive me I forgot her name ‍) was very patient and helpful. My son even enjoyed it and found another piece of art on the wall that he wants to come back and make. There were both adults and kids taking this class and all had fun. We will be back to make more projects :)

I've done two paint parties and both were a great time. I never paint what's presented to follow,…read morebut it's more the experience with friends. Great hosts, who allow you to socialize while still giving instruction. They read the room well.