Funky Gifts: Fiber art gets earthy these days in Berkeley, where even angels can get down and dirty. Read more.
open studios
Sculptor Patricia Bengtson-Jones — Connecting with the Cosmos
The mythology of prehistory continues to beckon to sculptor Patricia Bengtson-Jones. The Berkeley, California, artist has been exploring stone, bronze, steel and glass for decades — and a few weeks ago I had a chance to explore her studio. Read more.
Judy Seidel: Click Here for an Eyeful of Her Life-Affirming Paintings
Some artists seem to be able transfer the way their minds work onto paper or canvas. And of those artists, every once in a while, it’s a mind that you’d like to spend more time with. I’m thinking of abstract painter Judy Seidel. Read more.
Oakland’s Jingletown: Arts, Crafts, Cool Kitsch — And Cookies
It was a lovely afternoon for wandering in and out of artists’ studios in Jingletown, Oakland, California’s vibrant, up-and-coming arts neighborhood, earlier this month. More than a dozen neighborhood artists had opened their doors for the annual East Bay Open Studios. Read more.
At the Sawtooth Building: Earrings for Thirty-Six Bucks . . . And Other Hand-Made Pleasures
Susan Brooks was in her studio selling handmade earrings priced in the three-figures category the other day. I was not tempted. I’m tightening my belt these days. Instead . . . Read more.
Shopping Stories: Arts and Crafts in Berkeley’s Labyrinthine Sawtooth Building
I caught the last minute of the last day of the annual San Francisco East Bay Open Studios on June 9. I didn’t go there intending to shop. My plan was to stop by painter Salma Arastu’s studio in the funky Sawtooth Building on Eighth Street in Berkeley to talk about my book. Read more.