We came in for a team building day and had so much fun- it was a little bit stressful to pick out an 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! read more

What a cute little ceramic painting studio in downtown Benicia. $6/person for studio fee with a $3 helper 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! read more

See all

We had so much fun here! The staff is friendly and helpful. Their figurine selection is great. We will definitely be back for more! Especially to try the mosaic options. Can't wait to see our finished products! read more

Artcentric Ceramic Painting Studio - Mermaid figurine - Art Classes Near Me - Benicia, California

This local gem is such a treasure for downtown Benicia! We've visited for everything from hand-print pottery (the owner's expert guidance ensures they come out perfectly every time) to birthday parties (always a huge hit with the kids) and even quiet weekday painting sessions for a bit of creative "me time." The variety of projects--like glass fusion--makes it more than just a pottery painting studio, but there's a great selection of cool stuff to paint or play with if that's your path, and gifts to take home as well (including art kits for bored kids, perfect for the holidays!!). Between all that, and the fact that the owners couldn't be nicer, it's a joy to have such a cool, family-owned spot in town. Supporting this wonderful local business is something we love to do, and I highly recommend it! read more

This is the best place to go when you want to express some creativity!! The ability to paint pottery pieces or create designs is amazing. In addition, if you need any help, it's given! It's rhetorical best paint your own pottery place I've been to! read more

What a great busy business. Love the owners. They offer such great suggests. Took my grands and they love their work. Pasta bowls, mustard cups, dip bowls and olive bowls. They date and sign the bottom. Making great memories read more

See all

What started out to be a beautiful family day out turned into a gut wrenching experience. My wife and I were out with our family including our 8 year old daughter, 7 month old son, grandparents and my wife's sister. We had a large group. Calling ahead we were told there was only room for 4 people to paint. This was going to be my daughter, wife, sister and mother in law. Upon arriving we were told by the storekeeper that if our baby began fussing we would need to remove him to protect the calm environment for everyone else. While this is common sense for most, the fact she went out of our way made us feel very unwelcome. Yet there was another baby, about the same age, who was also fussy and they were not asked to leave. After that, my wife, mother and sister in law decided they wouldn't be painting. My daughter was already excited and we didn't want to ruin her day. After finding out that only one person in our group was going to be painting, we were told we had to move to a smaller table; the remaining members of our party were asked to stand or leave. My mother in law was assisting my daughter with painting and was told this wasn't allowed either. Only my daughter could paint or else it would take "hours". Clearly the shopkeeper didn't have children. Adult assistance in painting would serve only to expedite the process. We left with my daughter in tears and everyone's day having been ruined by this tragic experience. TLDR; This store is NOT family friendly and I strongly discourage anyone who is looking for a nice family day to choose to spend it here. read more

I enjoyed spending some time at artcentric. My kids and I enjoyed painting. They had a big selection of pottery pieces to paint. We had a blast. The owner was really helpful and sweet. read more

See all

The moment you walk in this place you transform into an artist. There's about million choices to make in this place ideal for any age, bdays or just spending some quality time, it will definitely brings out the inner artist. Just go try, you won't regret. read more

We recently went here for my daughter's bday and it is a super cool studio. The owner is nice and explained everything clearly to us and we recently picked up our plates that we made and it looks great. We will definitely be back and this is a cool thing to do with the kiddos for sure and reasonable priced too. read more

My daughter had her birthday party here and overall, I think the experience was positive. I think I was expecting more of an interactive experience as opposed to the girls painting more independently with some assistance when needed. While the event was supposed to be 90 minutes, all the girls finished painting within 30-45 minutes so we had to purchase additional figurines to help pass the time. I think the space itself is great, but was hoping for more of a party type experience for what was purchased. read more

Omg Aileen the owner is the very best!!! My niece and I go here just to paint canvases and she always takes her time to guide us what color to use, she's very patient, and kind. This place feels so relaxing and we are always happy to come back here! read more

Love spending the afternoon painting and visiting. Alene is beyond helpful. She is very creative and is willing to guide you through your project. No better way to spend an inexpensive afternoon of entertainment. read more

This is a great little paint-your-own studio in Benicia which also offers classes in glass fusion and mosaics. I visited for the first time yesterday and fell in love with the place! They have an impressive selection of bisque (unglazed, white ceramic ware) pieces and paints to choose from. The staff during our visit was friendly and helpful. Pricey? Not really. Prices for pieces are comparable to other studios in the Bay Area, and the studio fee per person is almost half the cost other places charge. When I consider the limited space in the studio and the amount of time we spent there working on our projects (about 4 hours) I'd say this is a great value for an afternoon of awesome with my friend. Our mugs will be ready for pick up in about a week. I'll post a pic of my masterpiece then. I can't wait! read more

See all

What a great place to go to unwind and be creative at an unaffordable cost. I went in prior to hosting a girls night out scheduled in a week. Aileen is so sweet and helpful. She let me browse and find a piece of ceramic to paint. Once I was ready she walkef me through the simple process of choosing my paints and getting started. Where else could I spend 2 to 3 hours creating, using someone elses paints and brushes for a 6.00 class fee(and cost of item). A few hours later I have a great Welcome sign for my house. She is firing it, my pick up is in about a week. I'll update after Girls Night out next week. But go by and have some fun. read more

See all

I don't normally take the time to write reviews on places I've been, however I wanted to take a few minutes to write this review because Aline the owner was such a great person to deal with. I planned my 30th birthday here and requested it to be a private event. She made an exception and took the time to accommodate my request since Christmas is nearly approaching and its usually her busiest month. She made my event fun and inviting for my friends and I. Her studio has many choices of art piece to choose from, in the end I've preselected a $30+tax frame piece to do Mosaic on since painting is the norm. She was very informative in her instruction and was attentive to my party. Pricing was decent which included a $6 studio fee per/person. Cash payment is highly recommended to make an easy and pleasant transaction. Thanks Aline for your accommodations! read more

The previous 2-star review makes me a bit sad. I have a toddler and I would NOT bring her here for a day of painting. I would, however, bring her in for a quick holiday gift (i.e. a painted hand print, etc.) and I would definitely bring her in for a clay print! With that said, this review is long overdue... The shop is located in a great area on 1st Street in Benicia. There's tons of window shopping, great local artisans and good places to eat. Parking is generally easy (on street, but free). Plus, it's near the water. The shelves lining the entire length and nearly height of the store are filled with TONS of pottery pieces just waiting to be painted. They offer several different paints, paintbrushes, sponges, stamps, etc. for you to complete your project with. The tables are large and the atmosphere is friendly. The owner is super nice and willing to teach you techniques if you're patient enough to give something new a try. Prices range from about $5-$65 per piece, plus a reasonable $6 studio fee to cover the paint, glazing and firing. The studio also offers glass fusing and mosaics - which sounds SO fun. Pieces that require firing are ready in about a week. Artcentric offers their space up for parties, fundraising, and Girl Scouts. They even have a ladies night! They also offer LOTS of workshops. A few months ago I threw a baby shower and wanted to give a really special gift to the new baby (and family). I decided to purchase a very large plate and turn it into a clock. While Artcentric does not have pottery clocks for sale, they did have a drill in the back and were able to make a hole in the plate large enough to adequately fit the workings of the clock (which I purchased separately ahead of time). I wanted to take the clock with me to the shower so I could have guests sign the back of it (with paint provided by Artcentric; included in the studio fee), so I paid for the plate and the studio fee ahead of time. After the party I took the mom-to-be back to Artcentric so she could design the plate. It was a HUGE hit! I've also been in on Ladies' Night and in just for fun on a regular day. I would definitely recommend Artcentric. It's a lovely place to visit and a great place to "get away" for a few hours...or the day if you choose! read more

I love this place. I especially like the days where you can bring a bunch of girlfriends and a bottle of wine and chill out making fun projects. I've only been three times in the last several years, but will be back with my kids when they're old enough read more

This is the kind of place you go to after a long day at work to relax and let your creative side take over! I love coming here and even when I go on a field trip with my students and vow I will not paint anything, I always do. The owner is the most creative lady! She's really great. She always offers a hand if you get stuck or if you have trouble picking your piece to paint. The turnaround to get back what you've been painting is fast too. They are usually right on the button with their time frame and if they're a little backed up, they let you know. read more

This place is too awesome. So find a dish you would like to paint and the host will explain the rest. This place for us is one of a kind. Kids had a great time as well as the grown ups. A great place for a family outing. read more

See all

Although I've seen this place many times over the last 20 years; this was my first time in. I was greeted and given space to pick out my piece. I chose a bowl to put prints of my five month old daughter's feet on. The owner was very gracious to help me as well. As promised; my bowl was ready in a week. It turned out better than I expected and will be back to do clay imprints. read more

My daughter (6) recently took a series of homeschool classes here. She took a mosaics class, glass fusion, painting and some other ceramics painting class. She had a really wonderful time. Aline was a wonderful teacher, and my daughter felt very comfortable with her. We now have some really gorgeous treasures we'll enjoy forever. I'd recommend people of all ages stop by, check out a class or project and learn something new with Aline's guidance. read more

Came here for a "team building day" for work. It was so fun! Awesome staff, they were so nice and helpful! So much ceramics to choose from and lots of paint. Great for all ages! Will be coming back! read more

Artcentric Ceramic Painting Studio - Art Classes Near Me - Benicia, California

See all

There are a lot of varying reviews here! I have been a resident of Benicia for over 20 years, and was so happy when ArtCentric came into our town. The shop is located on the main street in Benicia, where all the "action is", lol, and you can stroll for the day or evening before or after you paint. There are pros and cons, as there are to everything in life, so you have to adapt to the situation to fit YOUR needs. I love coming in here with friends or my children and painting. It is a relaxing time and there are sooo many pieces of pottery to choose from. The little paint holders are so cute, and I know someone mentioned that you don't get much at first, but it's obvious that you have kids come in there and gob in on their plate and never use it, wasting it. Sometimes, they have to play babysitter to the kids because parents aren't as aware as they could be what their kids are doing as they waste all the paint. That being said, you can paint with as much as you would like, just try not to glob all this paint on your dish and paint and throw away! Yes, the studio is a bit pricey, BUT, we are in Benicia, and we do not have to drive across the bridge to go somewhere cheaper. We pay for convenience in our town as many of the stores do as well. I for one, would rather come to a friendly little studio downtown, say hello to the friendly owners, paint, and stroll around Benicia; rather than cross the bridge, go into traffic and hassles and then go all the way back to pick up your pottery! They are also very helpful in ways to paint and teach, have many different stylings and techniques, glass fusing classes, etc. Most painting/pottery studios are not "toddler friendly", so parents need to come with that in mind! These pieces will break! This is not a jumpy house, it is a pottery studio! So, be prepared, hold your kids, don't let them touch, but they can pick out something to paint and have them sit at their table. I did it every Mother's Day when my kids were little and it was great! If you are a mom that lets your young children run all around without supervision, then this is not the place for you! But a little common sense will make this an enjoyable time. I still have so many things my kids made for me at ArtCentric on my kitchen wall, and the wonderful and happy memories that went with it. ArtCentric is one of the most enjoyable places in downtown Benicia. Mention it to a 2nd grade girl or up and they are jumping for joy!!! In having my daughters' 9th BD party there, and she and her friends are so excited, I KNOW all will come. EVERYONE loves ArtCentric! We picked out the cutest little purse banks and can decorate them a bit more with jewels after firing. My daughter is so proud and excited to be having her party at ArtCentric! Thanks for being there! L.D. read more

When I went there with my boyfriend and his mom, there was a birthday party of about 8. The man who was "helping" us was terse, which was forgivable as there were many there. However, he was inexcusably rude. My boyfriend wanted to replicate a pattern he saw, but the man told him "I can't help you, take the class." I understand that he didn't want to give out free information, but he could have at least told him what brushes to use, even if he didn't want to divulge the exact method. Also, I wanted to use tape to block the paint from certain areas of the outside of my bowl, but I already started painting the inside of the bowl. If the man helping us had paid us a little bit more attention, I could have done what I really wanted to do. Two stars because they had a large selection of ceramics and paint colors. read more

My son made a glass fusion project here. The owners were very kind and welcoming when we just moved to the community. Love the ambience and the environment that frees you to create and make new friends !! Great shop ! read more

I took the "glass fusing" class on a whim and had a good time. Aline and Steve were friendly and generous in helping me explore some ideas. Now that I know the technique in general, I'm definitely going back and work on a more pre-planned project. Parking was surprisingly easy considering the Farmer's Market was going on... the Relik is just across the street for some quick inspiration :) read more

Love this place. My daughters had a great first visit. Staff is super nice and very helpful. Definitely going back

I really like the idea of taking the kids to paint ceramics, but this place isn't exactly kid friendly. Well, at least not toddler friendly. Think "bull in a china cabinet". It's also suuuuper pricey (I paid over $50 for my kids to each paint a plate the size of a salad plate). The result was kinda cute, but I'm not sure it was worth the stress or money. I think if I ever go back, it will be with a group of girls and a bottle of wine on their "ladies' night". read more

Very nice and peaceful. Would highly recommend. There are lots of ceramic art to choose from, I got a cute cupcake took me 3 hours to paint but if you're looking for a get away from stress you should come here (: read more

Artcentric is a Must Do place in Benicia. Get creative here with lots of choices - glass fusing, ceramic painting and more. The owners, Aline & Steve, are wonderful. Prices are very affordable and you can buy or make handmade gifts for everyone. Parties (for birthday, Girl Scout meetings, ladies night out, etc.) are fun! read more

Going into Artcentric always puts a smile on my face. It's whimsical atmosphere is inviting to me and my children. I am always inspired by the art around me in the store. read more

Friendly, warm, helpful are the staff. Patrons are the same. This place is a happy place where you can relax, explore your creativity and if that intimidates you, Ailine is there to share some of hers. Not a place for little kids to hang out if Mommy wants to work on her own project. I felt like I nearly had my own studio, read more

I had fun making my bowl. It was really simple to create and my bowl came out perfect. The lady working there was super helpful because I didn't know what I was doing. My piece was ready in week. read more

Came here with co-workers. It was a great experience, I liked the variety of items they had. Family oriented. I would definitely come back to this place! read more

We neighborhood women love to gather at ArtCentric when we can for Ladies Night to create, listen to soft music, snack and catch up on our lives. Each creation is fun to make, and it becomes a sweet reminder of our time together. Aline and her family are always warm and welcoming too. read more

Took my kids here for the first time yesterday and they had a wonderful time letting their visions flow. Great customer service and friendly atmosphere, can't wait to pick up our pieces read more

I have been coming to Artcentric for quite awhile now and I cannot express the "happiness" I feel when I come here. It is very relaxing; the kind of place you just can't get enough of. I bring my grandkids here and they love it just as much as I do. Both Aline and Steve are wonderful and very friendly. I have to agree with Joyce, Aline is very creative, and accomodating. She is always willing to offer assistance or give suggestions when you need it. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, the prices are fair, the service is outstanding, and the quick turn around time is great. I have made several items from ceramic to glass fusing, and want to learn how to do Mosiac next. Can't wait :) read more

My friend and I happened upon this studio when we lunched in Benicia (a charming town). We vowed to go back and learn glass fusion. We made an appointment with Aline for a session in glass painting and fusion. Aline is a renowned expert in this art and a wonderful teacher. My friend and I spent the afternoon working on our projects, which we left at Artcentric for firing. We received a call about 2 weeks later to pick up our items. It was well worth the wait. Our projects came out more beautiful than we expected. We can't wait to do more. read more

What annoys me is how little paint the owner wants me to paint with. I thought this was a painting place. She said to just keep getting up to get more paint if I need it. Well, I must of went up 5 times and the experience of that made it unpleasurable. I understand the cost of paint because of the economy but, she charges alot already to offset the paint. She says not waste the paint but, I don't do it on purpose. I'm not lazy to get up but, I just want to sit there and enjoy what I'm painting without having to get up everytime. If you put to much paint she will let you know. read more