I just completed a screen-print class ... what fun. I don't know why I never did this before. My…read moredaughter wanted to have family t-shirts made but it was always too expensive to just get 3 printed. I was able to make them...yay. Printed shirts for my grandson that were soooo cute. I also printed images on my suitcase so it doesn't look like the hundreds of black suitcases in the airport. The instructor is GREAT. She is also ready to experiment. She screens on ceramics ... even screened a prosthesis! The other students were very helpful too. I'll be signing up again soon. The RAC is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year! It's a great place.. drop by for a visit or to take a class.

Came here for the spring exhibitions opening reception and had a great time. Was a bit surprised…read morethat masking was still required indoors but they provided masks at the front. The exhibits were nicely organized and flowed well. The Richmond Art Center seems well-maintained overall and they did an excellent job with the opening reception, including the yummy food and drinks in the courtyard. I just wish they had more seating during events. While making my way around, I saw artwork from local students as well and the classrooms in the back which was cool. If you're an East Bay local, I highly recommend stopping by the Richmond Art Center at some point or checking out their class offerings.

A friend of mine paints there, and I have met other artists there who are very talented and…read moreconsider friends, although they're really more of acquaintances because I only see them at the gallery. You know what I mean.... A very large space, much larger than most galleries, and it's a working gallery, with artists painting amid the displayed works. Gera, the owner, is really cool and friendly. A great place to see a lot of very creative art and talk to artists as they create. They have a lot of events, usually on Saturday nights, which are always really fun, with music and good food and wine/beer/sodas/water. Plus, there's a huge free parking lot adjacent to the gallery, so parking is usually no problem. It's well worth checking out. I'm there often, and it's a great place to kind of just hang out. Buy some stuff and support the artists! It'll brighten up your home and help the arts.

This place is neat and it's a nice place to discover local designers. The original works here are…read moredecently priced --pretty reasonable actually. You can find a lot of modern artwork here as well as smaller works such as jewelry, cards, magnets and whatnot. The walls are covered from wall to wall with work. I didn't buy anything myself but it was nice to browse around. It'd be a nice place to find a gift for the art lover that you know.

Acci Gallery in Berkeley is a light filled space. It's our first visit, although it's been here for…read more65 years, housed in a brick building near the Gourmet Ghetto that feels like a throwback to an earlier Bay Area art scene. The gallery is a good place to find ceramics, jewelry, and canvases by local artists. I noticed a collection of precise woodblock prints featuring mushrooms and fungi, and a small collection of arresting portraits by local artist, Stephen Maffin, reminiscent of Italian frescoes but also unmistakably contemporary. I miss seeing genuinely authentic, quirky art venues like this around the Bay Area.

Love this place. More than 100 local makers show in this gallery. The variety and the quality of…read morethe work is stunning.

I don't know how many times I have driven by the front door at Casa Oaxaca, but I decided to…read moreactually go inside today, and not just from curiosity but from memories of my visit to the city itself decades earlier. At the window you can tell there's a lot of love and respect for the city of oaxaca. Most people don't know, but this city is revered not only for its fine cuisine and introducing several types of mole to the culinary world but also its artisans in the area and the celebration of the day of the dead. And that's after you've seen the pyramids and temples that are still there from ancient civilizations. As I enter I hear Latin strings and music being sung in the background that filled the shop and gave me the feeling that I was stepping through a threshold into another world. Looking around me I see all the famous wood carvings that they're famous for that are extremely colorful and playful. Ornaments and tapestries clothing beautiful black jars for black jars. The place has thousands of items in it I'm sure. I don't know how he found room for everything in such a small space. Carlos introduced himself to me. A very warm and generous person with much information and never gets tired of questions. It was fun for me to go back through my recollections of the city And tell him why I missed it so much and will return soon. Hes from there and he nodded knowingly that I had actually found what people from there already know. If you haven't been there it should be a destination in your life. I must say I wasn't prepared to buy anything on that trip but was more of a just drop in and see but I did walk out with a couple items and I have no shame. They were fun and there's a birthday coming up and I got a couple things to give away. It was fun being in there.. I'm going to return with my wife and she'll say why I look at it with love with long thoughtful eyes. This is a great little shop on salano Avenue and I believe that it's worth a walk in if nothing else but to Marvel at all the little items that you might miss normally. And the price range varies from not expensive too very expensive depending on your taste.

Great place to buy Mexican folk, traditional and festive gifts. Casa Oaxaca is well stocked with…read moreimported and local artist goods, I recently did a mural on the building of a agave with the store logo/signage and added bright colors. I've been shopping at Casa Oaxaca for over two decades and have used most of the folk art purchased for day of the dead altars and other teaching workshops and events. Truly a neighborhood gem, support small biz.

What a surprise! I expected there would be several reviews for the Berkeley Potters Guild and…read morefound only one, by my friend Kelly! The Potters Guild was established in 1971 and is the oldest and largest clay collaborative on the west coast, according to their card. I have visited them for years. People come and go and many of the pieces I have are by people who are no longer part of the collective. Kimi Masui works in porcelain. Her pieces are exquisite, light and graceful. Regardless who else is in the guild, I'm always eager to see what she has. Her studio is in the back, so for me, it's best for last. http://berkeleypotters.com/kimimasui.html I have been buying her work since she sold it on Telegraph Avenue. I have several of her cups and a covered jar that we use for nonfat dry milk. That jar has had a lot of use. It's chipped and the lid has been broken and glued back together. I came here to see if I could find a replacement. I went through the various exhibits of people's work. Some is functional and some decorative. Some is both. When I read Kelly's review and clicked on the link she included I saw that the woman whose piece she bought was one whose lovely, colorful work had attracted me as well: http://berkeleypotters.com/margaretgriszdow.html I'm not sure how many potters are here. It's a warren of spaces and hallways but if you wander through and double back a few times you can see everything. There's even a jeweler, Janie Rose, who I suspect used to be a potter who was part of the collective years ago and switched to jewelry. Her earrings are attractive and inexpensive. There are several potters who are new to the collective since I was last there a few years ago and there was a great deal to be admired, but I was looking for a couple of specific things. First was a replacement bowl for the cracked one, since I didn't find what I was looking for at the Potter's Studio. Finally I reached Kimi Masui's studio. I immediately found a bowl to replace the cracked one. Kimi was there and I described to her the covered jar we had and its condition. She was very accommodating and patient, going through her backstock looking for jars the right size. There was one that was a perfect size, but the opening was a bit too small so I didn't get it. I'll keep checking.

I had been wanting to check this place out for some time... they were open and Dr. R. was going to…read moreget Audi parts in the area, so I decided to give it a looksee. Yep, it was pretty pricey. I did buy an espresso cup and saucer for $35, but it was a beautiful cup which will bring me pleasure whenever I use it (like the other espresson cups I have in my collection). It was nice to meet the artist and when we took off the shelf, she gave me a couple of small slips that explained the piece and it's care as well as her general philosophy. Here is her website: http://berkeleypotters.com/margaretgriszdow.html I do love buying handmade ceramics. I bought the absolutely perfect cereal bowl from a crafts cooperative in West Virginia during a road trip and have always kicked myself that I did not buy two or even four. It is the perfect shade of blue and the perfect depth... feels good in the hand... that is the plus side to buying from the hand of the person who has made something. There is a recognition that a human being not only designed this object, but fabricated it to become a piece of your life. One sour note was at the cashier. There is a central clerical area, staffed by the potters. We arrived at the area, to be third in line. During the second transaction, we waited through a mutual compliment of each other's jewelry, conversation about who each of the potters were to each other and an eventual trading of email addresses with a plan to meet up later... all while we were waiting and feeling like chopped liver! :::laugh:: I know.. how high school can you get? It just left a sour taste in my mouth, which I quickly dispelled at Vik's!

Now, I have to let you know that I worked at NIAD back in the day and met my husband there. He…read morestill works there and my leaving and time there was brutal! But, boy have times changed! I love coming here for the art, the comraderie of the staff and the clients are full of love, hugs and joy! I have bought art there, I have bought jewelry there, and we went to NYC to be present with one of their artists who had a piece in the Whitney Bienniel! I was hired to be the personal secretary to Dr. Katz who founded Creative Growth in Oakland, Creativity Explored in San Francisco, and Creativity Unlimited in San Jose (I believe they closed a while back). I was at the first conference of Art and Disabilities held at the center with representatives from the four centers and others. Some came as far away as Canada and Minnesota. At that time, Creative Growth was the star of the group and we all aspired to have their success. Well, NIAD has found it. The idea for the center started after the mental health facilities in CA were closed by Ronald Reagan. But before the closure, Florence, his wife and artist, would drive up with art supplies so that the people could create art. A lot of the clients were relocted to the bay area and he opened the center for them to create art. Eli was passionate about the clients and felt that they had a right to create and he created a center where that's possible. I'm sure that he is beaming over everything that NIAD has become - an inclusive, welcoming place where artists get a chance for creative expression and can earn money from what they make. Good job for keeping it up guys!

HOORAY!!! This…read moreproject reached its goal with almost a week to spare. Pat yourselves on the back, you are a mighty fine bunch of Yelpers!

I had to do some errands at the post office across the street and saw Umami Interiors. My friend's…read morebirthday is coming up and I wanted to get her some goodies from a local shop. Jessica helped me show me the bath salts and I chose the scent more relaxing for her! I found a cute soap dish made in India and a beautiful hair clip. Jessica helped wrap everything together and I'm so excited to give it to my friend. I'll definitely be back to explore more. They have beautiful cloth placemats with great prints!

I visited my kids during their Spring Break. My daughter got a little job at Hal's Office Coffee…read moreshop. She wanted to show me her new place of employment. I hadn't been to Albany in over 10 years! I immediately vibed with the little town. After my daughter picked up some coffee, I knew I wanted to walk around. I was instantly drawn to Umami. What stunning artifacts. As a minimalist, I wanted to buy everything! I graciously and gladly resorted to and settled on a set of earrings and necklace. I absolutely love them. Umami is a beautiful shop. And the Shop Attendant was just as beautiful, sweet, helpful, personable, and welcoming. When I visit my kids next, during the summer, I will be back!

Morningtide is a super cute little popup filled with inventory created by independent designers…read more So many of the items in the shop were adorable, most especially the hair clips by Nat + Noor. Although the prices felt ever so slightly high, in general they're actually on par with what's charged by the designers. I would have loved to have seen some Nade Studios items, Madi Apparel, Friendsheep pieces, or just crocheted items in general, although it looks like their inventory changes often and sometimes they carry Babaa. The service was super friendly during our visit and I'm excited to keep an eye on Morningtide to see what they're going to carry next!

Amazing products, amazing customer service. If you need a gift for anyone in your life with good…read moretaste, you could go in here with your eyes closed and end up with a perfect gift. The clothing selection is impeccable if you're looking to treat yourself!