East Bay Village Shops, El Cerrito, CA , El Cerrito Open Art Studios
A sneak preview of an art gallery expansion for MC Art Works on San Pablo Avenue was offered in a lively reception October 1, 1010. El Cerrito artist Mark Canepa has spent months renovating his new gallery space in the former home of El Cerrito Lighting — which was started by his grandparents and owned by his family until it closed.
The new space sits next door to MC Art Works’s existing space and the two storefronts share interior connections. The new space is tentatively named “The Village Shops,” and Canepa said he’s considering renaming the expanded gallery “MC Art Works – The Village Shops.”
The reception commemorated 35 years of Canepa’s art. His work includes intricate metal sculptures of items found in nature, colorful paintings of animals, and intimate portrayals of tribal characters. Canepa has created sets for Hollywood movies, displays for large companies such as Tower Records, and floats for El Cerrito High. The gallery expansion is set up to host multiple artists at a time, with display cases, ample wall space and corners throughout dedicated to a variety of themes.
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