Arts & Culture

"Try This" is a weekly column that celebrates local businesses — especially eateries, watering holes, coffee shops and the like. Food The Bagelry: lox bagel I grew up on the East Coast where Jewish delis were common. One of the glories of these grand eateries were their...

Larger than life eyeball models stare from a desk drawer; a paper bird clings to a swing inside an antique cage; a set of pastel crayons are tucked neatly into a vest pocket; globes, candles, early day photos, antlers—the visual explosion goes on and...

Watsonville artist Josefina Rocha (right) works on a new piece of art Saturday inside the Porter Building during the Arts Council Santa Cruz County’s 37th annual Open Studios Art Tour. This year features 322 artists that open their studios across Santa Cruz County to...

Searching for joy in the ongoing pandemic calls for a certain focus amidst the cascade of negative numbers such as death tolls, cases and recoveries.  Such is the case for Watsonville artist Sefla Joseph, who has had to reinvent her studio art classes and take...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville singer-songwriter Kabwasa will celebrate a major milestone in his career on Sept. 16 by releasing his first full-length studio album, “Maiden Flight.” Born Etienne Kabwasa Green, Kabwasa now lives in Los Angeles, where he made waves in the hip-hop scene even before graduating from...

CAPITOLA — A new art exhibit at the Jade Street Community Center in Capitola is serving as an appetizer for the upcoming fifth annual Capitola Plein Air Art Festival. Four artists have two works in the show that were winners from previous Plein Air events, said...

Every year, tens of thousands of people from across the globe gather in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert for Burning Man, an experimental festival focused on art, self-expression and community.  The week-long event has participants arrive with their own shelter, food and water, and supplies to...

WATSONVILLE—A new bakery that offers a dazzling and colorful line of pastries, cakes, fancy cookies, cupcakes and more has recently opened in downtown Watsonville. Ricarmi Panaderia y Pasteleria at 11 East Fifth St. is the realization of a longtime dream for Ricardo Lopez and Armida...

APTOS—Local artist and Pajaro Valley Arts exhibit coordinator Hedwig Heerschop recently raised $1,000 during the Open Studios Art Tour for children in Ukraine. Heerschop, a fine art photographer and printmaker, raffled off one of her photograph etchings, depicting a blue and yellow sunflower. She sold...

For performer Joe Ferrara, being a member of the Santa Cruz Follies is like being part of a large, extended family.