Benicia Plein Air Gallery kicks off the new year with featured artist Rolando Barrero's exhibit "Benicia, My Kind of Town", opening January 10 and running through February 3. The gallery will host a festive reception for Rolando's show on Saturday, January 19 from 3 to 5 p.m.

An award-winning watercolorist known for his crisp, lively style and masterful drawing skills, Rolando is a founding member of the co-operative Benicia Plein Air Gallery, celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. His show "Benicia, My Kind of Town" will be a special collection of Benicia scenes he has painted during the last ten years, and will include original watercolors as well as prints of some of his most popular Benicia-themed paintings.

Rolando is an avid plein air painter and participates often in competitive and juried plein air events throughout Northern California. His passion is painting street scenes, boats, harbors and county fairs, always with an eye toward capturing the light, atmosphere and essence of the place. He loves life and enjoys including people, nature and bustling activity in his paintings, believing that a good painting should tell a story. With a lifetime of experience as both an architect and an artist, Rolando's colorful and richly-detailed portraits of historic buildings, landmarks, cityscapes and shoreline life are especially beloved by his many appreciative collectors.

www.rolandosbarrero.com