Tiburon resident Fred Chin has been into photography since he was 15 years old, when he began using his dad’s Leica camera and built his own enlarger using scrap pieces from old camera parts. “I like to record scenery and people for their memories,” says Chin, now 81, “and I love photography because it’s so enjoyable and relaxing.” Chin’s photos will be on view alongside the work of fellow Marin photographer James Fowler of Kentfield Jan. 12-Feb. 29 in the upstairs Community Room and the downstairs lobby and council chambers at Tiburon Town Hall. An artists’ reception for the exhibit, called “Landscapes, Oak Series and Macro” will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Jan. 12. (Diane Smith photo / For The Ark)

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Every year I take a tour of local nurseries to see what’s out there in the way of interesting items for gardeners. I always spend a lot more than this article nets me, but it’s fun — and this year I scored a beautiful white ceramic gnome lamp, which I wouldn’t have found on Amazon but is right up my alley. I also found a few gifts, and it feels virtuous supporting local merchants. Many of us spend way too much time on our computers when getting out and walking into stores would be better for us physically and emotionally. (Diane Lynch photos / For The Ark)

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Ellen Rothman is one of 10 Tiburon Peninsula artists, and 150 artists overall, who will participate in the Industrial Center Building’s 51st Winter Open Studios Dec. 6-8. During the event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, artists will open their workspaces to the public and be on-hand to do demonstrations, talk about their craft and sell their work.

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Like many in Marin, my mind has been on wildfires and electricity, or lack thereof due to the forced Pacific Gas and Electric Co. outages at the end of October. Because plants are often at the forefront of my thought process, it’s natural I think about plant selection on the peninsula. Mill Valley famously started telling residents to get rid of acacia, bamboo, Italian cedar and juniper and create a 3-foot hardscape around the immediate perimeter of each house, an obvious challenge on many properties. This created a big stir because issuing a blanket condemnation of plants that have been in people’s gardens for decades is bound to upset some. What Mill Valley failed to mention is there are ways to safely have some of these plants in gardens. The question to consider is whether they are worth the effort and the water necessary to grow them safely. (Diane Lynch photo / For The Ark)

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Tiburon’s artist laureate will be the final exhibitor at the Belvedere-Tiburon Library before construction on the expansion begins. Richard Rozen’s show, “Line. Shape. Color. — My Journey Through Abstraction,” will feature 36-inch-by-36-inch pieces based on drawings of nature, landscapes and live models. It runs through Dec. 4, with an artist’s reception in the library’s Founders Room from 6 to 8 tonight, Oct. 30. (Diane Smith photo / For The Ark)

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