Holiday crafts benefit Waldron

Thanksgiving weekend marked the beginning of the Holiday Art Mart at the John Waldron Arts Center.

Starting last Friday and ongoing through Dec. 23, the Waldron will display holiday gifts crafted by local artists. The Art Mart will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.

The Holiday Art Mart reception will be 5 to 8 p.m. Friday. Refreshments will be served, and attendees will be invited to browse the selection of art.

The reception will coincide with the First Friday of the Month Program, when Bloomington’s downtown galleries have special receptions.

“The Art Mart is an opportunity for all local artists to come together through the holidays and display and sell their crafts,” said Robert Hanrahan, The Waldron’s executive director.

The Rosemary P. Miller Gallery will feature a variety of fine arts and crafts in all price ranges, including hand-blown glass decorations and stitched textile works. The Flashlight Gallery will have artwork suitable for wall hanging priced at $40 or less.

“Rather than put an exhibit in the gallery in the month of December, we dedicate it to local artists, and people can purchase holiday gifts for their loved ones,” Hanrahan said.

Half of the artists’ commissions go to the Waldron.

“We’re not just padding our pockets,” said Brenda Forgas of the Waldron. “It’s to take art out into the community to kids who wouldn’t have it otherwise.”

Bloomington resident Sue Westhues makes crafts such as containers, mobiles and musical instruments from locally grown gourds and will be featuring her gourd birds at the Art Mart.

Her larger gourd birds are displayed at the Waldron year-round, but Westhues said she saves the smallest gourds to make little birds for the Art Mart.

Barb Bonchek, another local artist, will be offering prints of her work, which she calls “dizzy art.” 

Bonchek said her “geomotion designs” are completely hand-drawn without aid from a straight edge.

“I call it geomotion design because I try to use geometry and various other techniques to create a new way at looking at things, to bring depth and movement to black and white designs,” Bonchek said.

She said this is her first year participating in the Art Mart but is excited to do so.

“I heard about it, and I thought it was a great opportunity as an artist to share my work with the public,” Bonchek said. “I thought it would be a nice way for me to promote my art and support the Waldron Center.”