For the fourth year, the Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington will host the Holiday Arts and Crafts Show this December. Housed in the Arts Alliance Center in College Mall between Foot Locker and Southern Style Boutique, the storefront displays art and holiday gifts for sale from local artists.
The show, which opened Nov. 29, runs 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays until Dec. 22. It is free to attend.
It’s located inside an unassuming storefront, but when patrons walk inside, they’re greeted by the artist’s creations adorning the white walls and shelves. Locally blown glass sits next to hand crocheted bookmarks, framed watercolors, photography collections and more. Everything displayed is for sale and the holiday show is another chance for local artists to display their work to the Bloomington community.
Visitors will find booths with the artists sitting behind their displayed work. Sarah Asher, Arts Alliance treasurer and center coordinator, started planning the event and booth spaces weeks ago. On Thanksgiving Day, it was Asher who drove around town planting yard signs promoting the show.
“It is the fourth year we’ve put this on,” Asher said. “We have a lot of people who come in and are looking for Christmas gifts or just browsing and will come back each year which we are really pleased with.”
Up to nine booths are available for rent each weekend. The call for artists went out in November and booth rental discounts were offered to Arts Alliance members. For many artists, these ‘arts and crafts’ stem from years of working on their passions.
Basket maker Bonnie Martin, alongside her husband Barry, creates distinctive rope baskets with her four vintage sewing machines. Her baskets are uniquely hand woven and adorned with a decorative knot from Barry, or perhaps even a sleek copperwork detail that’s hand pressed by Barry as well.
“Each basket can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes to several days, depending on the size, Barry said. “It started when she got a sewing machine from her father in 1974 and that’s really turned into something special for us to work on.”
More of Bonnie’s work can be found at Bonnie’s Baskets.
Other artists sold items like frames, intricate crochet or jewelry, like local artist Theresa McClure. The beads and rare stones she uses in each piece are personally sourced, giving her more control in the jewelry making process to create items full of color and individuality. One website McClure sources from sells the beads of artists in developing countries, giving the artists back their profit after the sale. McClure’s collection includes pieces with authentic roman glass beads, or paper beads created by artists in other countries.
“They’re beautiful beads that I’ve gotten in the countries that they came from,” McClure said. “People benefit, so it’s a good relationship.”
Others, like local artist Anahaí Courperus, are able to share pieces of their heritage through the show.
Courperus specializes in Ñanduti, a Paraguayan art form of woven lace. A sign at her booth states “I had the privilege of learning from two of the most recognized teachers in Paraguay and since then I have dedicated my life to practicing this art form.”
As visitors browse around, they’re not just shopping, they’re supporting Bloomington’s thriving art scene. More information on the show can be found on the Arts Alliance website.
