June Smith will be back this year with her Christmas tree covered in handmade ornaments for sale. The Christmas Artisan Market at The Art Gallery Osoyoos is geared to Christmas shoppers and includes a range of items beyond fine arts. The show opens this Saturday at noon with an open house. (Richard McGuire file photo)
It’s the third year of what is now becoming a Christmas tradition at The Art Gallery Osoyoos – this Saturday the gallery opens its Christmas Artisan Market.
The format, which has also been used for the summer markets, has been very popular, says Sue Whittaker, gallery curator.
“It’s worked really well for us,” she said, noting that the theme this year will be White Christmas.”
As in the past two Christmas seasons, the gallery is divided into “stalls” where participating artists get their own space to feature their works aimed at Christmas shoppers.
This year there are 29 participants – down slightly – meaning the wall spaces will be less crowded and artists will have a bit of additional space.
Whittaker speculates that the summer show, followed by the Artists on Main show, may have sapped some of the artists’ energy.
Others, she said, are away for the winter.
Nonetheless, the mix of returning and new artists will represent a cross-section of artistic media – painters, potters, quilters, jewelry, glass and woodwork.
Whittaker is also looking forward to the return of a homemade chocolate maker.
“We think of this more as a market,” she said. “We try to keep focused on the fact that the summer and the Christmas ones are markets. There’s more variety. Not just fine art, but other stuff as well. It’s really worked for us, so we’ll continue to do this as long as we have the energy to pull it together twice a year.”
Items in the market are often smaller and less pricy, making them ideal for gifts.
One participant Whittaker expects back is June Smith, who originally came to Osoyoos as a snowbird, but now lives here throughout the year.
“She does her own special Christmas tree with all her own handmade crocheted pieces,” said Whittaker. “There’s hardly a piece left on the tree at the end of the show.”
Adding to the Christmas mood will be an artificial fireplace and other decorations, including ones outdoors in front of the gallery on the White Christmas theme.
Whittaker credits Marcia Hurley and Maureen Potter with decorating the front both for this show and for earlier ones this year. They’ve gone around picking up odds and ends such as wicker, an old bench and other items that they paint and decorate, she said.
The market kicks off this Saturday, Nov. 18 with an open house from noon to 4 p.m. at which refreshments will be served.
“People will bring home baking,” said Whittaker. “We like to have hot cider that smells Christmasy and nice. Coffee and tea and cheese and crackers.”
The Art Gallery Osoyoos is located at 8713 Main Street, just west of Town Hall. It is open Tuesday to Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
