Sabine Wach’s votives, available at Commonwheel, would be perfect for a holiday table.
“The work of local artists is not sitting on cargo ships.” That meme has been popular on social media lately, thanks to the pandemic’s impact on the global supply chain.
The bottom line is, buying local just works better for you, your friends and neighbors (if they happen to be creative people) and the community as a whole.
What better time to buy local than the holiday season? And where better to do that than in Manitou’s galleries?
Tina Riesterer, renowned artist and a partner in Green Horse Gallery, acted as a tour guide through the 729 Manitou Ave. gallery. Everywhere you look, you’ll find something to love.
Do you know an art aficionado with a wickedly funny sense of humor? Buy a Darlene Hardie piece that will have the recipient marveling at her artistic talent and hooting over her humor.
If your shopping list includes someone who likes to curl up with a soft quilt and a mug of tea, Green Horse Gallery offers several options for each art form.
How about helping your giftee start a collection of unique, handcrafted ornaments? They’re much more interesting and beautiful than the ones that all look alike and come in a box from a chain store.
If your budget is tight, but you want to share a favorite painting, consider the high-quality prints the gallery offers.
Green Horse has something to offer in a range of prices and media, from jewelry to fiber, mosaics to photographs, and ceramics to paintings. Ceramic hearts by Jennifer Hanson, metal snowflakes by Julie Burnham, fiber hats by Kathryn Wenderski, tiny ceramic spoons by Suzi Reaves, “laser luminaries” by Ken Cowdery, magical villages by Michelle Loftis and raku pieces by Mark Wong.
They’re all here, in downtown Manitou Springs.
ALSO
Commonwheel Artists Co-op, 102 Cañon Ave., hosts a perennially popular Holiday Market. This year, it runs through Dec. 28 and features the arts and crafts of 25 Colorado artists, who were juried into the market.
They work in every media imaginable and the prices range from $5 to $100 — with a few exceptions costing more than $100.
Information: www.commonwheel.com or 685-1008.
The Manitou Art Center, 513 Manitou Ave., is collaborating with the talented people who organize Moonlight Markets on Friday evenings. They’ll present Handmade for the Holidays 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4.
Vendors will offer handmade items and lovingly made food, and performers will entertain shoppers. Weather permitting, everything will happen outside, between 513 and 515 Manitou Ave., so remember to dress warmly.
The MAC also will feature its studio artists and makerspace members in the Hagnauer Gallery for its annual end-of-year exhibit. It opens 5-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, and runs through Tuesday, Jan. 4.
Information: manitouartcenter.org or 685-1861.