Now that Thanksgiving is upon us, there's no stopping the juggernaut of holiday-themed arts offerings that will overrun the calendar between now and 2009. Even self-respecting artists will turn to making Christmas tree ornaments, and cookies with sprinkles may suddenly appear at exhibition openings (not necessarily a bad thing). Thank goodness for the Holizaar, a handmade crafts showcase at the Studio@620 (Sunday, Nov. 30, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., studio620.org) that promises to inject at least a small dose of irony into the yuletide experience.
Check out an assortment of hipster crafts by twenty vendors, including the Crafty Hag's one-of-a-kind stationery and unconventional stained glass (think skull and "alien jellyfish" motifs); ceramics by Chiara's Hand-Painted (they'll match your mod décor) and handcrafted silver jewelry by Modern Bird. Other playfully branded participants include Our Lady of Perpetual Pickles, Boogiebead and Snappy Knees.
If you're in the market for something a tad more traditional, head over to Florida Craftsmen Gallery (floridacraftsmen.net), where a holiday show titled "Buy Florida, Give Florida" features pottery, glass, jewelry, woodwork, fiber art and more by 250 Florida-based artists.
This article appears in Nov 26 – Dec 2, 2008.