Giving the gift of art is a great idea and all, but it's really only feasible if you've got the bucks to spend, or are tuned into the local art scene. Meaning, you know which artists haven't gotten too big for their britches and continue to sell originals for a still-accessible price. You can find some of these at REDUCED, an exhibit and sale of black-and-white artworks created by emerging Bay area artists and available for $100 or less. Hosted by Les Fauves — the Gulf Coast Museum of Art's young professionals group — the holiday party also features tours of black-and-white-saturated galleries, dark- and white-chocolate ornaments, eats courtesy of Saffron's, live music by Lush Progress and free hot cocoa to be sipped while touring the Florida Botanical Gardens. Attendees are encouraged to follow the color-free theme by wearing black and/or white. 6-10 p.m. Thurs., Dec. 15, Gulf Coast Museum of Art, 12211 Walsingham Road, Largo, $5 general, 727-518-6833, www.gulfcoastmuseum.org.
This article appears in Dec 14-20, 2005.