’Tis the season. In keeping with the holiday spirit, here are some artistic local events to entice your creative gift-giving self.
Black Friday need not be so “big box.” The Third Annual Artist Market at 21c Museum (700 W. Main St., 217-6300, www.21cmuseum.org) is Friday, Nov. 26, from noon-6 p.m. Artists include Hound Dog Press, Jonathan Nesci and Suzanne Spencer.
The Gebhardt-Marshall Gallery (801 E. Market St., www.gebhardtmarshallgallery.wordpress.com) is also doing Black Friday with special gallery hours from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
The Liberty Tattoo & Art Parlor (2801 S. Third St., 637-4777) is presenting its “Under $50 Art Show” from Nov. 26-Jan. 1.
Gallery Janjobe (Mellwood Arts & Entertainment Center, 899-9293, www.galleryjanjobe.com) is on “Red Alert” from Nov. 26-Jan. 23.
It’s time for the Second Annual Fabulous $500 and Under Show at the Christy Zurkuhlen Gallery (4820 Brownsboro Center, 777-1794) through Jan. 1. The participating artists are some of the best in town, including Claudia Hammer, James Russell May and Jacque Parsley.
This is an event people wait for every year: The Original Clay Group is presenting their Holiday Pottery Sale on Saturday, Nov. 27, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Clifton Center (2117 Payne St.). Ceramicists include Wayne Ferguson, Tonya Johnson and Laura Ross.
Spot 5 Art Studio and Gallery (2044 Frankfort Ave., 594-1483, www.spot5artstudio.com) will have its $20 Art Show on Saturday, Dec. 4.
The Crane House (1244 S. Third St., 635-2240, www.cranehouse.org) is hosting a Holiday Art Fair on Dec. 4 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sebastian Moh, a ceramicist whose work is on display through Feb. 11, will give a gallery talk at 2 p.m.
“Wrap It Up!” is the Louisville Visual Art Association’s sale of local art, Dec. 9-14 (3005 River Road, 896-2146, www.louisvillevisualart.org).
Thursday, Dec. 9 is looking bright and cheery, although Friday might be a little blurry. That’s because the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft (715 W. Main St., 589-0102, www.kentuckyarts.org) is hosting its Ninth Annual Martinis & Mistletoe from 5-8 p.m. This event (free for museum members, $20 for non-members) includes Finlandia martinis, appetizers and music by Bourbon Baroque.
U of L’s Annual Ceramics Sale is Dec. 10-11. The ceramics studio (in the Studio Arts Building at the corner of Floyd and Warnock) will be open on Friday from 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and on Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Contact Todd Burns at 852-6796 for more information.
“Locally Crafted Holiday Bazaar” will be at Mama’s Hip (1559 Bardstown Road, 384-8805) on Sunday, Dec. 12, from noon-5 p.m.
This year’s “A Very Portland Christmas” will be held on Sat., Dec. 18 at Nelligan Hall (2010 Portland Ave., www.nelliganhall.org). Everything is priced $50 and under, with 40 artists in attendance.
Local glass studios offer blow-your-own glass ornaments by appointment through December: Flame Run (828 E. Market St., 584-5353, www.flamerun.com), Glassworks (815 W. Market St., 992-3272, www.louisvilleglassworks.com), Hawksview (170 Carter Ave., Shepherdsville, 955-1010, www.hawksviewgallery.com).
Calendars have become such a hot commodity that you can go local for them, too. The Plein Air Painters of Kentucky created the images on the 2011 Olmsted Parks Conservancy Calendar. It’s free with a $25? one-year membership. The membership/calendar can be purchased online at www.olmstedparks.org, Carmichael’s Bookstores, Rainbow Blossom and the Jane Morgan Gallery.