You know you need it, got to have it, just haven’t found it yet. Here are some artfully good places to look for one-of-a-kind holiday presents, starting with special events and sales.
The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft’s “Martinis & Mistletoe” party is Thursday, Dec. 6, from 5-8 p.m. The trunk shows feature chocolates, jewelry and textiles, while the museum store has transformed itself into a Holiday Shop (the December featured artist is Cathy Shepherd). Admission is $20 for non-members and free for members (715 W. Main St., 589-0102, kentuckyarts.org).
Artists Eugene Thomas and C.J. Fletcher are holding their holiday show this year Dec. 8-9 from noon-7 p.m. (1028 S. Sixth St., 589-9403, eugenethomas.com, cjfletcher.com).
Thursday, Dec. 13, is the day to stop by the Glenview Pointe Shopping Center for its Holiday Open House from 4-7 p.m. The Leslie H. Spetz Custom Picture Framing & Gallery (2400-C Lime Kiln Lane, 426-8880) is having a sale of handmade jewelry during the event.
That modest group over at The World’s Second Most Awesome Art Market is holding its “Umpteenth Annual $20 Art Show” at Art Sanctuary (1433 S. Shelby St.) on Saturday, Dec. 15, from 6-9 p.m.
The Mammoth is, well, a big building, so calling its holiday sale the “Mammoth Holiday Bazaar” makes sense (744 S. 13th St., 587-6080, themammoth.org). It will feature art, food and music on Saturday, Dec. 22, from noon-8 p.m.
Many of the local galleries have exhibitions enticing visitors to buy art as gifts.
“Shavings, Shuttles, Slabs and Sparkles” sounds like a really rowdy Christmas party, but it’s the name of the holiday show at The Gallery on Pearl through Dec. 28 (222 Pearl St., New Albany, 812-542-0780, thegalleryonpearl.com).
Gallery 104 (104 E. Main St. in La Grange, 502-222-3822, aaooc.org) has “Holiday Artistique” through Dec. 29. Liberty Tattoo and Art Parlor’s “Fourth Annual Under $50 Art Show” also runs through that Saturday (2801 S. Third St., 637-4777, libertytattooandart.com). This one has a twist: Artists pay an entry fee to be in the exhibition, which in turn is used to buy gift cards that are donated to the Center for Women and Families. Liberty is also holding its Food and Winter Apparel Drive; in exchange for a donation, you get a chance to win a tattoo gift certificate.
The Steelskin Studio+Gallery (312 W. Main St., 287-8200, steelskinstudio.com) is holding its “Sixth Annual Art as Gift Holiday Celebration,” featuring steel jewelry, sculpture and ornaments, through Jan. 1.
Galerie Hertz (1253 S. Preston St., 581-8277, galeriehertz.com) knows you can be “Naughty & Nice,” so it’s got both sides covered in its 21st holiday art show on display through Jan. 5.
“Once Upon a Holiday” is at the Muhammad Ali Center (144 N. Sixth St., 992-5334, alicenter.org) through Jan. 6. The exhibition, designed by U of L’s Fine Arts students, features large books illustrated with scenes from holidays around the world.
“Celestial Bodies” is showing at Gallery Janjobe (1860 Mellwood Ave., 899-9293, galleryjanjobe.com) through Jan. 18.
Are you already in need of an “Xmas Refuge”? Head over to Garner Narrative Contemporary Fine Art (642 E. Market St., 641-8086, garnernarrative.com) for, in the words of Angie Reed Garner, “a slow time sanctuary … minus saccharine or fuss, just what and why we might celebrate.” It will be on display from Dec. 7-Jan. 26.
Blow-your-own glass ornaments continue to be popular. Appointments are available at Flame Run at Glassworks (815 W. Market St., 584-5353, flamerun.com) through Dec. 23 (check out their exhibition “Reindeer Games” through Jan. 12). Hyland Glass (619 E. Main St., 384-BLOW, hylandglass.com) is taking reservations through Christmas. It’s also holding a Seconds Sale during the Dec. 7 First Friday Trolley Hop and over the weekend.
The Central Park West neighborhood in Old Louisville has produced another Stained Glass Calendar for 2013. It’s available for $15 on their website (historicgathering.com) as well as at the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum (1402 St. James Court, 636-5023, conradcaldwell.org) and Panache Flowers & Gifts (3617 Lexington Road, 899-3899).
