‘Tis the Season for Great Sales and Shows
Who doesn’t like a wonderful piece of handmade ceramics? The holidays offer gift-giving choices galore, from cups and vases to ornaments and dinnerware. From late November through December, KC’s clay artists are offering shows and sales throughout the city. Read on for details.
BELGER CRANE YARD STUDIOS
Belger Crane Yard Studios offers two outlets for finding the perfect holiday gift — the much-anticipated annual Holiday Open House and Studio Sale and the Belger Holiday Book.
The Holiday Open House and Studio Sale kicks off Friday, Nov. 17, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Enjoy refreshments and festive entertainment while shopping for functional and decorative ceramics and jewelry in a variety of styles and prices made by studio members and resident artists. Shopping continues Nov. 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., when visitors can enjoy live demonstrations and opportunities to meet the artists.
If you just can’t get enough of Belger’s handmade gifts, you’ll want to mark your calendar for First Friday, Dec. 1, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., when you can pick up more gifts, check out their current exhibits and enjoy complimentary treats.
The Belger Holiday Book debuts on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 25, online at www.craneyardstudios.org and in person at the Belger studios. In its second year, the book will feature a wide range of affordable art works including functional ware, jewelry, textiles and sculpture by local and national artists.
“This curated holiday gift guide spotlights work from several emerging and mid-career artists, allowing you to give the timeless gift of art this holiday season,” said gallery coordinator Cydney Ross.
Belger Crane Yard Studios is located at 2011 Tracy Ave. For more information about the holiday sale or book, call 816-474-7316.
KC Urban Potters Holiday Sale and Open Studios, Dec. 1 – 3, will feature ceramics by Paul Donnelly and Rain Harris, Erica Iman, Jana Evans, Chandra DeBuse, Meredith Host and Alex Watson.
KC URBAN POTTERS
KC Urban Potters, a collective of full-time studio artists, received a 2016-2017 Rocket Grant from the Charlotte Street Foundation to establish a space at 4 Westport Rd. as an environment to create, educate and engage with the local community and other makers. Two holiday events offer the perfect opportunity for the public to shop and explore 350 square feet of exhibition space and 1,050 square feet of studio space, where artists Meredith Host, Erica Inman, Alex Watson, Jana Evans, Chandra DeBuse and the team of Rain Harris and Paul Donnelly create their works in clay.
On Small Business Saturday, Nov. 25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., their shelves will be packed with new, unique and handcrafted gifts by local artists. Coffee lovers, if you purchase a mug, enjoy a cup of coffee from the neighboring coffee shop, Oddly Correct!, on KC Urban Potters’ dime.
Then, from Dec. 1 to 3, enjoy music, treats and merriment while exploring the artists’ studios during the Holiday Sale + Open Studios. Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 1; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 2; and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 3.
For more information about KC Urban Potters, visit www.kcurbanpotters.com.
Cups by Amy Harding (right) and Cindy Powers (left) are among the many items shoppers will find at the KC Clay Guild’s 35th Annual Holiday Sale and Studio Tour, Dec. 1 – 3.
KC CLAY GUILD
Talk about a long-running holiday tradition: KC Clay Guild will hold its 35th Annual Holiday Sale and Studio Tour Dec. 1 – 3. It’s a great opportunity to find all your special, handmade somethings this holiday season. Begin your Studio Tour at the KC Clay Guild, 200 W. 74th St. Then visit dozens of artists’ studios across the Metro, conveniently listed on a master map. You can pick up a map at the Clay Guild or find it online at www.kcclayguild.org. The tour goes on for three days.
Hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3. And if you can’t wait to find gifts, visit the Centered Earth Gallery inside KC Clay Guild. The gallery is open year-round and features ceramic artwork from roughly a dozen artists.
