Local artists offer an abundance of options for gift giving

By Kathy French

What could be better for holiday giving than original art made here in the Ozarks? To help you find those one-of-a-kind gifts, here’s a short list of where to go.

Citizen Bank Gallery
116 E. Buchanan, Prairie Grove. 846-0899. Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

At the Citizen Bank Gallery, you will find paintings by Temple Moore, William van Horn and mosaics by Denise Lanuti. Photograhy by Micheal McKenzie and ceramics and pottery by Chris Weaver. Other artists include Betsy Allen, Suzanne Kittrell, Susi Lulaki, Mark Kraus, Clancey McMahon, Barbara Rayborn, Carmen Weaver and he Free Weekly’s own Jan Gosnell, who you will discover is not just a cartoonist. Sculptures, drawings, photograpy, prints, felts, hats, furniture and baskets by local, regional and national artists.
Most things are under $100.

ddp gallery
7 E. Mountain St. Fayetteville. ddpgallery.com or 442-0001. Wednesdaya through Fridaya, noon to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and by appointment.

Just off the Fayetteville Square at ddp gallery this month you will find “small works 2007.” There are custom painted skateboard decks by local artist Toma Miller that are suitable for use as art or for actual skating. There are paintings with whimsical themes by Michele Maule, mixed-medias by Lucas Taylor, hip graphic stenciled panels by Mark Trauhber and modern landscapes by Sarah Nunn. If you are looking for jewelry, try Wrecord braceletcuffs by Monkey, made from old records, or wire works by Susan Freda. There are “plushie” dolls made by Nicole Sharp of Fort Smith. Ceramic works include functional raku pieces by Helen Phillips and unique metallic glazed items by Ginny Sims. Found materials become one of a kind collage boxes by Joseph Maggiore, and there are hot-sculpted translucent glass works by Alexander Abajian.

ddp gallery holiday open house tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. in conjuction with a reception for the artists. Next door at Studio 3 and the Kathy P. Thompson Studio, Thompson and Cindy Arsaga will be having a holiday open house and sale.

Heartwood Gallery – An Artists’ Collective
428 S. Government St., Fayetteville.  444-0888. Open daily 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Heartwood Gallery is home to a number of area artists. You will find Richard Stauffacher etchings, Doug Randall oils, Cedar Kindy watercolors and the photography of Laurie May and Julie Jeannene. There are Indian prints by Charles Banks Wilson, whimsical pottery pieces by Ray Dunn, and works of Faye Alter, Marg Shore, Lorraine Hearfield and the potters of Double Springs Pottery, Mary Curtis, Duncan Miller, Janet Greeson and Brittney Robison. There’s jewelry, mobiles and ornaments of stained glass by Anita Hejtmanek. For more jewelry choose from work by Esyule Gamache, Daaman style items by Judy Goodwin and Gwen Bennett feathered Mardi Gras style masks and jewelry. The gallery has original fabrics and quilted items by Jennifer Sharpe, knit and felt hats and scarves by Karen Chotkowski. Exotic wood clocks and jewelry boxes by Ed Hejtmanek, handmade acoustic guitars by Bayard Blain, baskets by Susan Bell, and blown glass by Ed Pennebaker and Gary Carter. Gourds by Pat and Ron Duncan round out the selections.

Heartwood Gallery will be part of the progressive shopping party tonight (see Dark Star Visuals).

Dark Star Visuals
106 N. Block Ave., Fayetteville. dsvboutique.com or 443-2323. Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Dark Star Visuals boutique is a gem right off the Fayetteville Square. In addition to their import clothing and accessories, the main attraction is the bead room—an entire room filled with thousands of bead to make your own jewelry or have the elves at DSV make it for you. There’s every imaginable shade, size and type of bead you could want. Walk right in and for a $6 studio fee and the cost of your beads and supplies you can make a masterpiece, a memory or a fashion statement. DSV also has precious metal clay classes, so ask about the schedule. Precious metal clay is sort of like working with modeling clay, it can be rolled, shaped, stamped, whatever you like. After it’s kiln fired, it’s .999 sterling silver. How’s that for neat and unique?

Dark Star Visuals open house tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. as part of a progressive shopping party with limousine between DSV, Dragon’s Lair, Heartwood Gallery, Nightbird Books and Something Urban.

Northwest Arkansas Community Creative Center
505 W. Spring St., Fayetteville. nwaccc.org or 927-2491. Mondays and Wednesdays 11 a.m to 6 p.m., Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sundays 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Pottery by Cindu Paul, Carol Patrick David Palmer, Daymara Baker, Jeff Gringas, Jim Glen, Kathy Crowell, Melody Devere, Susan Hutchcroft, Nan Yarnell and Sharon Wells. Handmade cards and collages by Becky Hauck, jewelry by Steve Stramel. fabric itemsby Alice McKee and works by Kahlisa.

Sound Warehouse
17 N. Block Ave., Fayetteville. soundwarehouse.com or 442-4822. Mondays through Fridays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.

How about music by local musicians for holiday giving? Find it at Sound Warehouse. They carry all the local bands, Charliehorse, Big Smith and many, many more. If you are unsure of any CD, they’ll let you listen to it before you buy it. They buy and sell vinyl and DVDs, so you can find unique items there as well. They generally carry a few items by local artists. You just never know what you’ll find.

Poor Richard’s Art
116 S. First St., Rogers. poorrichardsart.com or 636-0417.
Open Mondays through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays Nov. 23 to Dec. 21 until 8 p.m.

Poor Richard’s is located in the historic Applegate Drug Store in historic downtown Rogers. Poor Richard’s has art and fine crafts handmade by area artists and artisans. They have everything from pottery, wooden kitchen accessories, wearable art, original paintings, photography, one of a kind note cards, bath and body products and more.

Fusion Fine Arts Gallery
109 N. Main St., Bentonville. fusionartcenter.com or 273-9ART. Open Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Located on the Bentonville Square, Fusion Art is a contemporary gallery specializing in original works of art. They have a diverse mixture of genres. Some of the artists are Carol Cooper watercolors, pastels by Jodie Taylor, Bob Norris photography, Leslie Barron and Jeanne Seagle oil paintings, pottery by Mark Rademacher and glass works by P.J. and Steven Rabowski.

Zark’s
67 Spring St., Eureka Springs. zarksgallery.com or 877-540-9805. Open daily 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Zark’s is a contemporary fine arts and crafts gallery in downtown Eureka Springs. With work by over 125 local, regional and national artists including Spring Street Pottery, Ed Pennebaker and Rick Armellini. Their main focus is on American blown art glass, fine silver and gold jewelry, sculpture and two-dimensional works. And then there’s Leo, the gallery cat. You can get jewelry, pictures and other items embellished with Leo’s likeness.

An holiday open house and artist reception for Oklahoma metal-smith W.R. “Bill” Derrevere’s “Bits & Pieces: A Whimsical Outlook at Life” will be from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Blackberry Gallery
12 Center St., Eureka Springs. 253-5077.

Fayetteville painter Martin Newman and his family opened the Blackberry Gallery this summer on Center Street in the heart of downtown Eureka Springs. Martin has recently been working in a 3-D style work that he developed himself. Also in the shop you’ll find pillows designed and created—some from vintage fabric—by Hailey Newman.

EureKan Art Studio & Shop
150 N. Main St, Eureka Springs. 253-0928. Open Wednesdays through Mondays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

EureKan Art features fine arts and crafts by local and regional artists. There are LJ Smole’s sterling silver and stone jewelry, painted glass boxes by James Hill, blown glass bead jewelry by Sage and Tom Holland, Karen Foster’s sculptures and pottery, Susie Siegele and Mike Haley’s unique dinnerware of multicolored layers of porcelain, and gratitude symbol Raku bowls by Charles Pearce. Many local artists create small versions of their favorite works as giclee prints. There are Origami mobile structures by Kathryn Semolic and Doug Stowe’s native wood boxes, desk sets. The only non-handmade item they stock, is a Buddha Board ($10 and up), which you paint with water and afterwards the board will return to a clean slate when it dries. Most items start at under $50.

Keels Creek Winery & Art Gallery
3185 E. Van Buren, Eureka Springs
www.keelscreek.com, or 253-9463.
In addition to art by artists from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri, you can buy award winning Arkansas wines from wineries from all over the state at this art gallery and winery. See related story on page 16.