Art Around Athens (and Beyond)

There are plenty of different art related events going on in and around Athens this weekend. It’s a great time to get some holiday shopping done!

Friday:
Friday, December 4, from 2 to 9 p.m., the Chase Street Warehouses will host the First Friday Celebration and Holiday Market. Different shops and studios in the Railroad Arts District open their doors for the holiday market. You can expect unique handmade works, live music, coffee and cider and a wealth of holiday cheer! Visit www.railroadartdistrict.blogspot.com for more information.

As part of the sale, Trace Studio is hosting its own Holiday Show and Sale in the Railroad Arts District. The sale offers affordable, usable ceramic art by the Trace Studio Collective. You can find work from Annette Gates, Lauren Gallaspy, Jorire Berman, Rob Jackson, Mark Jordan and Andy Nasisse. The sale opens at 2 p.m. and will continue until 7 p.m. from December 4 to December 6. Call 706.549.6877 for more information.

The DeWitt Pottery Studio in Watkinsville is having a sale from December 4 to December 6 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The sale features functional stoneware and porcelain pottery. Call 706.769.5361 or visit www.dewittpottery.com for more information.

Marmalade Pottery (585 Barber Street, in the D.O.C. building) is also hosting a sale this weekend. The sale opens December 4 at 5 p.m. and will continue until 9 p.m., and December 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It features work by Maria Dondero and Tiffany Whitfield. Call 706.248.6899 for more information.

160 Tracy Street will host the closing reception for the exhibition "Six Hundred Seventy-Three Thousand, Nine Hundred Twenty Minutes” Friday as well, from 7 to 9 p.m. The exhibit features new work from UGA MFA sculpture candidates Doug Barton and Steven Abadie and is free. Visit www.abadieart.com for more information.

Flicker Theatre & Bar will host a free opening reception at 6:30 p.m. on Friday for an exhibition of shadowbox photographic collages by Alexei Gural. Visit www.myspace.com/flickerbar for more information.

The Lamar Dodd School of Art will hosts a free opening reception for “Exit Strategies,” an exhibition featuring the thesis work of BFA candidates in jewelry and metalworking, fabric design, ceramics, photography and sculpture. This reception begins at 7 p.m. and will end at 9 p.m. Visit www.art.uga.edu for more information.

White Tiger Gourmet Food & Chocolates will host a free reception Friday at 6 p.m. for an exhibition featuring paintings and sculpture by local arts and art educator Leonard Piha. Call 706.353.6847 for more information.
Bendzunas Studio and Gallery will host an open house glass-blowing demonstration and holiday sale. The sale opens December 4 from 6 to 10 p.m. and continues Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 706.783.5869 or visit www.benzunasglass.com for more information.

Saturday:
December 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Winterhawk Pottery (1101 Salem Road) is having an art sale featuring southeastern Native American art. Call 706.310.1893 or visit www.winterhawkpottery.com for more information.
At 1171 Freeman Creek Road, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., there will be an art sale featuring stoneware and porcelain pottery, dinnerware, kitchen and tableware, garden pots and more from local artists. Call 706.769.8100 or visit www.pickettpottery.com for more information.

283 Bar in downtown Athens will host a holiday artists’ market Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring an assemblage of handmade works by local artists alongside your favorite holiday cocktails. The sale features jewelry, paintings, ceramics, paper crafts, wooden toys, ornaments and handmade bags. Call 706.208.1283 for more information.

Blue Bell Gallery hosts the Blue Bell Open House and holiday celebration featuring over 40 local artists' work. There will be clay, glass, stone and steel from Tina McCullough, Barbara Bendzunas, Tammy Nance, Duane Paxson, Michael Shetterly, Beverly Babb and more. Call 706.783.4665 or visit www.bluebellgallery.net for more information.

Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, December 6, noon to 5 p.m., downtown Athens hosts the Athens Indie Craftstravaganzaa. Pledge to stay out of the malls this holiday season and support your local businesses and artists! Quirky, raw and innovative arts from local and regional artists and crafters will be on sale and display in the parking lot that adjoins Agora at the corner of Clayton and Pulaski streets. Visit www.athensindiecraftstravaganzaa.com for more information.

Saturday, December 5 through Sunday, December 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Farmington Pottery (1790 Salem Road) is hosting a pottery and art show and sale. You can expect beautiful and unique art by potter Jeff Bishoff and various local artists.

Also Saturday from, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Morgan Pottery in Danielsville is hosting a pottery sale. Potter David Morgan will be showing and selling his own salt-glazed and gas-fired pottery. Call 706.540.3295 for more information.

Flinn Family Pottery (on Hull Rd.) will have a free studio open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Call 706.207.5923 for more information.

The same day, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., R. Wood Pottery will hold its annual holiday studio sale featuring ceramic dinnerware and unique collectables. Call 706.613.8525 for more info.

Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation is hosting its 15th Annual Holiday Market. The market features 70 of the region's top artists and includes pottery, paintings, fiber art, stained and fused glass, jewelry, sculpture, photography, woodwork and more. A $3 donation is requested. Visit www.ocaf.com for more information.

Also Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Farmington Pottery will have a free pottery and art show and sale at 1790 Salem Road, featuring beautiful and unique work by potter Jeff Bishoff and various local artists.

Sunday:
Aurum Studio is hosting a free opening reception this Sunday, December 6 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. for an exhibit featuring paintings by Christine Shockley-Gholson and John Gholson. Call 706.546.8826 for more information.

Also Sunday, Wolf Creek Pottery in Danielsville will host the opening reception for their Visionary Growth Gallery for "Our Way or No Way," an exhibit featuring new works by UGA Sculpture Professor Jim Buonaccorsi and painter David Barron. The reception is from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and is free. Call 706.363.0393 or visit www.visgrow.com for more information.

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia will have a holiday open house on Sunday, from 2 to 5 p.m., which is free and open to the public. This year’s decorations celebrate birds in the garden with An Audubon Christmas. Musical entertainment includes performances by the Georgia Children’s Chorus, the Solstice Sisters and the Classic City Band, and there will be puppet shows in the children’s classroom at 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30. Mark Parsons Photography will be on hand to take photos of children (and adults) with Santa and Mrs. Claus for $10 each, payable to the photographer. The Garden Gift Shop will be open for your shopping pleasure, and you can purchase holiday treats in the newly renovated Gardenside Café.

Flagpole also has a great rundown of arts and crafts sales in the area, so check there too!