Main Stage in downtown Eureka Springs will once again be hosting area artists who provide a local alternative to foreign made goods with a Christmas Makers Market Saturday, Dec. 2, from 2 to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will also be a reception from about 4 to 6 p.m. Friday before the Christmas parade.
“Come meet the artists and have a cup of cider and a cookie,” Mark Mattmiller said. He is on the board of the Main Stage Creative Community Center. “This market gives local artists a chance to have their work shown. People who attend really enjoy it and actually get to meet the artists whose work they admire. The show is going to be great. And buying local like this is good for our community.”
Valerie Hubbard Damon, a participating artist who helped plan the market, said visitors will find brilliantly created one-of-a-kind art that they won’t find anywhere else at prices that most people will find surprisingly affordable.
For people still concerned about viruses, Valerie said Main Stage is spacious with exceptional ventilation and a limited number of artists participating.
“It’s a beautiful environment for a show,” Valerie said.
She gave a summary of the participating artists:
- Ashley Hill, a prolific local mushroom grower, will display art from the mushrooms he grows that he uses to make pins and jewelry. His orgonite healing and energy pyramids are powerful.
- Julie Valentine Kahn is an art icon with paintings of unique buildings in Eureka Springs, and fanciful women.
- Mary Gentle will have wonderful acrylic and mixed media paintings.
- Donna Doss offers whimsical ceramic creations, such as fairy houses, that are over the top.
- Faith Shah is a watercolorist and acrylic kitsch artist rendering drawings of a clove of garlic or red peppers. Cards and small framed pieces of original watercolors.
- Ashley Stouten’s hammered wired creations, to be hung on trees inside and out, are amazing and different.
- Charlisa French, Pat Sullivan and Catherin Yoder (Yodi) will offer functional fine art, jewelry and pottery. Yodi is known for fanciful ceramic art.
- Jessica Cummings, who teaches art at Eureka Springs High School, offers oil paintings, pastels, prints and cards.
- Fiona Lavan-Wilson & Zek will have hand-blown glass ornaments that can make any Christmas tree brighter. Zek is a teenager, and this is his first showing.
- New in town are Steven and Lorraine Christianson offering epoxy and wood creations. Some wood tables seem to have a waterfall going down the side.
- Shelli Louise creates jewelry, fused glass and prints. Her sister, Stefani Christianson, complements with jewelry, ceramics and prints.
- Rhonda Ravenscroft-Dixon has worked for years in stained glass, metal and wood art, and has many collectors around town.
- Bailey Allen produces unique and useful herbal goods, as well as jewelry and dreamcatchers.
- Linda Cowden-Long specializes in sterling jewelry and leather.
- Valerie Damon makes unique bone creatures, fairy boats, books she has authored, cards, ornaments and plant guards to protect indoor plants from badness.
The market will also offer one piece for sale each from famous local artists who won’t be present at the show: Larry Mansker, John Willer, Sarah and Terry Russell, David Petit, Christopher Fischer, Drew Gentle, Lorna Trigg, Ron Lutz, Jody Stevenson, Sandra Walker, Jim Nelson and Betty Johnson.
There will also be art shown by emerging teenage artists Anastasia Cummings and Sam Asmus.