6 local Syracuse venues to help you get crafty with gift-giving
Even in an era of 21st-century technology, artists and artisans still make things by hand and still seek audiences for their work. Over the next month, various local venues will showcase hand-crafted items. Here’s a survey of six of those sites:
Art Mart
Now in its 64th year, Art Mart offers pottery by Marcus Acervedo and Michael Greenfield, Johanna Wall’s jewelry, and Nancy Kieffer’s photos of outdoor scenes such as Fillmore Glen, a state park. Look for David McKenney’s glass jewelry, Sue Murphy’s oils and watercolors, and Vanessa Johnson’s mixed-media fetish doll.
These and other artists are part of a holiday-time cooperative that divides up shifts and the expense of renting a space at 499 S. Warren St. Art Mart is open Mondays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Sunday hours on Dec. 9, the day of the Holidays in the City event. Art Mart runs through Dec. 24.
Related: Central New York venues create flourishing spaces for local artisans
Wildflowers Armory
Wildflowers Armory, 225 W. Jefferson St., employs a hybrid pop-up model. The shop operates at one location but has some changes in its roster of artists. Every three months, some artists stay on board and some go. There’s a group dynamic in place; participants work shifts, pay rent for their individual space, and donate a percentage from sales.
Wildflowers, which springs from previous pop-up sites originated by Michael John Hegearty, features prints by Maria Vallese, Ryan Wood and Cayetano Valenzuela, as well as M.A. Gaut’s poetry, Dan Bingham’s nature-influenced works, and Jenna Paulson’s paintings and prints. It’s open Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m.
The inside of Wildflowers Armory along Jefferson Street in downtown Syracuse. (Michael Davis/Syracuse New Times)
Eureka Crafts
The Eureka Company, better known as Eureka Crafts, has operated year-round at 210 Walton St. since 1983. The shop displays ceramic work by Ken Nichols and Ann Bliss Pilcher, woodworks by Tom Hourican and Dan Romagnoli, Tom Stoenner’s glassworks and Sharon Alama’s jewelry. Specialty items include Mike Fisher’s piece with a clock set into wood, and Mike Mikutowski’s “possibility boxes,” small wood boxes inscribed with quotes from John Lennon, Gandhi and other sources. Eureka is open Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.
Some ceramic work sits on display at Eureka. (Michael Davis/Syracuse New Times)
From the Earth Crafts Fair
From the Earth Crafts Fair, at the Onondaga Nation School, takes place Saturday, Dec. 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It features varied works by indigenous artists: paintings and sculptures, beadwork and baskets, jewelry and wood lacrosse sticks. Traditional and nontraditional foods will be served, and Onondaga dancers and singers will perform.
Plowshares Craftsfair and Peace Festival
The Plowshares Craftsfair and Peace Festival runs Saturday, Dec. 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 2, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Nottingham High School. The event combines works by more than 120 artists, food served by the Mission Restaurant, and tables staffed by peace and social-justice organizations including the Syracuse Peace Council and Alliance for a Green Economy.
Its roster of artists includes Tom Huff, who creates stone and clay sculptures; Betsy Menson Sio, creator of tin jewelry; and Carol Crolick, who makes hand-crafted baskets. Plowshares is a fundraiser for the Peace Council; admission is $2 to $5, on a sliding scale.
ArtRage Gallery
ArtRage Gallery, 505 Hawley Ave., hosts its annual Fair Trade Sale on Friday, Dec. 7, 3 to 7 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sale, which has free admission, is intended to promote fair and ethical trade with handcrafters around the globe.
The event will display quilts from India, textiles from Guatemala, and coffee, ceramics and additional items from other nations. Some of the items come via ArtRage’s partnership with SERVV International, the grandmother of alternative trade groups. It was founded in 1949 to help refugees after World War II.
ArtRage Gallery has several prints, T-shirts and other works made by local artists for sale. (Michael Davis/Syracuse New Times)
