Christmastime at Fine Line featuring gift items by over 60 artists opens Dec. 5
The Fine Line Creative Arts Center in St. Charles will once again open its doors for “Christmastime at the Fine Line,” the annual artisan gift sale, at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5.
The event, which runs until Dec. 10, is a great place to find one-of-a-kind gifts. There will be holiday decorations, pottery, bags, pictures, jewelry, cards, and much more for sale.
Over 60 artists, including many members of the Fine Line staff and faculty, are participating in this fantastic one-stop holiday sale this year. It is impossible to mention all of them, but to give you a flavor, here are just a few of this year’s artists.
Fine Line’s fiber artists have been very busy this year, creating items such as hats, scarves, towels, hand-dyed yarn, woven shoelaces, and bags. One of this year’s artists, Kris Frandson, has a great range of leather items, including some great men’s leather toiletry bags.
Two new ceramic artists this year are Marianne Powell and James Mazurek. Powell’s items include many hand-build plant pots with sumptuous textures and colors. Mazurek has been busy making mugs, vases and chalices in various colors that would make great gifts.
If you are looking for jewelry, this is a great event to find it. There will be necklaces, earrings, and bracelets galore. Laura Nicholson-Tom, Jane Cooper, and Andrea Krause are all metalsmith artists who create beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, often set with unique stones. If you are looking for a unique piece for someone special, these artists will have some amazing pieces for purchase.
Other jewelry items include wire-wrapped and enameled jewelry from artists Janet Gregory and Marianne Picha and ceramic jewelry by Monica Casey and Amy Macek. Artist Jeanette Hubiak will have jewelry made from Bowlerite, a material created from the coverstock, or outer shell, of bowling balls.
“When we juried the artists for this year, we were once again amazed at the level of creativity and diversity. What makes this show is the amazing different creative voices. No two artists are the same,” said Lynn Caldwell, executive director of Fine Line Creative Arts Center.
The show is set up the day it opens throughout Fine Line’s Kavanagh Gallery and adjoining studio. A team of volunteers and some of the participating artists spend the day setting up the space in preparation for the opening night. There will be a fantastic range of items to suit all budgets. No matter who you are shopping for, you are bound to find something for everyone on your list at this year’s Artisan Gift Sale.
It’s worth coming more than once to ensure you don’t lose out. Even though all items are usually out on opening night, things get moved around and new treasures often reveal themselves on a later day.
Fine Line will also have their annual yarn sale during the Artisan Gift Sale. With 25% of all yarn, including many items already marked down. It’s an opportunity to stock up on yarn to knit during winter.
The daily hours are: 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6-7; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 9-10, at the Fine Line Creative Arts Center, 37W570 Bolcum Road in St. Charles. For information, visit fineline.org or call (630) 584-9443.