The eighth annual Holiday Open Studios and Galleries, presented by Artists in Buffalo Inc., will be held Friday, December 4th from 5PM to 9PM and Saturday & Sunday, December 5th and 6th from 11AM to 5PM.  During this special weekend, over 100 artists and galleries will throw open their doors to give everyone the chance to meet local artists and visit some of the actual spaces where art is created.

A diverse collection of artisans - including potters, jewelers, textile/fabric artists, painters, print-makers, sculptors, photographers, jewelers, stained and blown glass and metal-workers - will all have items for sale in a wide range of affordable prices. "This event offers a wonderful opportunity to explore both the City and the talent that flourishes in our community", says Catherine Gillespie, Director of Artists in Buffalo, Inc..  "You can really support local talent, and it is a great way to avoid the frenzy and crowds at the malls, while actually meeting the individuals who create the gifts that you'll purchase. You'll meet and talk with the creative individuals who live and work in our community."

Starting in the North at the Burchfield Penney Arts Center wandering to the South at the Hauptman-Woodward Institute, one can visit over 25 venues filled with local art, which are highlighted on the event map along with the list of participants. The opportunity to tour artists' workspaces or homes--generally closed to the public--is a unique aspect of this popular annual event that is modeled after similar programs in Los Angeles and Toronto.  During the Holiday Open Studios and Galleries many of the artists offer refreshments and all look forward to the opportunity to speak with patrons firsthand and to discuss their work. Many of the artists will happily accept commission orders from their visitors.                                                             

For the 2009 event, some venues will again house multiple artisans: Gilda's Club on Delaware Avenue, Chatham Pottery Gallery on Bryant Street, and The Hauptman Woodward Institute on Ellicott Street, along with several of the small galleries on Elmwood Ave and Allen Street, will host groups of 10 or more artists. The weekend coincides with Allentown's "First Fridays" event on December 4th, and the shops of the Elmwood Village will be open late on Friday night as well.

Some of the fine artists and galleries who are participating this year in the Open Studios and Galleries include Connie Constantine (etched glass artist), Wendy Maloney (painter), Catherine Gillespie (potter), Julia Duax Skop (handmade glass jeweler); Michael Morgulis (Graphic design & posters); Paul Morgan (fine fabrics & more) Anne Bliss (jeweler); Ann Stievater (painter); Hart Studio, Buffalo Big Print; Brian Art Galleries; and Indigo Art.

And don't forget Amherst Street, where Doreen DeBoth's Artsphere Studio and Gallery (at its new location at 447 Amherst) will host "GIFTS OF ART FOR THE HOLIDAYS - SMALL WORKS SHOW" work by 32 local artists working in all media. Also on Amherst Street, 464 Gallery has a lot of artwork, perfect for gift-giving.

Artists in Buffalo Inc, the event's sponsor, was formed in 2001, by a group of artists dedicated to building connections within the visual arts community and the region itself.  The organization's web site features a virtual gallery of local artists as well as year round contact information for all its members.

Visit www.artistsinbuffalo.org. 

Image: Inside 464 Gallery