Winter Art Market Sale is underway
By Jackie Lee, Sun Fine Arts —
It’s time to shake off the doldrums and enjoy the holiday season with all its bells and whistles. Family gatherings, festive food, and gift giving top the list of favorite activities.
Sonoma Community Center aims to please at its Tenth Anniversary Winter Art Market Sale with works produced over the year—ceramics, fiber arts, jewelry, paintings, pottery, sculptures, wearables, and all other creations. Free to attend, three days of items for sale, food, drink, music and so much more.
Start on Thursday December 2 between 5:30pm and 7:30pm, go back for more on Friday December 3 from 11:00am to 7:30pm, and attend the grand finale on Saturday December 4 between 11:00am and 7:30pm. SCC is at 276 E. Napa St. in Sonoma.
It’s fair to say this year could not be more important to the arts community. Times have been tough all around during the pandemic for artists who depend upon contact with the public to sell their art. Some have found an avenue through direct internet sales, but most have spent their time wisely creating their art, ready for a brighter day ahead. They depend on sales at the Winter Market to get their offerings out there in time for holiday gift-giving. Nothing’s better than presenting a one-of-a-kind handmade gift from a local source that you won’t find anywhere else.
Kala Stein, the Director of Events and Programming, has been on board for six years, and SCC made quite a few recent additions to the staff recently to manage all the things they do for the community. It added several programs to benefit the Center.
“Our members wanted to have a sale of items from all genres, and prices are realistic from $5 to $500 in most cases,” Kala said. “Kids are free, and we hope parents will take advantage of our drop-and-shop feature where kids are monitored together in a games room and have the time of their lives while Mom and Dad do some shopping. Local musicians will entertain. It’s a major fundraiser for us, and Bartholomew Winery in Sonoma has graciously offered a donation of $5 per bottle from this event.”
Fifty artists will show their works in the sale. SCC arts instructor Deborah Donahower will offer her own art, including 100 ceramic pieces from small to large bowls, vases in various designs, 25 original framed pastels, several matted prints, and sets of cards. “My work is quite diversified,” she says. “Coming up with new designs keeps me young!”
Nancy Barrett, SCC’s Star Volunteer of the Year, (above) will show her many ceramic pieces. Nancy has always been part of the ceramics department, joining as a beginner when she retired and moved to Sonoma. She now produces one-of-a-kind ceramics. She said, “This program helped so much during the period we went through with all the negativity in the world, and it really helped to be here. It’s a beautiful thing.”
Sales in the past years’ events have been very brisk at the openings. Make your gift list, get your Nikes on, and start early.
