The Gift That Keeps on Giving: Upcoming Holiday Art Sales
By MADELINE HAPPOLD
The holiday season is here, and Chicago offers a range of art shows and sales with unique gifts for everyone on your list. Below is a preview of upcoming art sales featuring everything from sculptures and fine art to artisanal household goods and jewelry.
SAIC Holiday Art Sale
Support local artists at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s 28th Annual Holiday Art Sale. The sale features art created by over 120 graduate and undergraduates students. Work ranges from prints, jewelry, ceramics, paintings and more. A majority of the proceeds benefit the artists and designers.
The art sale is free and open to the public on Friday, November 18th from 11am-7pm and Saturday, November 19th from 10am-5pm. The art sale will also hold a First Look Preview Night on Thursday, November 17th from 5-8pm. For more information, visit SAIC Holiday Sale.
Renegade Craft Fair
Find unique gifts at the Renegade Craft Fair, a traveling craft fair that celebrates DIY. Founded in Chicago in 2003, Renegade has grown to become the largest independent craft fair in the world. Renegade features not only artwork and crafts, but also artisanal food and drink along with live music. The holiday fair at Bridgeport Art Center will feature over 250 independent makers.
The Renegade Craft Fair is open December 3-4 from 11am-6pm. For more information, visit Renegade Craft Fair.
Bucktown Holiday ArtShow
Attend the 18th Annual Bucktown Holiday ArtShow at Holstein Park Fieldhouse. The art show includes over 100 participating artists and offers various mixed media gifts for shoppers. The art show also hosts a silent auction with donations from featured artists. Proceeds from the auction will be donated to A Long Walk Home, a non-profit that uses art to educate youth on violence against young women.
The event is hosted by Bucktown Promotions. The 18th Annual Bucktown Holiday ArtShow will take place Saturday, December 10 and Sunday, December 11 from 12-5pm. For more information, visit bucktownpromotions.com.
One of a Kind Show+Sale Chicago
The 16th Annual One of a Kind Show’s Holiday Edition will feature over 600 artists from across the country. Artists will be selling handmade gifts ranging from ceramics and sculptures to photography and pet products. The event also features artist demonstrations, craft workshops, live music, and food.
The four day show will be open at the Merchandise Mart from December 1-4. Tickets are valid for all four days, and proceeds go to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital. For more information, visit oneofakindshowchicago.com/holiday.
Randolph Street Market Festival: Holiday Sales
Randolph Street Market will feature three holiday sales with vendors selling products great for gift giving and receiving. Spanning three levels inside the Plumbers Union Hall, the holiday sales feature over 125 vendors offering custom-made gifts such as decorative arts, jewelry, houseware, and cooking goods. The event also features free parking and free gift wrapping.
The holiday sales will take place November 19-20, November 26-27, and December 10-11 from 10am-5pm each day. Get more information or purchase tickets online at randolphstreetmarket.com.
Chicago Printmakers Collaborative Small Print Exhibition and Holiday Art Sale
The Chicago Printmakers Collaborative will feature its 27th Annual Small Print Exhibition and Holiday Art Sale. The sale includes print art and works-on-paper from local and international artists. Featured artists include Hiroshi Ariyama, Michael Barnes, Nicola Villa, Artemio Rodriguez, Tony Fitzpatrick, and Megan Sterling. Visitors are encouraged to mingle with the artists as they print on-site.
The show’s grand opening will take place December 3-4, 11am-7pm on both days. The exhibition will run through February 4, 2017.
Intuit's Holiday Pop-Up Markets
Stop by Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art's Holiday Pop-Up Market before its too late. The market will feature fiber works in partnership with artisans from the Creatively Empowered Women (CEW) Design Studio. CEW is an art therapy enterprise, providing a space for knitting, crocheting and art lessons for immigrant women. The pop-up sale is free and open to the public Saturday, December 3 from 11am-5pm and Sunday, December 4 from 12pm-4pm.
Intuit will also host the Outsider, Ethnographic and Folk Art Pop-Up Sale. The sale features three collectors selling high quality materials as well as sculptures, drawings, ethnographic textiles, and African masks and scultpures. The sale will take place Friday, December 9 from 5-9pm, and Saturday, December 10 from 10am-4pm.
Top Image: Courtesy of One of a Kind Art Show+Sale