Thanksgiving weekend retail traffic at brick and mortar stores was down 42.3% this year, and if you’re one of the millions who skipped the mall and the big box stores, the artists in (and near) Northern Nevada have your holiday shopping needs covered. They’ve taken heed of the current gathering restrictions and found ways to make their work in the public eye this December. Some shops and studios are open by appointment only. Others, which normally hold weekend sales events this time of year, have spread out their opening hours to ensure less crowded venues. And one Reno arts group converted its popular holiday market into a web shop jam-packed with surprising gifts.
On Thanksgiving, we highlighted 20 artists whose work you can purchase online. If you’re more inclined toward in-person browsing, read on for shops and studios you can visit this month.
ChArts Store, Fallon
151 E. Park St., Fallon
Like most art venues, Fallon’s Oats Park Art Center has had to cancel events and receptions this year, but you can still visit the store—stocked with an eclectic selection of “artworks, prints, books, ceramics, crafts, ephemera and other hand-crafted items by local and regional artists”— by appointment. To schedule, call store manager Lynne Plumb at (775) 427-1546.
The Wedge, Reno
2095 Dickerson Rd., Reno
(775) 770-4770
info@thewedgeceramics.com
Most years, The Wedge packs in shoppers during a weekend-long sales events. For 2020, the community ceramics studio aims to spread out the flow of traffic by selling pottery gifts daily from 9 am – 7 pm through Dec. 24.
Holly Arts Fair, Tahoe City
380 North Lake Blvd., Tahoe City, CA
(530) 581-2787
info@northtahoearts.com
The Artisan Shop at North Tahoe Arts has a wide selection of prints, fiber arts, mosaics, jewelry, sculpture, glass, wood, ceramics, photography, and note cards, many with a Tahoe theme. The shop is open daily from 11 am – 4 pm. Here’s more info.
Joe and Shiho Winter Pottery, north of Reno
16620 Fetlock Dr., Reno
(775) 969-3394
Joe is a master of wood-fired stoneware kitchen goods, vases, and sculptures. Shiho is known for intricate surface designs on clay. The couple is outposted in Rancho Haven, a rural neighborhood about 40 minutes north of downtown Reno. For their fall sale, masks are required, and hours are 10 am – 4 pm 12, 13, 19, and 20. If you’d like to arrange a shopping visit on another date, call Joe for an appointment. More images on Joe’s web site.
Deck the Walls sale, Reno
Artists Co-op
627 Mill Street., Reno
(775) 322-8896
The co-op has been showcasing Northern Nevada artwork for more than 50 years. This year, the group canceled the reception for its Deck the Walls holiday sale, but a wide range of ornaments, fine art, and cards are for sale daily, 11 am – 4 pm, through Dec. 28. One highlight: Eileen Fuller’s $15 mini canvas ornaments.
High Desert Art + Craft, now virtual
The Holland Project
140 Vesta St., Reno
high-desert.org
Scented gummy bear charms, vintage flannel shirts, and merch from Reno Bike Project are just a few of the gifts you’ll find at the Holland Project’s High Desert Art + Craft. The long-running event has been converted into an online shop this year, chock full of ornaments, housewares, and jewelry. Check out the site for pickup and delivery options, wrapping options, and profiles of some of the event’s newest artists.
Great Basin Pottery and Thrive + Thicken, north of Reno and online
423-725 Scott Rd., Doyle, CA
www.greatbasinpottery.com
According to Casey Clark’s post from Thanksgiving weekend, Great Basin Pottery’s new online shop is a hit. Most of his whiskey cup sets, mortar and pestle sets, and pour-over coffee cones are marked “sold out.” But you can still shop for Casey’s gorgeous housewares and partner Sarah Lillegard’s “Thrive + Thicken” upcycled demin clothing and accessories at their mostly outdoor gallery near Doyle, California. Holiday sale hours are 10 am – 3 pm Dec. 12, 13, 19, and 20. Also, check Casey’s online pottery shop and Sarah’s Thrive + Thicken shop, both of which are expected to be restocked this week to accommodate a second wave of holiday shoppers.
Wildlife & Holiday Exhibition, Minden
Gallery@Prism
1615 Hwy. 395 N., Suite B, Minden
(775) 783-1985, www.artgalleryatprism.com
Gallery@Prism opened this year to showcase the work of regional painters, photographers and artisans. For aficionados of Nevada and Northern California landscape art, this could easily become your one-stop shop for gifts year-round. Currently, the gallery has a 12-person limit and a holiday-rific range of ornaments, fine art, jewelry, cards, and gift certificates. Hours are 10 am – 4 pm Tues-Sun, and the Wildlife & Holiday Exhibition runs through Dec. 30. Here’s a list of the participating artists, with links to their websites.
Cash + Carry, Reno or virtual
Nevada Fine Arts Gallery
1301 S. Virginia St., Reno
(775) 786-1128, nvfinearts.com
Nevada Fine Arts Gallery is a hidden gem, a downstairs space for eclectic, rotating shows inside Nevada Fine Arts, the art supply store in Reno’s Midtown. The Cash + Carry holiday sale is now open, both in-person and virtually. Keep an eye on the gallery’s Facebook and Instagram pages, where they’ve been posting artworks for sale that you can buy over the phone on a first-come-first-served basis. If you prefer to make your own holiday gifts, this independent shop has selected art supplies discounted through Dec. 31.
Cover photo: Items such as Sarah Lillegard’s denim bags and Casey Clark’s pottery are available on each artist’s website or at their mostly outdoor gallery at Great Basin Pottery, a 40-minute drive north of downtown Reno. Photo: Courtesy Sarah Lillegard
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