By Susan Shinn
sshinn@salisburypost.com
Looking for a little something for the art lover on your holiday shopping list?
Look no further than the Rail Walk Arts District in the 400 block of North Lee Street.
Three shops in the district ó Rail Walk Studios and Gallery, Looking Glass Artist Collective and Cascade Sculpture ó have joined forces to present the inaugural Rail Walk Art & Fine Crafts Christmas Show.
The event takes place Friday and Saturday in the arts district.
Each artist has worked to create affordable pieces for this show.
Here’s a glance at what’s available at each stop:
Rail Walk Studios and Gallery
Artist Annette Hall came up with the idea of a Christmas show for her gallery and its next-door neighbors.
“I’d gone to a couple of arts and crafts shows in Redmond, Washington, and I’d always looked forward to them,” Hall says. “It made a lot of sense to do something similar to showcase us.”
She notes that all of the Rail Walk artists are aiming for more affordable gifts.
“We’re doing a lot of smaller things,” Hall says.
That includes miniatures by Patt Legg, rooster necklaces by Carol Dunkley, Santa paintings by Sharon Forthofer and jazz CDs by Jimmy Alston. Hall and Marietta Smith have done many smaller paintings and Hall has even created some jewelry from her artwork. Several of the artists are also offering magnets or “refrigerator art,” along with holiday and seasonal notecards.
You’ll also be able to find a lot of artwork at reduced prices.
All of the Rail Walk artists will be participating in the show, with tables set up in the main display gallery. Their more traditional work will hang on the walls.
Also available will be wooden bowls, pears and winestoppers and Jimmy Tuttle of Stoneville, along with a blacksmith display by Will Foster, Smith’s brother, who lives at Sauratown Mountain.
Hours at Rail Walk will be 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Looking Glass Artist Collective
Looking Glass Artist Collective now boasts more than 40 members, 11 of whom will be participating in the Christmas show.
You can find everything from stained glass to kaleidoscopes to Christmas ornaments to jewelry to scarves to girls’ hairbows.
“We are moving toward stocking stuffer items and quick pick-up things for the show,” says LGAC member Jacqui Schuberth. “We want to support Salisbury and support artists and stay here.”
She adds, “The store is a nice benefit to those members who don’t have their own store.”
Participating artists include Sue Davis, Jacqui Schuberth, Amanda Hines, Trudy Vriesema, Ken Stokes, Tabitha Facemyer, Ann Cooper, Sarah Hall, Abigail Hall, Nancy Gaines, Betsy Stevwing, Herbert Maier, Lorna Brown and Lee Clement Piper.
Hours at LGAC will be 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Saturday.
Live music will be provided by David Lamanno, Susan Wetmore and Lorna Brown.
Cascade Sculpture
Keith Collins and Katherine Apple are working hard at Cascade Sculpture, creating smaller metal pieces for this weekend’s show.
Collins will have nightlights and garden stakes, while Apple has made coasters and brass angels.
Collins now has a booth at the Black Lion at Concord Mills.
“The smaller stuff is what’s selling,” he says.
Cascade Sculpture’s hours are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday-Sunday.