2009 Holiday Markets in Athens

As you may have heard, there won't be a holiday market in the Big City Bread courtyard this year. Julie Phillips'culture blog about all things Athens sums up our sentiments nicely on this sad topic. However there are a lot of other artists' markets happening this year, and so many people have written me for information, i thought i'd post a little something here. Please check out the Athens Banner Herald's Holiday Guide coming out on Thanksgiving Day, and the Flagpole's Holiday Guide coming out Dec.2 for all the juicy details! But for now, this is what i know...
Railroad Arts District Holiday Market on the loading docks at the Chase Park Warehouses. Friday Dec.4, 2-9pm. Part of the big First Friday event happening in the RxRAD.

Trace Studio Collective's pottery sale Friday Dec.4-Sunday Dec.6 from 2pm-7pm.

Marmalade Pottery will have its holiday sale on Saturday Dec.4 from 5pm-9pm and Sunday Dec.5 from 9am-5pm.

R.Wood Studio pottery sale Saturday Dec. 5, 9am-4pm

Athens Indie Craftstravaganzaa will have its annual sale on Saturday Dec.5 from 11am-7pm, and Sunday Dec.6 from noon-5pm.

283 Bar Holiday Artist Market on Sat. Dec. 5 from 11am-5pm.

OCAF(Oconee County Cultural Foundation)Holiday Market on Saturday Dec.5 and Sunday Dec.6 from 10 am-5pm.

Flicker Bar's Annual Holiday Market and Hospitality Party. Saturday Dec. 19. Details not yet confirmed.

Blog maintained by Lou Kregel

2008 holiday market

above photos by Lou Kregel
The holiday market is over, the oak leaves have been swept up and the chimineas cleaned of soot and stored away. It couldn't have been nicer..we had perfect weather, a chance to see old friends and beautiful gifts to take home and wrap.

Holidays in Athens!

One of the many pleasures of living in Athens is the annual Holiday Market in the Big City Bread courtyard....with chiminea fires, music, lots of beautiful handmade gifts, high-quality crafts and original art.
Big City Cafe will be serving its full dinner menu plus the delicious sweets, coffee and hot cider that make shopping at the outdoor evening market so enchanting.
There will be live music, too. The Solstice Sisters sing 3-part harmonies and Rick Lawrence performs on banjo and mandolin. Bring a friend and enjoy the music by the fire...Athens is so delightful during the holidays!

Scroll down to read about this year's market vendors...

You may recognize a few!

Artist: Bee Natural

Handcrafted, hand-signed beeswax Honeypot® Luminary candleholders and lamps by Bee Natural, Inc. make wonderful gifts. Handcrafted by our artists in Athens, Georgia, each Honeypot® is unique and add a warm glow and real honey aroma to any home or garden decor.

Artist: Susan Staley

Susan Staley makes makes boxes, vases, stars, ornaments and jewelry out of stained glass. She also sings in The Solstice Sisters and host's the monthly music show "The Hoot".

Artist: Songbird Soaps

Songbird Soaps creates handmade natural soaps, body oils, sachets and soy candles using natural ingredients such as pure plant essential oils, dried herbs and organic seeds and oats. Come smell their coconut candles at the holiday market, or shop their new winter soaps online at Etsy or at Athens Locally Crafted.

Artist: Melin Fiscue

Melin Fiscue is an accomplished seamstress who makes hats that she has been selling at local markets for many years under the name Melin Pieces. You may have seen her work at the Athens Farmers Market this summer, and you can see it now on Etsy.

Artist: Cindy Jerrell

Cindy Jerrell creates haunting puppet boxes, ghostly wooden dolls and vibrant prints using vintage portraiture. She will also be offering some one-of-a-kind never seen before assemblages. Cindy is a longtime Athens area resident, winner of two Georgia Council for the Arts Grants, a former Flagpole cover designer (and current Special Agent), and she has more dogs and cats than you can shake a stick at - which lead her to create her first custom "vintage" pet portraits. Instant pet ancestors. These are proving to be very popular Christmas presents!

Artist: Michael Lachowski

Everyone can use a Koozie -- even if it's just to keep their hands warm when drinking a cold PBR in the winter time! Artist and designer Michael Lachowski is offering a limited-edition, signed and numbered pink-on-yellow authentic Koozie at this year's Holiday Market. Get the life affirming slogan, Joy All Over It, into your life for just $5.00! Optional gift box sealed with Michael's gift wrap tape brings your shopping excursion to a satisfying conclusion!

Artist: Snallygaster Artwear

Snallygaster's line of "Handcrafted Road Warrior Jewelry" will be making it's market debut this year!

Artist: Jamie Calkin

Jamie Calkin paints scenes of Athens in ink and watercolor. Above is a view of the Big City Bread courtyard.

Artist: Normaltown Woodworks

Brent Swanson is a woodworker at heart who gets to be a carpenter from time to time, whose goal is to make functional wood products and furniture that will last a lifetime or two. His richly hued cutting boards make perfect gifts for people who appreciate quality work and gorgeous wood.

Artist: Sarah Pattison

Sarah is a market regular who will be offering cards, hand sewn and block-printed pillows and scarves this year.

Artists: Jessica Schramm and Callan Steinmann

Jessica Schramm and Callan Steinmann create delicate, one-of-a-kind beaded necklaces for their jewelry line Skylark. Images of birds, leaves and flowers are their trademark. They've just added a new line of keyhooks and jewelry organizers, too!

Artist: Tara Taylor

Tara Taylor makes one-of-a-kind plush toys, hand knits, accessories and reconstructed clothing. You can see her work at her Etsy shop.

Vendor: Casa de la Cultura

Casa de la Cultura was created in 2004 by Casa de Amistad in conjunction with the Lyndon House Arts Center to provide art education opportunities for Latino families and to provide free pottery workshops for Latino women. Last year they brought their clay creations to the market and we are excited to have them back again this year.

Artist: Will Eskridge

Originally from North Carolina, Will Eskridge roamed the southeast setting up shop in Charleston, Savannah & Nashville and now calls Athens his home. He focuses his paintings on weathered, distant subject matter with a longing for home and an obsession with history. His original oil paintings, prints, notecards and magnets range from $5 - $500."

Artist: Pattiy Torno

Warm & cozy, bright & colorful, simple & patterned fleece hats, scarves and blankets made by the hands of Pattiy Torno, who will be back down from Asheville, NC to the Athens holiday market again this year! She's on Etsy, too.

Artist: Camille Morgan

Fabuluxe – hand crocheted hats, scarves, baby hats, baby blankies, and felted "good cat, bad cat" handbags by Camille Morgan. All of her hats are named after cars, mostly from the 50's. The one above is the Crown Imperial.

Artist: Karen Meyers

Karen uses new, vintage and recycled fabrics in her line of one of a kind handmade handbags and accessories. She will be offering her wares for the first time at the market this year, but you can see them now at her web site, her Etsy store and at her blog.

Artist: Stephanie Astalos-Jones

A market regular, Stephanie Astalos-Jones makes colorful pysanky (Ukrainian eggs) and pysanky jewelry. She's online at her web site and her Etsy store.

Artist: Lynette Wood Phillips

Lynette is an Athens ceramist working under the name Fun Stuff Pottery. All pieces are highfire stoneware clay, which is functional for everday use. Her collection consists of kitchen ware, lamps and tiled mirrors and tables.

Vendor: 1,000 Faces Coffee

A new company in Athens, 1000 Faces, will be set up in the courtyard this year presenting coffee from Café Choco Andes- an alliance of small Ecuadorian family farms producing shade-grown organic coffees.

Artist: Andrea Trombetta

Art professor and performance artist Andrea Trombetta will be bringing her textile creations to the market this year. Her web site showcases her re-constructed clothing and the elegant dresses she incorporates into her dance performances.

Artist: She's Made Well

She's Made Well creates totally natural handmade body products, lovingly produced one at a time using only the finest essential and carrier oils, butters and bulk ingredients. Organic and fair trade products are used whenever possible.

Artist: Ryan Adams

Ryan is a local electrician, part-time ventriloquist and sometimes blacksmith who makes lamps out of copper pipe and re-purposed metal parts.

Artist: Kenneth Kase

Kenneth spent many years working his magic at Frontier, helping create one of downtown Athens' most original gift shops. He is now creating jewelry, mixing sterling with vintage and new Czech beads and stone.

Artist: Jim Richardson

Jim is a jeweler working in sterling silver with semi-precious stones.

Artist: Handcrafted Industries

Billy Ball and Zhang Xuan have set up an online store for local artists called Handcrafted Industries. It's only a few weeks old, but already a hot spot for the terminally curious. You'll be able to see the entire H.I. line at the market as all the artists are sharing a booth, where Billy's birdhouses and Xuan's felted animals will be making their public debut. Handcrafted Industries will be at the holiday market both days, and also the Hand.Craft.It show in Madison on Saturday.

Artist: Serra Ferguson

Serra Ferguson creates handmade clothing, jewelry, hats and redesigned items under the name Gypsies,Tramps and Thieves. She is co-creator of the Athens Indie Craftstravagannzza and owner of the store Remnant.

Artist: Satisfactory Printing

Nick and Melinda at Satisfactory Printing will be setting out table-fulls of original silkscreened t-shirts and causing a probable stir with their artistic goings-on. They also have a blog, so go pester them.

Artist: Lylou and Mom

Lynn Louise Larson and Mom will be offering handbags, knitted caps and scarves this year. For you fashionistas out there, LyLou is the owner of Nourish, a clothing and accessories boutique on Prince Avenue in Athens.

Artist: Jimmy "cap man" Straehla

Jimmy is an outsider artist who creates colorful paintings of flowers, chickens, cows & landscapes on cabinet doors, tin, screen or other recycled materials. The inspirational sayings that accompany the paintings have touched many an art lover, creating strong bonds between artist & buyer. You can check out his web site in progress now, then see him and his amazing cap-covered truck at the market.

Artist: Lou Kregel

Lou will be at the market again with tiny paintings, tote bags and other small artworks. Her "3" paintings can be purchased online at Handcrafted Industries.

Artist: Purcell Toys

You can see the handcrafted toys of Christopher Purcell at Purcell Toys or read his toy blog. His toys are made from reclaimed wood, are treated with natural non-toxic oils and are Waldorf-compatible. Purchase online at Handcrafted Industries.

Artist: R.Wood Studio

R.Wood Studio is a pottery located in Athens and has been featured in the Sundance catalog, and seen in such stores as Barney's, Bendel's, Neiman Marcus, and smaller boutiques all over the country. They have an extensive web site that has photos of their entire pottery line and allows online shopping. R.Wood will only be at the market on Friday Dec.12, but will be at the Madison, Ga Hand.Craft.It sale on Saturday.

Artist: Chris Hubbard

Chris Hubbard is a folk artist living out in Farmington. His extremely decorated "Heaven and Hell Car" is almost always in attendance at the market. You can see his work at the whohadada web site and at his own heaven and hell web site.

Artist: Soup Studios

Pottery by Jamie Voivedich at Soup Studios in Athens, has been a feature at the market for many years. Jamie makes functional,decorative pottery for the tabletop, serving, decor and more.

Artist: Peter Loose

Peter Loose is a painter, illustrator and sculptor of the Visionary School who has been a part of the Athens Holiday Market for many years.

Other Artists (awaiting info)

Rizzie Gallego and friends
Alberto Salazarte- metalwork
Clem Adams-glass