Some holiday shoppers dodge mall Christmas madness when looking for a special gift by ducking into local art galleries. Imaginative items with a wide range of price tags offer a gift-giving alternative to the glut of mass-produced merchandise. Here’s a peek at a few in metro Atlanta:
DECATUR
HomeGrown Decatur
Nestled in a small storefront just steps from the Decatur Square, this fun and funky collective showcases a variety of items created by about 100 local artists, artisans and craftspeople. Browse through and you’ll find jewelry, pottery, photography, pet products and other potential gifts sprouting from the walls and shelves. Prices start at $1 for buttons and go up to $1,000 for paintings. The owners said a large percentage of items are $25 and lower. The store stocks the popular Rep Your Hood T-shirts ($25), which boasts iconic imagery from various intown neighborhoods. H.C. Warner’s whimsical and cartoony wooden cutouts range from $75 to $150. Since HomeGrown is a co-op, artists including Hank Spiker, Dante DeStefano and Traci Browning can often be found behind the counter. DeStefano is known to sketch and create art on site. Kids can get in on the act by drawing at the coloring table or grabbing a marker and tagging the graffiti fridge with their own original designs.
10 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; noon-8 p.m. Sundays. HomeGrown Decatur, 412 Church St., Decatur. 404-373-1147, www.homegrowndecatur.com.
ROSWELL
Ann Jackson Gallery
The vibrant pieces displayed in the windows lure pedestrians trolling the streets of historic Roswell. Its doors have been open since 1971, and it’s currently owned by Jackson’s daughter Valerie. Works by local, national and international artists fill the walls, including paintings, prints, glass sculptures and jewelry. Ann Jackson’s own Southern-inspired landscapes can be seen. You might come across a figurative painting by Pino or a romantic impressionist piece by Stephen Charles Shortridge. The gallery has its head in the 21st century with hand-embellished digital fine art prints and serigraphs. Valerie Jackson said she has items to fit various budgets and tastes. Swirling patterns of handmade jewelry by Twisted Sisters start at $50. Ann Jackson is one of 30 galleries in the world licensed to represent the Art of Dr. Seuss. You’ll find limited-edition prints and more, including taxidermy-style renditions of Seuss creatures.
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 12-5 p.m. Sundays. Ann Jackson Gallery, 932 Canton St., Roswell. 770-993-4783, www.annjacksongallery.com.
BUFORD
Tannery Row Artist Colony
This former factory was reportedly the place where Roy Rogers had his horse Trigger’s saddles made. Today it’s home to a stable of award-winning artists, such as Kristen Anderson, known for her jewelry, and painter James H. Klippel. Visitors stroll through the main alley down the center of the gallery, which includes a metal archway covered with tiny white lights created by metal sculptor Dennis Primm. The painters include an eclectic bunch such as Bree Sauers, who creates with mixed media, acrylics, paper and repurposed trash. Christine Canova, one of the Tannery’s resident painters, says most of the artists strive to keep prices in the attainable range for all budgets. Canova’s original work, which typically features acrylics on handmade rice paper, starts at about $75 and can hit the $2,000 range. She said pottery can be had for $30 to about $1,000. Sabrina Bland offers pewter jewelry starting at $10, hand-painted cards beginning at $5 and smaller acrylic paintings starting at $35. Each of the artists sell their work out of their individual studios, but if someone isn’t in his or her respective studio, a Tannery Row staff member can assist an interested shopper. And each artist is available for commission work. Special events include Thursday Things, which usually takes place from 11 a.m. to noon every Thursday. The program, which begins again in January, features a talk or lesson by one of the artists or a guest speaker. A special show featuring work by area high school artists kicks off with an opening from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 19.
Noon-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Tannery Row Artist Colony, 554 W. Main St., Buford. 770-904-0572, www.tanneryrowartistcolony.com.
