Reasons to Shop Local this Holiday Season

 

With less than 2 weeks left in the official 2012 Holiday Shopping Season I’ll bet you’ve finsihed your shopping, wrapped your gifts, baked your cookies, egged your nog, and trimmed your tree. Right?

No?

Well what are you waiting for?!? Door to door delivery on the 24th by a fat guy in a red suit?

For your information UPS workers wear brown and most are on the slim side, although many will still be working their tails off on the 24th.

Here’s a better plan. Rather than spending an hour searching for a parking space at the mall take a look at what our area has to offer and SHOP LOCAL. And I don’t mean your local JCPenney’s, Target or Macy’s!

Buffalo and Western New York are blessed with a abundance of well run, well stocked small shops, restaurants and other businesses that are owned and operated by our neighbors. The profits made by these businesses stay in Western New York rather than being wisked off to Corporate Headquarters located in some undisclosed location.

Need a few more reasons to Shop local this year?

•  You’ll find more unique items at a small boutique shop than at the Mall

•  The owners and operators of small shops are more knowledge about their products and will offer better service than big box store salesclerks

•  Many local galleries and shops feature work produced by local artists and craftspersons, a.k.a. – your neighbors

•  The Elmwood Village, Hertel Avenue, Village of Williamsville, etc. are much more scenic than any area Mall

• Shopping in one of our city/village neighborhoods gives you a good excuse to stop at a local restaurant for a sandwich and a Tom and Jerry 🙂

• and the list goes on and on………..

While it’s probably inevitable that some of your holiday dollars will be spent at national chain stores, give local a chance this year. I’ll promise you’ll be glad that you did or the next round of Tom and Jerry’s is on me.

Here’s a few spots you can find my work this season:

464 Gallery, 464 Amherst Street, Buffalo, NY 14207

Art Dialogue Gallery, One Linwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14209

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site, 641 Delaware Avenue Buffalo, NY 14202

Village Artisans, 5560 Main Street, Williamsville, New York 14221 (716) 633-2384

ZGM Fine Arts, 1045 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, New York 14222

And Online:

…where you can shop 24/7

http://www.SilentMyloStudio.etsy.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let in Snow….in Buffalo…..

 

Or not, as the case may be. As I sat drinking my morning coffee and listening to the radio this morning I heard the WBFO newscaster call for a high temperature of 63 degrees for Tuesday. 63? On December 4th? In Buffalo, New York? How can that be? Buffalo is the land of snow. The city that’s know for blizzards, Super Bowl losses and chicken wings, in that order.

Snow or no snow, Buffalo, along with the rest of the Western world, has taken it’s first steps onto that slippery slope we call the Holiday Season. Being the consumer animals that we are, December is dedicated to shopping, wrapping and gift giving — and there aren’t many of us who escape the madness. I spent this past weekend selling my wares at the Burchfield-Penny Art Center. It was the first year that Burchfield-Penny hosted artists as part of Open Studios and Galleries and, as first years shows go, it was a great success. The show was well organized by Robin Lenhard, co-director of SAM (The Saturday Artists Market that debuted at the Buffalo waterfront this summer) and featured over 30 of Buffalo’s best artists and craft persons. The gift buying bug was in the air  as visitors viewed vendor’s wares and carefully choose gifts for loved ones, co-workers and employees.

Snow or no snow, holiday shopping will continue until our minds turn toward the New Year. If you’re in the market for a unique gift Buffalo offers so many shopping options. Be sure to check out the remaining Holiday Gift Fairs and all of our wonderful independent shops and galleries. If you’d like to find my work here’s a list of places where you can do just that:

Shows:

Queen City Market, Saturday, December 8th – 11am -4pm at

Karpeles Manuscript Museum 453 Porter Ave., Buffalo, NY, 14201

Shops:

Village Artisans, 5560 Main Street, Williamsville, New York 14221

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site, 641 Delaware Avenue  Buffalo, NY 14202

Galleries:

464, 464 Amherst Street, Buffalo, New York 14207

Art Dialogue Gallery, One Linwood Avenue, Buffalo, New York 14209

ZGM Fine Arts, 1045 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, New York 14222

Online:

…where you can shop 24/7

http://www.SilentMyloStudio.etsy.com

 

Long Live the Queen: New Polymer Clay work

Yesterday was the kick-off of my 2010 Art Show season. I had the good fortune of being invited to participate in the 2nd Annual Celtic Art Event and Sale put together by Urban Artisans. The show was at ZGM Fine Arts  (1045 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222), a fabulous gallery located on the Elmwood Strip. I have to say that I can’t remember the last time I’ve enjoyed an art show so much! The gallery owners, exhibiting artists, musicians, the guests and visiting psychic blended so well that it was as if they were part of a gourmet recipe — maybe for boulibase or some other tasty dish.

As usual, I struggled to get ready for my first show since the holiday season. Paintings were unfinished and left at home along with several new polymer clay pieces that just didn’t make it into frames in time. The list of things I need to accomplish before my next show grew exponentially, but that’s all part of being an artist and I’m glad to be back at it.

Here’s a sneak preview of some of the work that I’ll be showing at the Allentown Art Festival in June: Long Live the Queen — and her Cuckold husband the King!