Community Corner
ArtsWestchester Hosts Holiday Boutique this Weekend
Artists and crafters from all over the county will be featured at the event. The Holiday Boutique takes place Saturday and Sunday inside ArtsWestchester, located at 31 Mamaroneck Ave. in White Plains.
Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday have all come and gone, but the search for the perfect gift still continues for many shoppers this holiday season.
That perfect gift might not be available in a mall, but don’t worry. Officials at ArtsWestchester, located at 31 Mamaroneck Ave. in White Plains, are confident gift buyers will find what they’re looking for this month during their fourth annual Holiday Boutique.
The boutique, which is juried and free to attend, takes place Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will feature items made by more than 20 local artists and crafters.
Find out what's happening in Peekskill-Cortlandtwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“It’s really a wonderful opportunity because it gives artists an opportunity to sell their products and it gives the public an opportunity to buy something unique,” said Lisa Marie DeSanto, a spokeswoman for ArtsWestchester. “It’s like Small Business Saturday. It shines a spotlight on the artists that we don’t necessarily get an opportunity to see.”
Items for sale include knitwear, hats, jewelry, glass, paintings and photography, as well as artisanal lotions and soaps. The price range for most items is $20 to $100, with a few higher end items available for purchase.
Find out what's happening in Peekskill-Cortlandtwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Hastings Tea in White Plains will also be there to sell snacks and beverages.
In addition to helping local artists gain more exposure, the event will also help ArtsWestchester make up the $285,000 it lost due to cuts in this year’s county budget. Proceeds from the vendor fees, in addition to a suggested/optional donation that visitors decide to give, will go toward helping the organization continue its operations.
ArtsWestchester, which has been around for nearly 50 years, is a nonprofit service organization dedicated to ensuring the availability and accessibility of the arts for all the county’s residents.
“Shopping at our Holiday Boutique allows residents to give twice,” says Janet Langsam, CEO of ArtsWestchester. “Once to the person receiving a hand-crafted, special gift and, again, to the many artists who enrich our communities with the beauty and quality of their work.”
On Saturday, artist Evelyn Eidelberg will host a workshop giving creative shoppers a chance to design and create accessories they can give as gifts, or keep for themselves. That workshop will go on from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Anyone who misses the boutique this weekend can catch it again Dec. 14, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Dec. 15, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information is available here.
Below is a list of the exhibiting artists:
Roslyn Tanner Evans & Beth Tanner, Suffern
Miriam Schulman, Scarsdale
Rae Ballard, Katonah
Dabanga, New Rochelle
Evelyn Eidelberg, Scarsdale
Jessie Lambiase, Irvington
April DeMarco, Cortlandt Manor
Linda Vuksanaj, Putnam Valley
Dawanna Veneable/Eva Olivia Organics, Cortlandt Manor
Dana Blair, Los Angeles, California
Rebecca Singer, New Rochelle
Parbati Dasgupta, Pelham
Erin Spitzberg, Glen Rock, New Jersey
Jane Schiowitz, Nyack
Joan Danoff, Washington, DC
Anne Hamilton/Venture Photography, Greenwich, CT
Carol Henry, White Plains
Cindy Goda, Tarrytown
Masumi Hayashi & Ryu Iida/Lio and Linn, Brooklyn
Lori Kitaygorodsky/LK Rocks, Scarsdale
Nina Gabriele-Cuva/Hope Cottage, Bronx
Paul & Kristin Krauskopf, Mount Vernon
Lucy Bergamini, Pawlet, VT
Isabella Bennerman, Hastings-On-Hudson
Hastings Tea, White Plains
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.