The Art of Giving

THE ART OF GIVING showcases giftable art for the holiday season by HGA’s 21 artists, including a wonderful selection of unique hand-made ornaments. November 12 – December 31. Holiday Reception Friday, Nov. 29th 6-9pm.

Each holiday season the members of the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts transform the gallery to showcase original holiday ornaments and hand-made gifts. The gallery's 21 members work in a variety of media, providing a wide array of fine art and fine craft for holiday shoppers. The glass art includes hand-blown vessels, ornaments, hummingbird feeders and paperweights. The jewelry in the show covers a variety of styles and techniques, from copper and bronze to sterling and fine silver necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings, some with gold accents and stones. Visitors will also find metal sculpture, figurative sculpture, pottery, and hand-made furniture. Oil, watercolor, and acrylic paintings, scratchboard, collage, fine art photography, photomontage and mixed media work festively surround the three-dimensional pieces on pedestals.


Holiday ornaments and other decorations are an annual specialty.

• This year, artist Lynn Wartski has created one-of-a-kind felted wool ornaments that light up. She uses a wire armature covered with quilt batting and colored wool which she needle-felts to achieve the desired shape and fullness.
• Furniture maker Pete Rodrigues made ornaments by cutting thin slices of hardwood, filling voids in the wood with transparent colored epoxy.
• Gourd artist Martha Danek has created small painted gourd ornaments, some with hand painted birds and others with trees.
• Painter Chris Graebner creates small scratchboard ornaments. Each ornament is different, and each is an original piece of art.
• Potter Evelyn Ward has created hand-built, raku-fired bird ornaments in many sizes and colors. This year she also has adorable ceramic ladybugs.
• Artist Jude Lobe has created more of her southwestern themed shaman ornaments as thoughtful holiday gifts.
• Painter Ellie Reinhold has returned, after several years’ absence, with her unique lotus pod ornaments for the holiday season.
• Artist Sally Terrell created tiny felt ornaments for that special tree.
• As always, glassblower Pringle Teetor has made beautiful blown-glass balls in many colors, patterns and textures.