The Art of Giving
By Cathy Bonacci
Author and Marketing & Events Manager
Naples Art District
The Naples Art District is a perfect place to explore in December. Not only can you enjoy the season by being out in your community with friends and family, but you can also enjoy beauty, find inspiration, and discover unique and original artwork and gifts for the holidays. You’ll enjoy browsing at our December Open Studios, free to the public every Thursday 1-5pm and on the Second Saturday of every month now through April. Our December events are scheduled for Thursday, December 7; Saturday, December 9; and Thursday, December 14. Our 50 galleries are easier to find this season with our new, colorful feather flags along Shirley Street and J & C Blvd.
Purchasing original and one-of-a-kind artwork makes gift-giving more meaningful and special, and the Naples Art District is the ideal place to find gifts that will bring surprise and magic to the holidays. Located north of Pine Ridge Road, in the midst of an eclectic neighborhood, you will find 100 painters, photographers, ceramists, sculptors, woodworkers, glass artists, and jewelry makers, as well as those working in fiber art, printmaking, pastels, and collage. A bonus is the personal experience you will have while shopping for those on your gift list. You will be able to engage with the artists while they are providing live demonstrations, and you will hear about the stories around their artwork.
Here is just a sampling of the unique gifts you can find or commission in the Naples Art District:
- Artistic wearables in silk and casual fabrics
- Tote bags transformed with paint
- Ceramics in raku, rustic, and refined styles
- A glass golf putter for that golfer on your list that has everything.
- Art baskets, traditional techniques in contemporary forms
- Home décor and customized lazy susans
- Pet and people portraits
- Car photography of personal vehicles for the auto enthusiast
- Photography that captures the natural world
- Pop art to add fun to your spaces
- Wood carvings for walls to complement coastal decor
- Resin trays and coasters with beach themes
- Textiles using Japanese batik technique
- Quilts in an assortment of colorful traditional and modern designs
- Memory shadow boxes. Commission one for a personal gift
- Jewelry in a variety of handcrafted styles and materials
- A gallery of curated geodes and minerals to add sparkle to your spaces
- Furniture, painted accent tables, and live edge tables
- Sculptures in bronze, wood, and stone to add drama, texture and shadow to your spaces
- Paintings, reproductions, and prints, in all sizes, in all media
The Naples Art District can also provide an art experience with a gift certificate for art classes. There are over 50 classes taught in our artists’ studios throughout the season. Choose from ornament glassblowing, shoe painting, jewelry making, the potter’s wheel, painting in every medium, and so much more. Classes are for all skill levels, beginner to advanced. Also, during our Second Saturday Open Studio event on December 9, the District is offering a Feliz Navidad Piñata Creation Workshop taught by Mercedes Perez. The fee is $25pp, and all supplies are included to make your original piñata. Please contact us to register for this community event.
Call (239) 249-1977 or email naplesartdistrict@gmail.com to register for the piñata event, for inquiries regarding other events and art classes, and any other questions we can help you with.
The Naples Art District wishes you the happiest of holidays, and we hope to see you this season.