Creative Alliance Merry Mart

The Creative Alliance's annual holiday sale Merry Mart arrives Sunday, December 5th from 11-5. It's a great, intimate venue to check out a growing list of artists displaying and selling their current work.

Many of those that participate have been living and practicing in the city for many years and are some of the core movers and shakers of the community's art movements. The Creative Alliance's spokesperson told us some of the things to look forward to this year include "a wrapping station, a holiday card making exercise for the kids and hot chocolate, and food." 

A new-comer to check out is Matt Muirhead, a Baker Artist nominee. Muirhead's ethereal mixed media prints and his symmetry collection are growing in popularity as his fame moves beyond Baltimore's boundaries. He has an established list of exhibitions including galleries in New York, Chicago and Toledo. With his one and only holiday sale participation this year, it will be a great time to check out his pieces and maybe cop one for that empty space above your couch in the living room.

 
Other artists to look forward to are established local jewelers Jill Popowich, top, and Theresa Carson. Their work with metals are intricate, and funky (in a fun cool way ... not crazy cat lady way.)
 

 
Salty Oat's hand embroidered cross stitch pins and buttons in whale, mushroom and heart themes are cutesy and telling of the time consuming talent needed to make them!
 

 
And ... Greenstar Studio's Knitimals made with organic yarns and stuffed with organic bamboo make any adult's inner child wish for one of these critters!
 

 
  —Shabdiece Esfahani, intern