Mark Your Calendar: Art and Handmade Holiday Events

Since a majority of the respondents to my poll on local events posts seem to enjoy -- or at least not mind -- reading about Bay Area happenings, here's another roundup of weekend shopping and art events:

French-flavored Old Oakland boutique Mignonne (that's the shop's beautiful window display at top) is holding its third annual Holiday Party and Sale this evening -- Thursday, December 11 -- from 5 to 9 p.m. There will be wine, music, and raffle prizes. Plus, everything in the store except original art will be 30 percent off during the shindig, and gift-wrapping is free. Local fine-art photographer Valerie J. Cochran (above) and ceramist Whitney Smith will be in attendance to show off their work. Mignonne is located at 1000 Jefferson St.

Whitney is one busy party girl tonight, because she's also making an appearance at the Fourth & Clay Holiday Party alongside Diana Fayt, Rae Dunn, Christa Assad, and Josie Jurczenia. The celebration and sale runs from 6 to 11 p.m. at 2390 "C" Fourth St. in Berkeley. (If you can't make it, the clay babes will be holding another Studio Sale -- details here -- this Saturday and Sunday.)

Friday evening, December 12, from 5 to 9 p.m., West Berkeley's Relish at Home hosts a Holiday Trunk Show for jewelry designer Molly M. I'm not normally big on jewelry, but Molly's laser-cut designs are gorgeous, aren't they? Maybe she'll introduce a line of housewares at some point ... What's more, everything in the shop is 10 percent off during the event. Relish at Home is located at 2703 Seventh St. #112.

On Saturday, December 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Feria Urbana takes place at Oakland's Pizzaiolo restaurant (5008 Telegraph Ave. in the Temescal District). On offer will be clothing, jewelry, ceramics, home accessories, artwork, fashion accessories, baby items, and more from dozens of local designers. (While you're there, grab a slice of Pizzaiolo's fresh buttered toast with Blue Chair jam and a steaming mug of Blue Bottle Coffee. Yum!)

On Saturday and Sunday, December 13 and 14, from noon to 4 p.m., Emeryville potter Sara Paloma is holding a Holiday Studio Sale in her space at 4333 Holden St. #54. She'll have fresh stock of her iconic stoneware bottles as well as her fabulous new nesting bowls (above). And don't miss Paloma's "seconds" shelf for budget-friendly deals on slightly less-than-perfect pottery.

Also Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., West Oakland's 56,000-square-foot Crucible holds its annual Holiday Gifty Art Sale & Open House. The sale features housewares, pottery, sculpture, art glass, clothing, jewelry, and other giftable items from more than 70 local artisans. There will be fire performers, stiltwalkers, circus clowns, a visit from Santa, refreshments and assorted holiday treats, as well as glass blowing, metal casting, and blacksmithing demonstrations, too. The Crucible is located at 1260 Seventh St.

Saturday evening, from 5 to 10 p.m., swing by Rowan Morrison Gallery for the RoMoLoCo Show. There will be affordable original works and prints from more than 30 local artists, plus 10 to 40 percent off Rowan Morrison's stock of art books and papergoods. If you can't make the RoMoLoCo opening party, available works will be on display through December 24. (Pssst -- Sunday, December 14 will also see the release of a new, limited-edition stencil print from Adam5100, available exclusively at Rowan Morrison.) The shop and gallery is located at 330 40th St. in Oakland.

Also Saturday night, from 6 to 9 p.m.: The opening reception for FiveTen Studio's Bailout, a "recession-proof" exhibit featuring work from 18 established and emerging local artists, all priced under $400. Bailout will be up in the gallery through December 30. FiveTen Studio is located at 831 Broadway in Old Oakland.

Finally, on Sunday night, December 14, Uptown Oakland's favorite punk rock dive bar, the Stork Club, hosts the Holi-DIY bash starting at 8 p.m. Indie vendors will be on hand, and live music and a burlesque show round out the offerings. The Stork Club is located at 2330 Telegraph Ave.

Enjoy!

(P.S. If you're on the other side of the Bay, there are a bunch of fun weekend events happening in San Francisco as well, including Trish Grantham at Rare Device, Christine Schmidt at Candystore, and the Mission District Holiday Block Party. Head on over to sfgirlbybay to get the deets on those from Ms. Victoria.)

Mark Your Calendar: Art Steals and Other Great Deals (Plus, Fire!)

Loads of fun stuff happening in the East Bay this weekend for any locals who may be reading:

Friday night, September 5, is the monthly Oakland Art Murmur. A few gallery openings worth checking out:

Everybody Get Up: The Poor Man's Art Show runs from September 5 through 26 at the Rock Paper Scissors Collective. It features over 100 pieces of original art on cardboard, with nothing priced over $50.

At Johansson Projects, Outpost showcases the work of David Hamill and Jeff Konigsberg, which "probes the imaginary and illusory properties of architecture."

Swarm Gallery hosts an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. for Casey Jex Smith's Materials Unorganized, which strives to "create a visual narrative of spiritual experience."

While you're there, pick up a copy of Dan Nelson's limited-edition All Known Metal Bands ($22), which is exactly what it sounds like and is the latest offering from the irony-laced McSweeney's publishing empire.

At Rowan Morrison, L.A. artist Seth Armstrong's solo show, Where So Ever You May Go, features narrative paintings that "mix a personal family history with the exploits of marauding masked men." (Update: Rowan Morrison won't actually be open Friday night, but you can see the new show there during regular business hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays.)

Horror Vacuuim at WELL consists of solo pieces from Jeff Roysdon and Mats!?, as well as "improvisational collaborations with disastrously successful consequences," and promises to "give your retinas a serious work-out. Optical Electro-Shock Treatment."

As always, the Murmur runs from 6 p.m. until about 10.

(Note: I just read on OakBook that Esteban Sabar Gallery has closed. I know that Sabar himself was somewhat controversial among his Art Murmur peers, and I didn't always love the shows at his gallery -- though I did like many of them. Still, I'm sad to see him go, and sad to see any high-profile gallery in Oakland's burgeoning Uptown area shuttered.)

Also in Oakland Friday evening: Red Cake Gallery's Autumn Open House, featuring affordable new paintings by Allen Stickel (above) and others. Email for reservations and directions.

Finally, Old Oakland's FiveTen Studio will hold an opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. for Inseparability, a new show with work from Zoe Blackwell (above), Christine Kesler, Brooke Inman, and several other participating artists.

The shops on Berkeley's Fourth Street are having their annual Sidewalk Sale on Saturday, September 6, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Discounted wares from the splendid-but-spendy Gardener, for instance, will be 40 percent off.

Also on Saturday, West Oakland's fiery Crucible hosts its annual, free Fall Open House from noon to 6 p.m. Come check out the fire-arts organization's 56,000-square-foot studio and see artwork from Crucible students and staff; fire, music, and dance performances; a metal pour in the foundry; and welding, glass working, metal casting, and blacksmithing demonstrations.

If you're hungry, don't miss the Green Potluck from 1 to 4 p.m. at Old Oakland boutique Mignonne. Food from B Restaurant, Tamarindo Antojeria, G.B. Ratto & Co., and Sweet Adeline Bakeshop will be provided -- you simply choose from the shop's selection of lovely vintage tableware on which to enjoy the goodies. Once you're done chowing down, you'll get 25 percent off the dishes you used.