ArtHaus’ Holiday Art Fair is Near!!!

We’re thrilled to be hosting our annual Holiday Art Fair this Friday, December 4 through Sunday, December 6 featuring the work of some of the region’s most talented artists in both our gallery space at 508 W. Water Street and our visual art studio at 516 W. Water Street. An array of one-of-a-kind artwork will be for sale to make your gift giving extra special this year including jewelry, pottery, prints, paintings, and photography along with publications by author Emily Whitaker. There is no admission to the art fair but we encourage you to bring along your wallet so you can take home some of the beauties you will find; most all forms of payment are accepted by the participating artists for purchases.

For the best selection, you’ll want to get to our Preview Party on Friday, December 4 from 5 to 7pm. We’ll be serving up warm beverages and holiday treats for you to enjoy while you shop for local, handmade artworks. The fair is also open on Saturday, December 5 from 10am to 5pm and Sunday, December 6 from 11am to 3pm. The Holiday Art Fair is sponsored by West Side Dental.

The Holiday Art Fair, along with ArtHaus’ Summer Art Fair and the region’s Studio Tour, is a rare opportunity to buy art directly from the artist which gives patrons a chance to hear the artist’s story and learn firsthand how the work was made. Stories like this, along with the inherent beauty of a handmade object, add a special and personal touch to gift giving and art buying. As one of our signature events, the Holiday Art Fair gives us a chance to showcase and support the creative economy of Decorah, a feature that downs people to live, work and play here.

Featured Holiday Art Fair artisans include Karen Misseldine (pottery), Vicki Berland / Bijoux Jewelry, Jeanine Scheffert (printmaking), Joyce Meyer (photography), Annie Adams (paintings), Lauren Bonney (mixed media works), and author Emily Whitaker. This year will also feature the work of ArtHaus Co-directors, Jenni and Eric Petersen-Brant, along with an activity table and gifts by our own ArtHaus’ Youth Apprenticeship Program. Adams, Bonney, and Whitaker are all new to this year’s Holiday Art Fair!

Annie Adams graduated with a BA in painting and drawing along with a k-12 art licensure from The University of Northern Iowa. She has taught elementary art, talented and gifted as well as classes at ArtHaus, and enjoys teaching the art classes through her painting party business. She and her husband are raising their two spirited little boys on their family dairy farm in Waucoma, IA.

Lauren Bonney is a painter, mixed media artist and illustrator based out of Decorah, Iowa. Her work has been featured on the cover of Inspire(d) Magazine (“Gnomes in Love”) and she has worked with the Nordic Fest Board of Directors since 2014 on their yearly button and program designs. Lauren is inspired by the bold color palette and striking lines of mid-century Disney concept artists Mary Blair and Eyvind Earle, along with the colorful, quilt-like paintings of Paul Klee. She specializes in graphic illustrations for use in advertising, product development, and branding along with commissioned portraits and paintings.

Emily Whitaker is an author from Des Moines, IA. She studied Shakespeare at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts and at Circle in the Square Theatre School under Edward Berkeley. Her first book, Benvolio introduces Shakespeare to the next generation of young adults.

We look forward to seeing you at this weekend’s Holiday Art Fair!