Do your holiday shopping at two art crawls this weekend

Two events this weekend are taking art crawls out of the galleries and into hotels and private residences. Both events should generate exposure for dozens of Wichita artists and artisans – not to mention great deals for the public going into the gift-giving season.

Art Trek

It’s the second year for Art Trek, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at seven locations: 1568 N. Charles, 1144 Bitting (R Coffeehouse), 815 W. 11th St. (Taproot Studio), 917 W. 17th St., 725 Pippin Circle, 314 N. Martinson and 421 S. Glenn. Except for R Coffeehouse and Taproot, the addresses are private studios and homes; the first five are in Riverside, the last two are near Second and Maple streets, respectively, between Seneca and Meridian.

“We have more people involved this year and a wider variety of product that’s going to be for sale,” said Charlotte Martin, an organizer and one of the artists. “And it’s still contained in a fairly small area.”

Home shows aren’t new in the art world; gallery space is limited, and even artists who get in one may have other works they’d like to display. Martin said the idea for Art Trek came to her three years ago, after she and another artist in Riverside held home shows on the same weekend.

“At first we thought that might not be a good idea, but people went to one show and then the other,” she said.

Martin’s a painter. Other participants include Chris Rogers-Cheers, who Martin said “does beautiful pottery work,” plus artists making jewelry and beadwork and two glass blowers, Chad Droegemeier and Jon Snow, at the North Charles location.

A group called “The Heiffers” is staging the “Bizarre Bazaar” on West 11th. “It’s just kind of what it says,” Martin said. “They just have odd things. You never know what you’re going to find there.”

Martin said items will be priced from $5 to $500, with most “probably closer to the lower end.”

On North Martinson, Anne Collins will be selling handmade doggie clothing. “She makes really beautiful stuff,” Martin said. “That’s kind of a fun thing.”

Hotel Holiday Art Crawl

The HOtel HOliday Art Crawl (get it?) runs from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at three downtown hotels – Hotel at WaterWalk, WaterWalk Hotel Apartments and Hotel at Old Town.

“They have these amazing spaces that are right under people’s noses,” said Kate Van Steenhuyse of Harvester Arts, one of the organizers. “The same thing is what we talk about with the art community. Wichita has this very strong, amazing art community.”

As of Tuesday, 30 artists were signed up to display, discuss and hopefully sell their works. Van Steenhuyse said more could be added.

They’ll take over the hotel’s lobbies and bar areas and also spill into some hotel rooms. “It’s not formal. It’s not going to be things nicely hung on the walls. It’s going to be really casual, almost like an estate sale.”

Van Steenhuyse said that arrangement should allow potential patrons to “have a much more intimate experience with the artist.”

“The artists will be around and hopefully get a chance to chat with people about their work, and chat with each other.”

The hotels are the event’s title sponsors, she added.

“They support the arts and are excited to get people into their spaces,” Van Steenhuyse said, noting that one of the venues, the Hotel at WaterWalk, has commissioned original artworks for many of its rooms.

Painters and printmakers, potters, jewelry makers, sculptors and more will be on hand. Van Steenhuyse said painter Richard Davies, in addition to showing work, will take commissions from people wanting work done by Christmas.

Some of the artists and their friends who play instruments are expected to play music, the hotel bars will be open, and some food should be available. “Hopefully it’s going to be a little like a carnival,” Van Steenhuyse said.

Works should run from $25 to $1,000.

“A lot of people are showing small works, things they might not normally show,” Van Steenhuyse said. “It’ll be interesting to see what they bring.”

This story was originally published November 18, 2015 at 5:40 PM with the headline "Do your holiday shopping at two art crawls this weekend."