30 Seattle holiday art markets for gifts by local makers

J. Rinehart Gallery

Seattle gallerist Judith Rinehart believes that being an art collector is more accessible than most people realize. “It took me years of being in the industry to realize that original works of fine art by living/working artists could be found at just about any price point,” she says. Rinehart is making it easier for aspiring art owners with Off the Wall, an exhibit of more than 150 artworks — all of which are 8x8 inches and priced at $100 — by renowned Pacific Northwest artists like Aramis Hamer, Joey Veltkamp and Lisa Myers Bulmash. 

If you go: Off the Wall, J. Rinehart Gallery (Pioneer Square), in-person only, Dec. 2-24.

Niche Market at AMcE

Treasures are often found toward the back of retail spaces, but at the somewhat new Capitol Hill gallery AMcE Creative Arts, you’ll discover the special finds front-of-house. Gallery owner A. McLean Emenegger has stocked the storefront Niche Market — which features artist-made goods at more affordable price points — with holiday goodies and new artist merchandise, including handmade mats, artist-made notebooks, jewelry, small ceramics and very cool geode-like sculptures made from paper. Plus, an installation of handmade felt ornaments from Seattle artist Nina Vichayapai. 

If you go: AMcE Creative Arts, Thursday-Sunday 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays by appointment, as well as online. 

SOIL holiday pop-up

SOIL is one of the longest-running nonprofit, artist-run gallery collectives and spaces in the city, and it’s throwing a holiday pop-up sale that kicks off at Pioneer Square’s First Thursday Art Walk this month. The gallery’s artists — including Colleen RJC Bratton, Ben Hirschkoff, Forrest Perrine and Nola Avienne — will be selling work at the nearby Specialist Gallery (as SOIL continues its regular programming), with prices ranging from $50 to $500 and all sales going directly to artists. 

If you go: SOIL holiday pop-up at Specialist, Thursday, Dec. 2, 5-8 p.m.,  Saturday, Dec. 4, 2-4 p.m.and closing-day sale Sunday, Dec. 5, noon-4 p.m.

Seward Park Clay Studio and Pottery Northwest

Seattle’s two legacy ceramic studios are welcoming all pot heads for holiday shopping. Seward Park Clay Studio (in operation since 1970 in the park’s brick bath house) is holding its annual holiday sale, featuring a range of locally made ceramics from functional to fanciful. Across town, Pottery Northwest (located at Seattle Center since 1966) is readying for its big move to Pioneer Square. But before packing up, the studio is holding one last exhibit and sale in the historic brick Bressi Garage: a Community Showcase, featuring ceramic works by anyone who has had a connection with Pottery Northwest during its long history.

If You Go: Holiday Sale at Seward Park Clay, 5900 Lake Washington Blvd S., Dec. 3-24 & 26, open daily noon – 6 p.m. Community Showcase at Pottery Northwest, 226 First Avenue North, Uptown, opening reception Dec. 2, 6-8 p.m., continuing Dec. 3-18, Wed.-Sat, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Living Artists Collective

The Living Artists Collective has a straightforward mission: support visual artists while they are alive. “Beyond bringing artists together in community, a huge part of starting the collective for me was to get local art into buyers’ hands,” one of the founding artists, Alaina Stocker, told me in March about the organization, a year old at the time. The group is throwing its first art market at Ada’s Technical Books, where you’ll find paintings, prints, collages, stickers and multimedia works by collective members, along with jewelry, shirts, zines, cards, ceramics and artist-designed puzzles. 

If you go: Living Artists Collective Holiday Market, Dec. 4, Ada’s Technical Books (Capitol Hill), 1-7 p.m. 

Ghost Gallery’s 15th annual Holiday Mini Art Exhibit 

Ghost Gallery’s annual tradition of offering an array of small, affordable artworks over the holidays continues — but this year it’s happening in a new location: Seattle’s downtown Pacific Place Mall. Priced between $25 and $225 and largely Northwest-made, these art pieces pack an unusual punch, whether it’s brightly hued paintings, incredibly realistic butterflies made of paper, small wood prints, geode-skull sculptures, tiny porcelain vessels or chattering teeth made out of felt by Seattle artist Amalia Morsi. 

If you go: Ghost Gallery’s 15th annual Holiday Mini Art Exhibit, through Jan. 6 and online, 600 Pine St. (Pacific Place, second floor), Monday-Friday noon-7 p.m., Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Tiny Prints, Magnified Impressions 

This month, Pioneer Square’s Davidson Galleries is also zooming in on small-scale art with a mighty effect. In the exhibit Tiny Prints, Magnified Impressions, the diminutive artworks range in prices from $25 to $400 or so, and include woodcuts, intaglio prints and etchings by historic and contemporary artists such as M.C. Escher and locals like Ben Beres.
If you go: Tiny Prints, Magnified Impressions, Dec. 3-Jan. 29, Davidson Galleries, Pioneer Square, Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5.30 p.m. 

Modern Glaze Ceramic Studio and Gallery

Modern Glaze is housed in a low-slung 1950s building at the southwestern edge of Shoreline — recognizable by its midcentury lines as well as the rows of multicolored pottery tiles that line an exterior wall. It’s where longtime ceramic artist Laura Brodax makes her imprinted vases, plates and platters, as well as large tile murals, and also hosts regular gallery shows. The holiday sale features pottery pieces (including cheeky tumblers by Seattle artist Janet Galore and delicate jewelry by Amanda Salov), plus handmade cards, sculpture, and some seriously wonderful collage pieces made from velvet, vintage advertisements and sheet music by local artist Eve Cohen.

If you go: Modern Glaze, 1400 Westminster Way N, Shoreline, open house Dec. 4, noon – 8 p.m.; holiday sale Dec. 4 -23, Thurs. – Sat, noon-5 p.m.

Side Rail Collective’s Holiday Art Mart

Once a dance hall, the 1903 Bertoldi Hall is now home to the Georgetown artist group Side Rail Collective. The space includes a few artist studios, as well as a gallery. That’s where the collective members are throwing a Holiday Art Mart, with art — including paintings, drawings and ceramics, all priced under $200 — from members and invited artists. Major bonus: You can also purchase sustainable, gorgeous gift wrapping by local outfit The Wrapping Project. 

If you go: Side Rail Collective’s Holiday Art Mart, 5511½ Airport Way S..  Seattle. Dec. 4, 11a.m.-5 p.m.; Dec. 11, 4-8 p.m.; and Dec. 18, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 

Building C Holiday Open Studios 

In Ballard, a repurposed warehouse is home to more than two dozen artists who are once again opening their studio doors for Building C’s 2021 Holiday Open House & Artists Market. Across two floors, find locally made art and wares, including paintings and prints by Aramis O. Hamer, squiggly-eared ceramics by StitchKuu Pottery and elegant jewelry by Rachel Chen. 

If you go: Building C, 4818 14th Ave. N.W., Ballard. Saturday, Dec. 4, 12 p.m.-7 p.m. 

Bad Apple Winter Market

Not quite ready for a tattoo? There are still plenty of reasons to visit Bad Apple Tattoo this weekend. The tattoo artists in the collective — including Ursula Rose, Lolli Morlock and Emma Kates-Shaw — will be selling prints, T-shirts, stickers and hand-painted clothing, alongside vintage clothing, silk-screened garments, woven chairs, wall hangings, paintings, prints, zines and more by other local artists. The group will also be collecting cold weather donations, so bring your socks, sleeping bags, blankets and jackets to drop off. 

If you go: Bad Apple Winter Market, 200 Fifth Ave. S., Chinatown-International District, Saturday, Dec. 4, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. 

Georgetown Rainier Bottling Plant Studio Holiday Sale 

Attention paper lovers, comics buffs and zine aficionados: you’ll find plenty of printed matter to pick up at this Georgetown holiday sale. Organized by Paper Press Punch (the community-focused print/book studio), Short Run (of the festival by the same name), Hocus Pocus Press and ‘queertoonist’ Natalie Dupille, the sale is taking place during this month’s Georgetown Art Attack. You’ll find drawings, T-shirts, tote bags, stickers and more from these studios and other local artists. 

If you go: Studio Holiday Sale, Original Rainier Bottling Plant Building, 5628 Airport Way S., Suite 175 (first floor), Saturday, Dec. 11, 5-8 p.m. 

South End Public Market’s Winter Fair 

In just a few months of operation, the Beacon Arts Guild’s South End Public Market (SEPM) has become a go-to pop-up in Seattle’s south end. This December, the group of local makers is organizing a Winter Fair at The Grocery Studios, where you’ll find wood carvings by Rick Williams, engraved maps by Yes Segura, locally made soaps, candles and body butter and more. 

If you go: SEPM Winter Fair, The Grocery Studios, Dec. 17-18, 5-9 p.m. and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 

Native Art Market 

A traditional salmon bake lunch, midday music and dance and drum performances augment the shopping experience at the United Indians Native Art Market at Daybreak Star Cultural Center in Discovery Park (where the nonprofit launched an Indigenous music-focused radio station earlier this year). Expect to find Indigenous-made clothing, jewelry, woodworking, drums, art prints and more. 

If you go: United Indians Native Art Market, Daybreak Star, Dec. 18-19, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. 

Midtown Makers Market

While Series 001 — the arty pop-up that for several weekends this year commandeered an old South Lake Union warehouse slated for demolition — has concluded, one of its co-curators is keeping the space alive. This month, Blake Fuller Payne is curating a pop-up market full of local wares, such as monochrome and pastel ceramics by Peche Fuzz, Handsel Mondays, Shanman Clay Co. and The Beige Motel; handmade scented candles (some of which look like Rothko paintings) from Mars Velas a Mano, as well as coffee, food and pantry staples from Brothers & Co, Papa Chango Cafe x Form Coffee Bar and Rojos Mexican Food.

If you go: Midtown Makers Market, 124 Terry Ave. N., Seattle, Dec. 18 and 19, 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. 

More art, design & craft markets popping up all over

>> Local small business organization Queen City is curating a pop-up market featuring locally based, women-owned businesses at Black Dot Underground in the Central District/International District. (Dec. 4, noon-6 p.m.)

>> Find local art (plus seasonal drinks, a live DJ, a gift-wrapping station) and businesses, including Molly Ray Parfums, at the downtown Holiday Market at The Sanctuary. (Dec. 2-3, 4-7 p.m.) 

>> The first three Fridays and Saturdays of December, Georgetown’s new Whippersnapper gallery will be open for a group show of eight artists and various vendors selling handmade bags, ornaments and more. (Dec. 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18) 

>> In the Shed’s December Market features stylish handmade silver jewelry, leather handbags, artisanal soaps, wreaths and runners, plus: Korean BBQ in its Mount Baker neighborhood “shed” event space. (Dec. 4, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.) 

>> Urban Craft Uprising, Seattle’s largest and much-loved indie craft show, is setting up shop at Seattle Center (Dec. 4, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Dec. 5, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.) and outdoors in South Lake Union (Dec. 8-9, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.) 

>> Cool House Vintage (its name says it all) is popping up with retro decor and home goods for a holiday pop-up at Doll Parts Collective — a creative store featuring vintage clothing, housewares and handmade goods — in West Seattle. (Dec. 4-5, noon-5 p.m.) 

>> The popular King Street Makers Market has moved to Georgetown, where Pacific Northwest makers will sell pottery, jewelry, loom weavings and specialty foods. (Dec. 9-12, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday)

>> Also in Georgetown, Housewright Gallery is hosting a few pop-ups of local makers this month: Shannon Koszyk Jewelry (Dec. 11) and Rebekah J Designs Jewelry and Particle Goods Candles and Fragrances. (Dec. 18) 

>> The Renegade Craft Fair is back for a festive and bustling marketplace at Hangar 30 in Magnuson Park, featuring more than 150 artists from across the country, including a bunch of exciting local makers. (Dec. 11-12 , 11 a.m.-5 p.m.)

>> Africatown’s Soul Holiday Market on Pier 62 on Seattle’s Downtown waterfront features dozens of Black-owned businesses selling locally made gifts, plus food trucks like Po’ Boys & Tings, and a robust live music line-up. (Dec. 11-12, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.)

>> The stylish local pop up-market known as Pylon is opening up its doors in the Chinatown-International District for a weekend, with a curated selection of ceramics, clothing, prints and jewelry from makers from all over the world. Also on tap: art books, tea and fresh food by local chefs Jesse Barber and Jonnah Ayala. (Dec. 11-12, 11-4 p.m.)

>> Maker Magic, a pop-up holiday gift market, will take place in the heart of Belltown. Expect, among other goods, paintings, baked goods and stationery. (Dec. 12, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.) 

>> At the Alki Beach Bathhouse, two local makers are hosting a Makers Art Market, featuring plant accessories, statement jewelry, salves, skincare, resin art and more. (Dec. 12, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.) 

>> Second Use is hosting its eighth annual Handmade Holiday market in the second-hand retailer’s SoDo location. Shop local makers, drink hot beverages and eat “Kiss My Grits.” 

>> Pike Place Market is organizing a Holiday Night Market featuring stocking stuffers, ornaments and gifts from market crafters (Dec. 16, 5-9 p.m.)  

>> At Cone & Steiner’s Pioneer Square location, a weeklong Holiday Market features 10 local Seattle makers (including Native Works), a gift-wrapping station, mulled wine and food samples. (Dec. 18-19, 1-4 p.m.) 

>> The Winter Solstice Holiday Night Market at the Magnuson Park Hangar is more than just a makers market with 125 sellers. It also features two bars, 20 food trucks and DJs. (Dec. 18: 21-plus only; Dec. 19 all ages)