Holiday shopping out of the box

“I think it just slows you down,” she said, of the feeling one might get walking into the museum. “You can chat with the artists, ask them how they make things — no one’s rushing you through.”

Mostovoy and the community of artists gathered in Redwood City are taking the last of this year’s ART in the Square events indoors. She said several artists will be showing their work on tables in the museum’s circular entrance room, with others lining nearby hallways and a “jeweler’s row” on the second floor set to offer a variety of jewelry styles at a range of prices. She is hoping a guitarist playing morning and afternoon sets and a theater program offered from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. will put even more of the local arts scene on display in the unique historical venue.

Giving artists the opportunity to share the stories behind the illustrations, textiles, scarves, home goods and mixed media and woodwork pieces, among other pieces they’ve been working on, helps ensure shoppers will find gifts that can’t be found anywhere else, said Mostovoy.

“I think there’s a really nice range of opportunity for people to get their shopping done and to buy something really unique,” she said.

San Jose residents Mini Bansam and Jannat Saxena know the value of a unique, hand-made gift from experience. The mother-daughter duo will be showing the wood and cork purses and accessories they have been creating in the last three months since Saxena began making one as a Christmas gift for her mother. Having recently graduated with a degree in design from San Jose State University, Saxena wanted to create a unique gift for her mother that couldn’t be found in a store.

When the walnut and birch clutch purse began catching the eyes of their family and friends, the two started their new San Jose-based company, Sumsaara, and making them in earnest at a nearby TechShop. Bansam said one of the best parts of attending shows like Saturday’s is being able to interact with shoppers and fellow artists, many of whom want to learn more about their use of a laser cutter among other tools to create their products.

“We are seeing so much appreciation of these hand-made products,” she said. “People want to do things with their hands and use their creativity.”

Of the five shows they have attended so far, Bansam said they have attended three in Redwood City, where the two have found a vibrant community of artists. Saxena said she’s also been encouraged by the maker movement continuing to gain momentum in Silicon Valley, noting members of these groups often cross paths at shows and workshop spaces.

“The shows are a great way to support that movement and give a platform for small businesses like us,” she said.

For Mostovoy, who is showcasing a subset of her photography collection at Saturday’s show, the event also serves as an entry point for residents hoping to explore the arts and culture scene in their own backyard. She said those whose interest is piqued by Saturday’s event can see more of an artist’s collection or meet other artists at the Artists’ Holiday Open Studios held at several locations in Redwood City and San Carlos next month.

Mostovoy is pleased to be able to open the show’s doors at the iconic museum in the heart of Redwood City for the second year now and said that with those attending the event sure to visit other downtown destinations, the event further integrates art in the city’s fabric.

“It’s just a win-win,” she said. “Art doesn’t necessarily get all the credit for what it brings to the community. I think a lot more people really get it and support it.”

The ART on the Square Holiday Show will be held 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, at the San Mateo County History Museum, 2200 Broadway. Admission is free. Visit historysmc.org/holiday-show for more information. The Artists’ Holiday Open Studios will be held noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 2 and Dec. 3 at various locations in Redwood City and San Carlos. Visit rwcahos.com for more information.

anna@smdailyjournal.com

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