Home » Autumn 2009

The Season for Giving

by Claire Patterson Blome November 14, 2009

You probably don’t anticipate holiday spending will be as lavish as in previous years, but that doesn’t mean your customers plan to cut back on quality, or not go the extra mile for the most important people on their lists. We’ve gathered some great gift ideas by emerging artists, including pieces that will fit into a range of budgets.

Whether your customers want to treat their wives to a new set of bar glasses that will pop off the shelves, or are looking for a small gift like a glass-topped wine stopper for the host of their next holiday party, we have everything you need to stock your gallery for the holidays.

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Clancy Designs, www.clancydesigns.com, “Superfruit Tumblers”

For David and Jennifer Clancy, life is about creating handcrafted objects to transform the home. The Jamestown, R.I., husband-and-wife team have worked together for 15 years, blowing functional glassware, interior accessories and sculpture. Their “Superfruit Tumblers” are a hot item. “We currently have a whole slew of people who refer to them as their ‘Happy Glasses,’ ” Jennifer says.

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Richard Cruise Woodturning, maple and cherry salad bowls

Richard Cruise lives by two incredible values: he only creates one-of-a-kind, heirloom-quality hand-turned bowls, and only uses local, sustainable hardwoods at his Moneta, Va., studio. Cruise personally turns each bowl using hand-held tools and a wood lathe, and finishes them with mineral or walnut oil, not stains or dyes. Credit: James Mitchell.

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Hank Goodman Stoneware LLC, www.hankgoodman.com, “Facetted Cruets”

Hank Goodman’s ash glazes are what set his functional stoneware apart. “I like ash glazes because they melt and pull together to form ‘streams’ or ‘stringers.’ This look emphasizes the form of each piece,” he explains. What’s better? He recycles ash from his Arden, N.C., neighbors who heat their homes with wood. It’s not just eco-friendly; it’s his signature. “Facets” is one of his latest collections—expect to see a “chubby” version of these cruets soon.

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Sea Stones LLC, www.sea-stones.com, napkin rings

Arra David and Anne Johnson’s ocean-smoothed stone napkin rings are the perfect complement to any table. David and Johnson employ the same practices for all of their products, including clocks, wine stoppers and wall hooks. They collect stones with permission from New England beaches and “replant” new ones before transforming each into a signature product in their Windham, N.H., studio.

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J.A. Taylor Designs LLC, www.jataylordesigns.com, ceramic-and-wood inlayed leaf table tray

Jeff Taylor started his career as an in-house designer working for a large international company before switching to a smaller shop to build custom furniture and cabinetry. Between the two, he worked with a variety of materials, including wood, natural stone and ceramic tile—and a variety of tools, including water-jet cutting technology. In 2007, he set out on his own to marry these unique materials and techniques, with gorgeous results, in his Grand Rapids, Mich., studio.

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Judith Stiles Designs Ltd., www.judithstilesdesigns.com, “Sunrise” cylinder flower vase

Judith Stiles started working with clay when she was 16, and went on to launch a 20-year career as a production potter before taking a sabbatical. Although she found success as an “accidental” journalist, clay kept pulling her back into the studio. In 2008, Stiles officially relaunched her Brooklyn, N.Y., studio, and has recently followed up on that success by opening a second studio in Cape Cod, Mass.

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POTUS31, www.potus31.com, pewter wishbone

Herbert Hoover has worked with metal for more than 15 years, but it wasn’t until he cast a cracker in pewter that he found his calling. Now, through POTUS31 in New York City, he handcrafts everything from fortune cookies to ice cream sandwiches—or, as Hoover calls them, American snack food icons. He also offers “Arm Candy,” the same icons cast as sterling silver charms. His pewter wishbone is meant to bring good luck for the year ahead.

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Kommineni Art Glass, http://kommineniartglass.com, “Inside-Out Beaded Wine Stopper”

Rajesh Kommineni’s fascination with glass paperweights started as a child. “My memories are flooded with visions of colorful, fun and functional art,” he says. He spent years studying hot glass techniques, eventually apprenticing under artist Jerry Kelly. In 2004, Kommineni opened an independent studio in Northampton, Mass., to focus on marbles and paperweights, as well as functional forms like wine stoppers and personalized glass jewelry.

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Sinistra Studio, www.sinistrastudio.com, raku bud vases

Kate Tonguis fell in love with clay the first time she touched it at a class in 1989. After completing an apprenticeship with local potter Charlie Bohn, she launched her first gallery and teaching space, Earth & Fire. In 2003, she sold the space and opened Sinistra Studio in New Orleans, La. Today she specializes in raku and low-fire pottery, including Judaica. You don’t have to look any further than her bud vases for a perfectly petite gift.

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9SpotMonk, www.9spotmonk.com, holiday card

Vivian Leung started 9SpotMonk in 2001 to “pursue the finer details of minimalist design as they are applied to fashion, product, print and web.” In 2004, the Glen Rock, N.J., artist began to focus in earnest on letterpress printing practices, which has resulted in a line of gorgeous handmade cards, stationery and notebooks.

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