By Hand Gallery puts on holiday show

In the wake of the holiday festivities and the joys of the traditional holiday season this year, By Hand Gallery has just put on a holiday exhibit that features more than 50 different local Bloomington artists and companies.

By Hand Gallery is a cooperative gallery at Fountain Square Mall in downtown Bloomington.

“Every winter we like to feature an array of sorted individual local artists to showcase a specific message of the beauty of arts and crafts,” By Hand Gallery employee Toba Allen said. “These projects make great decorative assortments and holiday gift ideas for the holiday season.”

Artists and companies sell diverse art mediums at the gallery, including blown glass, hand-shaped wood, recyclables and wool sewn sculptures.

Many of the pieces featured in the gallery were made of rounded blown glass, including specially made objects such as vases, cups, pots, ornaments and candy canes.

Wholesale art glass company Glass Eye Studio displayed some of their hand-blown glass paperweights and egg weight ornaments. They were shaped to form Christmas-themed glass figurines such as angels and figures from the bible.

Handcrafted ceramic artist Marcy Neiditz had a featured gallery of different colored ceramic pots with a layer of custom-made glass encrusted by ceramic pigments of texture.

There were also specially designed sculptures by Moe’s Ache Studio called “Psychlables,” which were pieces of artwork made from recycled kitchen materials used to create slightly psychotic personalities.

A common form of artwork shown throughout the exhibit was handcrafted wood sculptures. The Kentucky by Dick Art School featured their gallery of wooden crosses and snowflakes.

The school also featured their collection of handmade wooden frames, clocks and mirrors with a combination of glass mediums and plastic.

Besides the usual carved pieces, ornaments and glass statues, there were also handmade wool dolls and stuffed animals made by artist and Indiana resident Janet Helber Parker.

Customer Isla Grey said she thought the artwork featured in the gallery captured some of the essence of the holiday spirit.

“I think the accumulation of artwork that By Hand Gallery decided to feature this year not only captures artistic merit and talent but also the fun spirited joy that the holidays should bring us all,” Grey said.