VENTNOR – The city’s Cultural Arts Center this weekend provided shoppers with an opportunity to “shop small” and local while supporting the arts.
The annual Ventnor City Holiday Art Show and Sale was held at the Cultural Arts Center and library building, 6500 Atlantic Ave., Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3-4.
Although the rainy weather on Saturday provided a smaller crowd, the traffic was steady all day long, Director Sue Van Duyne Hunter said. She and her husband, Clint were in the kiln room displaying their Ventnor made pottery. Outside the room, Lois Shohen-Brown was selling “Pride Hearts.”
“I’m selling these Pride Hearts because I believe in supporting the LGBTQ community,” she said. “I have lots of hearts for hearts everywhere.”
Shohen-Brown, a feisty senior citizen who lives in Ventnor, said she has been making pottery for more than 15 years.
“I started making pottery in 2007. Sue Van Duyne Hunter trained me and I’ve been passionate about it ever since,” she said.
Other vendors were actually working at their craft during the event, including calligraphy and leatherworking.
Laura of Atlantic Leather Works was operating her Mauzer chainstitch machine, making circular embroidery designs for her custom made Japanese rice bags. The technique can also be used to decorate leather belts, bags and wallets, she said.
Van Duyne Hunter said she was expecting attendance on Sunday to be as brisk as the cooler weather that blew in after a balmy, yet rainy Saturday.
The Cultural Arts Center has been offering year-round professional training in fine arts, crafts, and performing arts since 1975, with specialty arts camps for adults and children offered in summer.
Those with artisitic abilities, including children, are encouraged to take classes in pottery, watercolors and mixed media, oils and acrylics, pastels and jewelry making. The center also offers dance and yoga instruction.
For more information, see ventnorarts.org.
