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n the side wall of ArtWorks, stalls hold goods, both handmade and practical. A giant snail and multi-hued butterfly rest against the back wall. They’re handmade, too. Every piece in the front room of ArtWorks is now part of their Christkindlemarkt, and “celebrates the artisan.”

The front room of ArtWorks. The small stalls along the back wall hold artisans’ goods, while the trees hold handmade ornaments.

“I wanted to bring attention to the work of artisans,” said Carla Fisher, owner of ArtWorks. To do that, she turned ArtWorks into a Christkindlemarkt, invoking the feeling of the German Christmas Markets. In many of the markets, carefully crafted gifts and goods are presented in wooden stalls built specifically for the season.

Marguerite Garrett’s hand drawn dragon booklet.

Thirty-eight artisans are participating, having “made a few of a lot of things” says Carla, “that way we can replenish with new and different items throughout the weeks.”

Glass ornaments and figurines – a glass star and a coral scene.

Those artisans have created stationary sets, wooden utensils for the kitchen, soaps for the bath, jewelry sets, and more. All hand made. And each has made ornaments for the four trees in ArtWorks.

Along the back wall, handmade wooden puzzles. A large snail puzzle flanks a chess board with a Cinderella theme.

Fourteen fine artists have also contributed with handmade gift cards. Some are individual pieces while others are part of a group or series.

Some of the handmade items on the tree: a hand-woven decoration and an origami crane.

The Christkindlemarkt runs through December 23, with pieces changing weekly. Most of the Christkindlemarkt pieces are priced under $50.

Not everything is on the trees: glass turtles hatch from their eggs in this beach scene.

A closer look at the ‘stalls’ with their goods: glass work, jewelry, and hand-turned wooden kitchen wares.

Salad tongs rest on top of French rolling pins.

Discarded silverware is transformed into jewelry and fan pulls.

Hand turned wood baubles and felted people decorate the trees in the front and back rooms.

Vases, paintings, and burl wood bowls.

Snowmen for the season.

Hand cut butterfly puzzle, painted on both sides, and with no edges to distinguish the outline.

ArtWorks Oriental is at 518 S. Water Street in Oriental, overlooking Oriental Harbor Marina.

Posted Monday November 22, 2021 by Allison DeWeese