Artist Katie Hogan at her booth for the 2025 Dane Arts Holiday Market.
Tired of mass-produced trinkets from who-knows-where and AI-generated “creativity” masquerading as art? There’s an easy solution: Shop local, and go one step further — buy from the artist. As the holidays approach, the craft fairs and marketplaces abound. It is heartwarming and real, talking to the artists about the genesis of their works. The stories will stay with you for a long time. And these makers work hard, and probably undercharge considering their time and the cost of materials.
Window-shop or come prepared to buy — either way your interest will warm your heart and theirs. It’s not always easy to find these sales when you need them, so we at Isthmus have solved that problem for YOU. We’ve compiled a roundup of the pop-up sales and other holiday shopping activities we’ve heard about so far. More will be added as we learn of other events as the season progresses (please email [email protected] with updates)…