Holiday artisan fair supports local artists

The holiday shopping season is officially underway, and there are ways to shop other than through online retailers.

Visit the Beaux Cadeaux Artisan Fair at The Art Museum in Idaho Falls, and you’ll see a variety of art up for sale: everything from pottery to jewelry, soaps and more. The fair gives shoppers the opportunity to buy a handmade gift directly from the artist themselves.

“They have the pleasure of saying, ‘I’ve met the artist, I know the artist, I talked to them. I know the thoughts and the process behind making the piece,'” said Claudia Whitten, a kiln-formed glass artist. “And there’s a lot more pride in owning it.”

Going to artisan fairs such as Beaux Cadeaux gives communities a chance to support their local artists. Artists say that when you buy a piece of their art, it’s like buying a piece of them.

“Everybody has a different way of handling material and touching clay, jewelry, wood, all of these different crafts,” said Dustin Thompson, a ceramic artist. “And they implement their own kind of ideals on those materials. And so, when you come and buy handmade stuff, you’re kind of getting a piece of that individual.”

Twenty-five percent of the proceeds from Beaux Cadeaux go back to The Art Museum. It is artists supporting other artists. Artists not only appreciate support from others, but want to return the favor.

“It’s not only good for us when the people support us,” Whitten said. “It’s good for them, because it inspires them also to want to create and bring color and stuff to their lives.”

The Beaux Cadeaux Artisan Fair continues tomorrow at The Art Museum in Idaho Falls from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.