Court Street Livery's big artists market adds art, music, food to tour weekend
By KIP BURKE

The Court Street Livery Christmas Artist's Market this weekend will bring art, shopping, music, and food together, adding a tasty extra main dish to the Christmas Tour smorgasbord.

"Friday evening begins a weekend of holiday shopping in Washington's most unique setting," said Debbie Wells. "The Court Street Livery hosts its annual Christmas Artist's Market in conjunction with the Tour of Homes Friday evening and all day Saturday, and also Sunday til 3."

The Court Street Livery is located at 16 West Court Street, across the street from the Old Jail.

There will be food and music to complement the art, Wells said. "Friday evening from 5 to 9 you can shop amidst the sounds of The Taylor Rich string trio from Athens," she said, "then Saturday from 10 to 5, it's shopping, shopping, shopping! There will be pottery, paint- ing, jewelry, folk art."

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Joe Barnett's famous award-winning shrimp and grits and seafood gumbo will be available for take-out. The sales will benefit Wilkes TASC Training Center.

Saturday evening at 5:30, there will be a champagne reception and private shopping available for ticketed Tour guests only, Wells said. "And Sunday from 10 to 3, the artists invite you to enjoy visiting with them, and finish your purchases and see where their inspiration comes from."

Artists coming this weekend include several with local connections. "Signe and Genna Grushovenko, Anne Fievet Lamb and Catherine Fievet Blunt, and Anne Ray are coming," Wells said, "and several regional artists like Anne Jenkins, C. Bailey Jackson, Bennie Morrison, Sandra Whittaker, and painter Shavonne Pitts."

Anne Jenkins left New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and now operates The Point of Art gallery and studio in Union Point. "I can be found painting anything from soft watercolor house portraits, funky folk art on 1895 tin roof tiles, or painting acrylics on big canvas full of vibrant color and movement."

Best known for painting on old bricks, Bennie Morrison paints country scenes of life where he grew up in Oglethorpe County. He is known to paint on just about anything including turtle shells, flat-iron skillets, old railroad spikes, flour sifters and canvas.

Sandra Whittaker is a life-long Southern whose roots show in her work. "My work reflects my love of the South" she said. "I paint landscapes and scenes that depict our way of life. Most of my paintings include buildings. I feel the homes, shops and barns of the South give us windows to the souls of the people who reside and work there. The natural colors of ocher, sepia, burnt sienna and muted greens and pastels are the ones I see when I view the fields, buildings and flowers around the southern states."

Wells says, "This year's market is an exciting opportunity to explore a unique collection of distinctive art and handcrafts made by some of the region's most outstanding artists. Bring your tour guests, your friends and family, and meet these passionate artists and hear outstanding music. And shop for absolutely unique gifts."

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