Hearts and crafts

Instead of defaulting to run-of-the-mill gift staples—cards, bath sets and socks, stuff anyone can get anywhere—consider supporting local artists with those dollars you have earmarked for your holiday shopping. With so many artists in the Sacramento area, you’re more likely to struggle with who to buy from than you are with finding gift-quality art in the first place. Here are eight ideas to get started on your search.

Jared Konopitski

Spray Paint and Colored Pencil

Konopitski has made a name for himself in the art world, his work having been used by the New Yorker, Showtime and Universal Studios, among others. Konopitski describes his work as having a “cartoon aesthetic filled with wonder and adventure,” making it a great gift for the young or young at heart. “I am inspired by colors, oil rainbows in water puddles, cartoons, all the nooks and crannies of nature, the bugs that live under the rocks, myths, legends and all the creatures that lurk among these worlds,” Konopitski said. To capture the whimsy of these ideas, he starts each piece with bright spray paint splatter. This becomes the basis of the imaginative creatures and worlds he creates as he draws over these patterns. His work is available through his website (http://jaredkonopitski.com) or through his Etsy store (www.etsy.com/shop/PaintDoodles).

Stuart Ratcliff

Ink and Graphite

Inspiration comes to Ratcliff from the dark of night, the old and gnarled, and the wild lands of California. In his drawings, he elevates the mundane and the commonplace, infusing his subjects with a mystical touch that leaves the viewer curious and captivated. Prints are available for sale on his website (www.ratcliffdrawings.com). He will also be showing his work at the Crocker Art Festival on November 24 and 25.

Trista Swerdlow

Kiln-Formed Glass

Never one to turn down a new artistic challenge, Swerdlow set aside the ballgown she made of candy wrappers and other similar projects when she took a class in glass fusing five years ago. She found her new medium of choice. “Kiln-formed glass lends itself to an endless array of techniques and I strive to work in all of them,” she said. And in that she seems to have been successful: her work ranges from large wall installations to smaller pieces like jewelry, bottle stoppers, small bowls, hors d’oeuvre plates and jewelry boxes. Her work is sold at Gallery iQ in Rocklin and High Hand Gallery in Loomis. Swerdlow can also be found on Facebook (Trisa Swerdlow Studio) or on her website (www.TrisaSwerdlowStudio.com).

Karen Fess

Oil Paint

After making the switch from drawing to watercolor painting, Fess finally landed on oil paint as her medium of choice. Drawing on her background in watercolor—where colors are approached light-to-dark instead of dark-to-light, as with oil paints—she takes a unique approach to working with colors. “I’m an intuitive painter. A color or a pattern jumps out at me and I just know I want to paint it.” Her paintings depict scenes that range from local California landscapes to snapshots of everyday life, such as a table set for tea or the aftermath of a late-night party. Fess’s work can be found on her Facebook page (Artfesst) or Artist Collaborative Gallery in Old Town Sacramento through December.

Kristen Hoard

Metal

They say that one person’s trash is another’s treasure, and in this case, it is literally true. Hoard’s idea of going to the art supply store is a trip to the local scrapyard, where she loads up on discarded metal to craft into her one of a kind wall art and LED-illuminated sculptures. Recently, Hoard has started a line of steampunk-inspired pieces.

Lynnz Perry

Ink and Marker

For Perry, less is more—when it comes to planning, that is. Rather than sketching a complete piece, she begins with a focal point in the middle of the page, coloring it completely before moving to the next section. Perry credits this for the organic feel of her drawings. “My artistic process to some may seem a bit backwards or perhaps more time intensive, but it is a formula that best captures my creations,” she said. Utilizing geometric shapes and vibrant colors, her art includes a knife-wielding chameleon, a fish in checkered pants and a feather-adorned crocodile head. Her artwork can be found on Instagram (@tofurhiefzzz).

David Garibaldi

Acrylic

This Sacramento native’s claim to fame is his unique brand of performance art that landed him a spot in the semifinals of the 2012 season on America’s Got Talent. In his “Rhythm and Hue” shows, he creates pop portraits set to music. Available on his website (https://garibaldiarts.com) are posters of his work and a variety of T-shirts, mugs and other paraphernalia that are inspired by Garibaldi’s art.

Steph Jordan

Mixed Media

No two pieces of art are the same, but this is especially true when it comes to Jordan’s work thanks to the variety of materials she utilizes. She incorporates textured papers, keys, letter tiles, mesh netting and more for a “wild and colorful” finished product. Her collection of work includes standalone 4-by-4-inch or 6-by-6-inch pieces that fit perfectly on a bookshelf, mantle or desk for a pop of color and a daily dose of inspiration. Find her work on her website (www.diviacity.com).