It’s money-making month at the Durango Arts Center, even more pointedly than the other 11 months.

The main gallery is crammed with a juried show of Christmas presents called Holiday Art Ole. It includes folk art, jewelry, paintings, photography, ceramics, sculpture, scarves, clothing,
candles, boxes, ornaments, jackets, purses, pens, teddy bears and Santas.

Lorraine Trenholm’s pastel drawings of kayakers are vibrant strokes of color on black paper ($150). She also shows tiny oil paintings of animals and landscapes in big, gold frames. These 3- and 4-inch paintings are $75.

Dave Sipe’s folk art trees, Santas and totems ($45-$995) are hand-carved and finished to reflect a hip, fun vibe. They aren’t the done-to-death bears.

Deborah Gorton’s collage and mixed media boxes “Travelers Box” ($220) and “A Special Place” ($200) are large-footed vessels with an Asian design influence. “Traveler Box” features a postage stamp over a European street scene. Gorton also creates shadow-box collages with torn paper and found objects ($75-$175). Her work is displayed near, and compliments the Raku ceramics by Fiona Clark. A large vessel with spiral lid ($110) is white with a
crackle pattern. Clark’s small, round vessel ($44) is nicely shaped and a bargain at that price.

Jewelry by Rachel Davis includes silver leaves on earrings and necklaces at $46-$89. Nancy Frederick Conrad creates Dichroic glass jewelry priced at $24-$62. At the higher end, intarsia and lapidary pendants, bracelets and rings by Brian and Stacey Maggard of Albuquerque provide Southwestern art to wear. A red Hopi rug pattern pendant and bracelet set is $485.

In Local Expressions, Lynne McGee’s hand-painted silk and velvet tops and jackets are $55-$165. Mary Ellen Morrow’s punning “Quite a Pair” ($250) is a still life of two pears painted in an impressionistic style.

The selection rotates throughout the season as artists frequently bring in new items to add to the collection.

lgoebel@centurytel.netLeanne Goebel is a freelance arts journalist from Pagosa Springs.

If you go
Holiday Art Ole, Tues-Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
through Dec. 28, Durango Arts Center, 802
East Second Ave., 259-2606.