(Long Island, NY) This past weekend I attended the East End Arts Gallery Holiday Gift Boutique located at 133 E. Main Street, Riverhead NY 11901. Long Islanders experienced an array of unique, artful, one-of-a-kind gifts. All the items are handmade by local artists.
Every piece is just perfect for holiday gifts. the gallery showcased hundreds of gorgeous hand-made holiday ornaments, greeting cards, one-of-a-kind jewelry, wearables, ceramics, crafts, and more showcased at the gallery as visitors from all over the Island came to see what was available.
I had a chance to interview Gallery Director Jane Kirkwood.
Tell my audience about this event this afternoon.
Jane: This is our annual gift boutique. It’s just been gaining popularity every year and you can see we are kind of busy. One of our specialties are the ornaments you see around us. All of our artisan are very talented. Besides doing jewelry and scarves they make ornaments. The ornaments range in price from three dollars to about fifty dollars and they are a great way to bring a house gift instead of wine. Nobody throws an ornament away. They take it out and they remember the gratitude and the generosity of the giver.
How many artisans are displaying their work here at the gallery?
Jane: Around forty or forty-one artisans.
Forty-one artisans and these are all handmade?
Yes, these are all handmade and one-of-a-kind items.
How many years have you been doing this?
We have been doing this for nine years. This year we have four hundred one of a kind ornaments. Last year we had half of that. The year before we had one hundred so it has been growing exponentially.
This is such a lovely event. All the items are just beautiful. I encourage everyone to come from all over Long Island, New York City and the Hamptons to to to the East End Arts in Riverhead. Tell my Audience the address.
Jane: We are located at 133 East Main Street in Riverhead, New York.
Tell my audience where they can go for more information. What is the website?
Jane: www.eastendarts.org
I also had the chance to chat with Artist Lula Castillo about her organic jewelry.
Artist Lula Castillo and Entertainment Journalist Cognac Wellerlane at the East End Arts Gallery Holiday Gift Boutique in Riverhead.
Explain to my audience what organic jewelry is all about.
Lula: What I do is recycle seeds, beans and I also work with citrus peel, I assemble and I do great pieces of necklaces, bracelets and earrings.
How many pieces are we looking at right now here at the gallery?
Lula: I have about fifteen necklaces, bracelets and fifteen earrings.
Why did you decide to make organic jewelry?
Lula: I am originally from Colombia. I studied industrial design so I had to be in contact with natural materials during my semesters. I started to work with fibers, seed and that is how I got started.
Where can we find your jewelry?
Lula: I do art shows in the Hamptons and my website is www.natural-sur.com
East End Arts Gallery was founded in 1972 as an outgrowth of the successful Woodrow Wilson Humanities Series. East End Arts began as the East End Arts & Humanities Council, Inc, a resource for the local arts community with a commitment of supporting and advocating for the arts community. The history of East End Arts began in a space donated by the Riverhead Central School District in the Pulaski Street School.
For more information please visit http://www.eastendarts.org
