Cal State Long Beach is hosting its 46th annual five-day holiday art sale this week for art lovers or those looking for a creative holiday gift.
The sale, which began Sunday, features work in mediums like ceramic, illustration, metal and photo, said Dawn Ertl, a graduate student specializing in sculpture.
Ertl said the event, which took all semester to plan, features works from CSULB students and faculty from all fine arts backgrounds.
Ceramic and metal pieces will be featured in the Max L. Gatov and the Dr. Maxine Merlino galleries, respectively. Printmakings, illustrations, paintings and photos will share the Marilyn Werby Gallery, while fibers, sculptures, and wooden pieces will be displayed in the Dennis W. Dutzi Gallery.
According to Teresa Womack, president of the ceramics student organization known as the Potter’s Guild, guests will have many pieces to choose from.
“It’s up in the 1,000s, as far as all four galleries are concerned,” she said. “At least a couple thousand pieces are from [the Potter’s Guild] alone.”
Womack said other art clubs will help members price their items depending on the quality and work put into the piece.
Katherine Cox, a senior ceramics major and one of the art sale organizers, said that the price points for the art pieces vary depending on the materials used in the art piece.
“The lowest price we have [for a piece] is $12 and the highest price is roughly $400,” Cox said.
Money generated from this five-day event will benefit the art programs, Womack said.
“The club can decide that they want to fund a student in their club and give them money for art materials and art-making,” Womack said, “[or] they can use it towards a group of individuals, or they can use it for equipment or their studios.”
Womack said guests from past holiday sales could not contain their excitement, even during the first day of opening.
“There are people so ready to go through the galleries and find what they can,” she said. “A lot of people come because it is handmade … There’s something for anyone.”
Womack said the event was made possible through collaboration between many parties.
Some of the artists participating in the event included CSULB alumni, including alumna Anabel Juarez.
“I got my [Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree] here for ceramics and we have the tradition of coming back and giving back to the people that supported me,” Juarez said.
Jaurez said she picked the pieces to sell in the art sale depending on consumer interest for gift giving.
Chino Dumpit, a junior art student specializing in metals, said this was his first time selling his pieces, both in the CSULB art sale and as an artist.
“It’s a great way for students to get the feeling from selling their products,” Dumpit said. “I learned a few things, such as thinking about what I’d want to sell depending on the season.”
Pay stations will be placed outside the galleries, and they will accept credit card, checks and cash for the artwork.
Bill Mohr, associate English professor, said this is the third year in a row that he has attended the annual holiday art sale.
Mohr said he purchased a beautiful ceramic cup a few years ago in the art sale and broke it in the dishwasher. This year, he has his eye on finding a new ceramic cup to replace it.
“It’s a great pleasure to see the pieces here that are not only functional but give aesthetic pleasure to your living space,” Mohr said.
Mohr said one of the main reasons he supports the annual art sale is because the money raised directly profits to the art department.
“Its nice to raise money for these students because I know where the money is going, such as the travel scholarship to Italy in summer,” Mohr said. “I care about the art students.”
The art sale is held at the CSULB Art Galleries located between Fine Arts buildings 2 and 3. It will continue from Monday to Thursday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day. On Wednesday, the hours will be extended to 7 p.m.
Parking is available in Parking Lots 8 and 8A. For campus maps, visit daf.csulb.edu/maps.