Holiday Art Market Kicks Off Brushwood Center's Holiday Season

RIVERWOODS, IL — Local residents looking for some holiday decorating or gift ideas while also supporting the Riverwoods-area art community will have the opportunity to participate in an annual holiday tradition.

The Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods sixth annual nature-inspired Holiday Art Market kicks off on Saturday and offers both online and in-person shopping for area residents. The online portion of the art market runs from Saturday until Dec. 2 before in-person shopping will be held over the weekend of Dec. 3 and 4.

The in-person shopping will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 2 and from 12-5 p.m. on Dec. 3. at the Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, which is located at 21950 Riverwoods Rd.

The Holiday Art Market began in 2017 as an extension of an annual holiday open house. Over the past five years, the event has grown to include unique pieces of art, homemade gifts, cards, and prints that are created by more than 40 area artists and small-scale artisans, organizers said.

“Not only has the market grown, but the artists involved have as well,” Julia Kemerer, Brushwood Center’s Director of Art and Administration said in a news release. “It’s amazing to watch the growth of the artists we’ve gotten to know so well along with the growth of the event itself. So many of our artists started as volunteers or local connections and have become an integral part of the community through their work with Brushwood Center.”

Although the market is nature-inspired, the items for sale range from more traditional art depicting natural scenes, to items made from eco-friendly or recycled materials and offer the public the chance to discover something in every style and for every pocketbook, organizers said.

Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods works collaboratively with community partners and artists to improve health equity and access to nature in Lake County and the greater Chicago area. The organization engages people with the outdoors through the arts, environmental education, and community action. Brushwood Center’s programs serve the community, with a focus on youth, families, Military Veterans, and those facing racial and economic injustices.