With the Rehoboth Art League’s Annual Holiday Fair right around the corner, Christmas and Hanukah can’t be far behind.
The Art League’s Holiday Fair, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, is the perfect place to start holiday shopping. Forty artists and artisans, many of them new to the show, will display their work throughout the buildings of the art league.
Art collectors and holiday shoppers will find fine art and crafts at the fair, including pottery, mixed media, paintings, textiles, toys, calligraphy, glass, jewelry and other items. The Village Improvement Association will set up a lunch café and bake sale.
Included in the admission donation of $5 is one ticket for a Chinese auction of crafts provided by the participating artists. Additional chances are $1 each with six chances for $5.
One does not need to be present to win.
The featured artist for this year’s 22nd Holiday Fair is artist David Scott Ennis of Rehoboth Beach. Ennis calls his work Americana folk art. Ennis creates unique stuffed textile creatures such as Santas, rabbits, butterflies and ladybugs. He also does pumpkins of various sizes, and he specializes in vintage-look stockings for Christmas and other holidays.
“The rabbits I do look real, but they have a whimsical look,” Ennis said. “I aim to put a smile on people’s faces.”
No two are exactly alike and all are signed. He shops at thrift stores and other places for discarded overcoats and other clothes items he can cut up and use. Ennis says his price range for the show is from $25 to $325.
“Some people ask me to customize the rabbits and other creatures,” Ennis said. “They give me clothing and other items such as favorite buttons and other memorabilia.”
To remember one patron’s deceased parent who had been a newspaper reporter, Ennis made a Santa complete with a beret, bow tie and newspaper in hand, all items that brought back happy memories to the grandchildren.
Ennis is a graduate of the University of Delaware in fashion merchandising. “That’s where I learned to make patterns and sew,” he says. He saves cereal and cracker boxes that he cuts up to make patterns for his crafts work. He started his textile crafts work in the mid-1990s.
The Holiday Fair is only Ennis’ second Rehoboth Art League show. He won the Juror’s Excellence Award at this year’s Member Craft Show.
Chairwomen of this year’s Rehoboth Art League Holiday Fair are Betsey Von Dreele, Sue Bartley and Karin Snoots. For more information, call 302-227-8408 or visit rehobothartleague.org
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