EXETER — Shopping for local artwork is a favorite pastime for many, and most of these art aficionados know that downtown Exeter is the perfect place to find beautiful and affordable art during the holidays.
And they know to start early.
Keep your dollars local and support local artists while strolling through this quaint historic town, and park for free. One hidden gem during the holidays is the annual holiday art show by Seacoast Open Studios (SOS) in its ninth year at D Square Java at 155 Water Street.
This coffee shop, once featured in the Wall Street Journal, is known for their single origin coffees brewed by the cup and their hot chocolate.
The SOS group of visual artists from the Seacoast area has been together for the last 18 years.
They meet from 9:30 a.m. to noon Friday mornings at Exeter Parks and Recreation, 32 Court St., to share ideas and inspiration while creating art together and welcome newcomers.
Most of their artists are also members of the Seacoast Artist Association (www.seacoastartist.org), located across the street at 130 Water St., which is another spot not to be missed.
Every November and December they feature their “Big Gifts Come in Small Packages” theme show with artwork all priced for gift-giving at $100 or less, so holiday shoppers can find gifts for everyone on their list.
The SOS artists in this year’s D2 Java holiday show include: Renee Allen, Skip Berrien, Gerry Bresnahan, Lucretia Gordon, Judy Kopen, Lynn Krumholz, Barbara McGrath, Carol Poitras, Nancy Reiss, Bob Richardson, Susan Scott, and Debra Woodward.
D Squared Java is open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. The Seacoast Open Studio Holiday Show runs through the end of December. Parking is free.