Admittedly, gift cards are great to give and receive. There’s no better guarantee that the gifted will get exactly what they want, and for the giver, there’s isn’t an easier way to shop. But they are also the antithesis of personalized, and there are still those diehards who refuse to concede that thoughtful touch. For those committed souls, there are the holiday art sales.
Numerous galleries around town have made it an annual event to put out affordable artwork for these shoppers, ensuring a gift made with thought, creativity and inspiration. Here is a list of venues to scour to find that perfect piece:
» "A Christmas Fantasy": Sale of arts and crafts. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Gallery ‘Iolani, Windward Community College, 45-720 Kea‘ahala Road, 236-9155.
» Honolulu Museum of Art School Holiday Sale: Works by instructors and students. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Honolulu Museum of Art School, 1111 Victoria St., 532-8705.
» Oahu Open Studios: Meet the artists at their studios. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Saturday and Dec. 14. Visit oahuopenstudios.com for a complete list of artists and locations.
» Christmas Pottery Sale: Windward Community College Ceramics Club sale. 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Hale Palanakila room 216, Windward Community College, 235-7323.
» "Mixed Media Miniature Show XXVII": Small-scale works by local artists in various media, with a spotlight on iconic painter Harry Tsuchidana. Through Dec. 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, Koa Art Gallery, Kapiolani Community College, 734-9374.
» Louis Pohl Gallery: Sale of 15 percent off artwork. Paintings by Keiko Thomas, Arlene Woo, Deborah Pacheco and Lauren Okano, through Dec. 24. Ceramics by Ashley Huang, Kenny Chen, Shannon Webb, Daven Hee and Jon Vongvichai, through Jan. 15. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. 1142 Bethel St., 521-1812.
» "Our Final Best Holiday Ever": The Gallery at Ward Centre will close May 31, so this is the final on-site sale of works by its co-op members. Through Dec. 29, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays (except Dec. 13, open until 10 p.m.; and Dec. 24, opens at 9 a.m.), 597-8034.
» "Small Work, Big Show": Kauai Society of Artists show. Through Jan. 2, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and until 8 p.m. Fridays, KSA Gallery, Kukui Grove Center in Lihue, kauaisocietyofartists.org.
» "Matchbox Plus X": Small-scale works in various media by more than 80 local artists. Through Jan. 4, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays, Second Floor @ Cedar Street Galleries, 817 Cedar St., 589-1580.
» Hawaii Glass Artists 12th Annual Exhibition 2014: Through Jan. 10, noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays, The ARTS at Marks Garage, 1159 Nuuanu Ave., 521-2903.