The Angel Show Holiday Market evolved from the Cooperative for Women Artists (CWA), which was formed thirty years ago by painters and card makers in Huntsville. This year there are 34 artists confirmed to attend. This year twelve new artists are participating, in addition to some who have been attending for more than 20 years. The show will take place from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturday, December 3 at the Walker Education Center.
Artists include four jewelers, four clay artists, and a hand-blown glassmaker. Visitors will also find handmade soy candles, greeting cards and stationery, Christmas decorations, fused glass and hand-turned wood pieces. Each artist donates an entry prize and raffles will be held throughout the event.
Multiple culinary artists will attend, selling jams, jellies, sauces and other grocery items. Reid hasn’t had a baker at the fair in recent years, so he’s happy to introduce Kandice Douglas from Kandikakes Bakery in the spring. Douglas will sell hand-decorated cookies and cupcakes and highlight the custom cake side of her business.
Busy Bee Apiary and Apothecary will offer honey and natural body care products made from beeswax. Marilyn Henderson will present her ornate eggs called pysansky, which originated from traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs.
Local art instructor Cynthia Reid took the reins as event planner over 15 years ago and has continued to bring new artists to the fair each year. Reid is best known as a watercolourist and paper weaver. At the show, he sells watercolor and oil paintings, painted pumpkins, and stamped collectible silverware, inscribed with playful phrases like “spread peace” and “too hot to drive.” Art instructor Denise Lorenz has been selling glass blocks filled with Christmas-themed lights for several years, but she’s shifting her focus for 2022.
“She always has a new idea to bring to the show,” Reid said. “This year she features ornate glass beads, polished and dangling rocks, and wonderful birdbaths made from antique ceramic bowls.”
The show did not take place in 2020 due to the pandemic and turnout was sparse last year. This year the interest was very high, allowing Reid to form the largest group of artists in the history of the program. One of the tables will be occupied by students from the SHSU Student Art Association. Reid offers his space for free each year as a way to engage new generations of artists and continue to bring new items to the public.
The co-founders of the event, Carole Soare and Nancy George, first held the event at a private home. Local artists like Molly Campbell and Golda Rich were on board from its inception and contributed their art and energy to the many incarnations of the show.
For the first decade, the exhibit was held in the upstairs gallery of the Walker Education Center, and his art became the featured exhibit through December. Rich spearheaded the show, running the show for many years until handing over his duties to Reid. At that time, the museum was remodeled and the exhibition was moved to its current location on the ground floor, which allowed the space to be expanded.
“It’s a great weekend to come to Huntsville,” Reid said. Exceptional refreshments are also an important part of the show that the public expects to enjoy each year. Coffee and punch are served along with homemade treats brought in by the artists, creating a party of its own.
Walker Education Center is located at 1402 19th St. in Huntsville. Find out more about the artists and their offerings by visiting their Facebook page.