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Art Beat

Stiles Style

By Marlow de Ville

The winter holidays bring with them more opportunities for gift purchasing than you can shake a credit card at. For shoppers not content to simply cruise malls, here's the perfect holiday gift festival--Stiles & Strong Gallery's annual fine arts Festival of Holiday Gifts. This Sunday from 11am to 5pm, the charming Capitola Village gallery will be packed with gorgeous, one-of-a-kind, suitable-for-gift-giving artwork by top locals.

The wildlife ceramics by Beth Gripenstraw (check out the zebra-striped espresso set), sculpture by Scott Lindberg, handwoven scarves by Carrie Jacobson-May, jewelry from Penny Garside, oils by Linde Martin and dozens more will be showcased, along with refreshments and glitteringly decorated trees. Stiles & Strong--also celebrating its second anniversary--stocks the latest primitiva by prolific multimedia artist J. Carlsbad Asch-Bacher III, and his colorful works will share display space with the gallery's popular seasonal collection of miniature paintings to hang on Christmas trees. The ones by Bonnie Stiles are especially lovely.

Located across the street from Capitola City Hall at 411 Capitola Ave. (462-6151), this intimate gallery has stockpiled an inviting selection of small works--priced between $20 and $100--to appeal to Santa and his helpers. The collection stays up till Dec. 31, but the schmoozing will be prime during Sunday's reception. So, get out and walk around the neighborhood, admire the holiday lights and say hello to old friends.

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