Why wait till the last minute to find all those special gifts you'll be handing out through the year? Go for something unique, chosen from among the works by 300 or so artists at the Boardwalk Art Show & Festival, which continues today and Sunday. You don't have to pawn your piano to walk away with a handcrafted, one-of-a-kind piece. And for those folks on your list who already seem to have everything, outdoor shows are a great source of surprising stuff, from an art glass cosmetic brush to wind chimes made with a glassy rock called obsidian.
Note: Booth locations correspond to street numbers.
For a girlfriend
Price $45
Artist Dylan Engler, Pittsburgh, Penn.
What's special about this piece Who has ever seen a cosmetic brush with flameworked glass for a handle to a goat's hair brush? It's pretty enough to keep out on the dresser.
Booth location 1701
Contact the artist (412) 400-1968; www.englerglass.com
For a boyfriend
Price $59
Artist Lee Watrous, Freedom, Calif.
What's special about this piece This handcrafted fedora is modeled after Indiana Jones' topper and comes in full leather or, for summer, with a nylon mesh crown.
Booth location 2309
Contact the artist (800) NICEHAT (642-4328); www.headnhome.com
For Mom
Price $175
Artist Ed Byers, Asheville, N.C.
What's special about this piece This handmade clay sculpture is from the artist's "People of the World" series, which features expressive, lifelike faces.
Booth location 1720
Contact the artist (828) 301-2250; email, edbyers@charter.net
For Dad
Price $145
Artist Lee Chesson, Lexington, N.C.
What's special about this piece A handcrafted chess set made with colorful, exotic woods, all responsibly harvested, including maple, purple heart and ebony.
Booth location 2121
Contact the artist (336) 596-6991; www.LeeChesson.com
For the husband
Price $350
Artist Nathalie Torres, Kissimmee, Fla.
What's special about this piece A small oil painting of a person relaxing in a hammock, "Chilling," extends beyond canvas with painted fabric and rope.
Booth location 3117
Contact the artist (321) 402-6464; www.artswings.com
For the wife
Price $350
Artist Sandy Lent, Lake Mary, Fla.
What's special about this piece For this "green anemone" necklace, the artist individually made about 40 glass pieces using a torch, then dotted each tip with bits of black and white glass to give it pop.
Booth location 1830
Contact the artist (407) 463-3063; www.sandysbeads.com
For a baby
Price $130
Artist Debra Adelson, Collingswood, N.J.
What's special about this piece This hand-carved acrylic bear with hand-fabricated sterling silver bear head and spoon is an adorable alternative to the traditional spoon.
Booth location 2803
Contact the artist (856) 240-1055; www.funkyflatware.com
For a hostess
Price $30
Artist Ira Burhans, Palm Harbor, Fla.
What's special about this piece The artist invented his ceramic "bird" pitcher by mimicking the long spout on an antique watering can, adding clay dots to help support it, then stepping back and recognizing it looked like a bird.
Booth location 2211
Contact the artist (727) 644-0072; www.claypaper.com
For a housewarming
Price $60
Artist Deborah and Richard Bloom, Portland, Ore.
What's special about this piece These chimes are entirely made of obsidian, which is a glassy rock the couple digs up in Oregon and arranges with other natural materials. Deborah Bloom is a Norfolk native.
Booth location 2829
Contact the artist (503) 231-1769; www.obsidianwindchimes.com
For ocean lovers
Price $55
Artist Diane Husson, Norfolk
What's special about this piece This earthenware tile depicts a live shrimp in its habitat, a rarely seen maritime motif.
Booth location 2324
Contact the artist (757) 646-3169; www.newrelics.com
For a gardener
Price $60
Artist Michael Mikula, Cleveland, Ohio
What's special about this piece A hanging, blown-glass plant rooter that would catch the light beautifully if installed by a window.
Booth location 1715
Contact the artist (216) 659-7187; www.mikulaglass.com
For bird lovers
Price $395
Artist Karen Eide, Carrollton
What's special about this piece This is an encaustic painting, made by fusing beeswax onto a surface using heat in a process that dates to ancient Greece.
Booth location 2230
Contact the artist (757) 714-1133; www.kareneide.com
Teresa Annas, (757) 446-2485, teresa.annas@pilotonline.com More picks for buying on Page 4
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