By Hannah Rivers
Dec. 16, 2016

I can vividly remember the all-too-warm days of fall, but now it is winter and those are long gone. The weather has drastically changed and soon we will be lucky when the temperature rises to the double digits. While the frigidity of winter is kind of terrible, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. To lift our spirits and bring us out of hibernation, we have the holiday season. It is a time to give and receive gifts, spend time with family and friends, and generally be merry.

Somehow it is already half way through December, which means that time is running out. Now the rush to buy presents for everyone you know is more frenzied than ever. In the past few weeks, there have been many holiday shopping events all over Lincoln. But if you haven’t finished your shopping yet, do not fret: there is one more.

On Sunday, Dec 18, 12-4 p.m. the Zoo Bar, 136 N. 14th St., will be hosting a holiday gift and art sale. Accompanied by snacks and drinks, this is the perfect event for a Sunday that is both relaxing and productive.

Holiday Sale at the Zoo was organized by local artist Hannah Demma, along with her friend, co-worker and fellow UNL art student Shalbey Workman. The idea came about as a way to make some extra money for an arts study abroad program in Italy that Demma and Workman will be attending next summer. This gift sale is part of a series of fundraising events whose profits will all go to their study program abroad.

In addition to aiding the trip, the objective of Holiday Sale at the Zoo is to support local artists. An event like this, which consists of eleven artists together in one place, is important because it helps the artists get their work out into the community. The first artist that Demma and Workman recruited was Keith Buswell, a friend and classmate of theirs who will also be going on the trip. From there, the list grew and grew — each person asking their friends to participate, as well as a few customers of the Zoo Bar.

The type of art that will be available at the event will be a diverse assortment. Among the usual photography prints will be drawings, paintings, ceramics, knits, book arts, jewelry, vintage clothing and leather goods. Besides Demma, Workman and Buswell, the artists whose work will be showcased at the event include Skyler Simpson, Pam Sackshewsky, Larry Griffing, Jake Brandt, Beca Voelker, Megan Spain, Haley Heesacker and Allison Sutton.

“We think that the artists we selected for this sale are interesting and quite varied,” said Demma.

Hannah Demma is an artist and illustrator who is based in Lincoln. As she states on her Facebook page, she likes to draw “whimsical, colorful cartoons, and portraits of people and pets.”

Jake Brandt is the owner and crafter at Ashwater Handcraft — a local business that breathes life into materials that were once dead, such as leather and wood. Producing handmade leather goods, including belts, coin purses, dog collars and guitar straps, Brandt’s pieces are sure to last a lifetime. More information can be found on the Ashwater Facebook page.

Sklyer Simpson is an art student at UNL whose work consists of graphite and mixed media drawings. She is intrigued by the line between attraction and repulsion, which is a theme that shows up in her work.

“My work revolves around the physical manifestation of emotion,” she said. “I employ somewhat grotesque imagery to depict internal thought and conflict.”

See more of Simpson’s work on Instagram.

Due to the fact that many of the customers who go to the Zoo Bar are art lovers and supporters, there have been many art sales in the past. This is why it was such an appropriate venue for this year’s holiday sale. It is Demma’s hope that this will become a tradition. She wants to include more artists from the community and possibly do four art sales every year at the Zoo.

“We want people to see a wide variety of the arts that are available in our awesome city in a fun venue,” said Demma.

Find out more about Holiday Sale at the Zoo on the Facebook event page.

Hannah Rivers is one of KZUM’s tireless fall interns.