Having spent a few days snowed in, thanks to four and a half feet of snow, I was motivated to consider creative ways to spend the winter. Indoors or out, we need to keep our brains and body engaged and active. Skiing, sledding, ice skating and snow sculptures come to mind first. My tip on snow sculptures is to add some food coloring to a spray bottle of water and give your snowman blue eyes. How about a helmet and orange spray — go Browns! Sometimes we need to stay indoors. So here’s an upcycling sculpture project I did with my Art Camp kids years ago and still love. Empty your junk drawer, search the bottom of the toy box, crafty odds and ends, game pieces, spools, doll parts, and spread them out. Pick out fun shapes and sizes. You will need a board or heavy cardboard to build on and black spray paint. Are your wheels spinning yet? Look over the items and start arranging. Cut strips of foamcore or cardboard to help with construction. Design. Open space is as important as closed space. Yes, it may look like a glued-up pile of junk – then comes the paint. This unifies the parts into one cohesive unit. Now the importance of positive and negative space comes into play. Have fun. We did. Walk away for a while then come back with a fresh eye to critique your work. Make another. Get a head start on next year’s art shows. Play with ideas, sketch, photograph, paint, build. I will remind you as the deadlines near. But it’s a good idea to have something in the works. Annual photography shows include Lake Metroparks in May, “Photographers Only” at Stella’s Art Gallery in September, and of course, all mediums means photography too. Oh, my goodness, I almost forgot the most fun of all. Shop local artists! Craft shows are popping up everywhere, and I love to discover new places to share with you. Feel free to reach out and suggest places for me to visit. Stella’s Art Gallery Stella’s Art Gallery, 38033 Euclid Ave., Willoughby will open a new show “Peace on Earth and Good Will Towards All” and the Makers’ Market with a reception from 7 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 13. The Makers Market features additional holiday gift displays throughout the 5,000 square feet of art created by over 65 artists, with two galleries and three floors to explore. Both events run through Jan. 4. Get ready for 2025. Artists are being sought for two January shows. The Black and White show, open to all mediums but can only include black, white, and all shades of gray, including the frame. This will be on display in the main gallery/event center. A new show, the ROYGBIV Show, will open in the Annex Gallery. It will be a vibrant contrast to the Black and White show because ROYGBIV revolves around the colors of the rainbow Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet. Artists are invited to participate in this colorful celebration by creating three pieces of monochromatic artwork on a 10-inch x 10-inch square. Each square will use a different color. Color evokes an emotional response, from a cheerful yellow, a powerful red, or a calming blue. How will you interpret the colors you choose? I am looking forward to this one. All pieces must be unframed and wired on the back, ready to hang. Artwork will be accepted from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 2 and 3, and from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 4. Stella’s is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays. Can’t decide? Gift cards! Complete entry details and the themes of 2025 shows are at stellaartgallery.com or call 440-266-9111. Artisan’s Corner Gallery Here’s my latest find, Artisans’ Corner Gallery, 11110-6 Kinsman Road, Newbury. It opened in 2016 with 40 artists. “We have close to 100 artists here now,” gallery owner Monica Glasscock said. “I have been framing and working in the art gallery world since 1987.” Glasscock was vice president of the now dissolved Geauga Arts Council and is hosting the GAC’s annual juried Community Art Show which had been held at Geauga Park District’s West Woods’ Nature Center. “I had to make some changes since we don’t have the space we had at the park, so it became “Inside the Box Mini Masterpiece Community Art Show.” Each piece could only be 10 by 10 by 10 inches,” Glasscock said. “We received 91 entries. Forty-two were accepted and are on display here.” Due to our lovely Ohio weather, the awards reception had to be rescheduled to 6 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 17, with live music and great food. It’s free and open to the public. GAC may be gone, but the GANG (Geauga Arts Network Group) is here. This is an open artist group for the benefit of artists. Learn more at artisanscornergallery.com or call 440-739-4128. Geauga Park District Warm up in the nature center after hiking the park trails. The Geauga Park District is hosting nature photographers Vic Weizer and Dwight Boyer through Feb. 9. The exhibit is on display at the Deep Woods Nature Center, 9465 Kinsman Road, (Route 87) Russell Township. The gift shop also offers work by local artisans. For more information, call 440-286-9516. ​Valley Art Center Valley Art Center, 155 Bell St, Chagrin Falls, has updated the gift shop for the holidays with works by over 50 local artists. Artworks are $250 or less. Gift certificates for classes are also available. For more information, call 440-247-7507 or visit www.valleyartcenter.org. Ashtabula Arts Center It is time to begin work on your painting for the Paul and Norma Tikkanen Painting Prize presented by the Ashtabula Arts Center, 2928 W. 13th St. Here’s your motivation, first place, $12,000; second place, $5,000; and honorable mentions $1,000. There are two categories, abstract and realistic. The exhibit is held in October, but the jurying process begins late spring. Call 440-964-3396 or for more information.