Arts on Audubon Street

Despite the blustery day, I ventured outside during a study break this afternoon to the Creative Arts Workshop on Audubon Street. Just steps away from school is a charmer of a street with SOM favorites like Koffee on Audubon and the Devil's Gear Bike Shop.All the first-years are familiar with Audubon Street, having done their orientation group presentation on business concepts for a retail space in the district.

The Creative Arts Workshop is a nonprofit arts center that offers art classes and exhibitions. Every year at this time, they run the Celebration of American Crafts where local artists display their work for sale on multiple floors of the gorgeous gallery space. There's pottery, textiles, jewelry, glassware, woodwork, you name it. Not that any of us students are in much of a position to know New Haven history, but this is apparently the 40th year of this exhibition. (I discovered it last year and was able to get a nice hand-dyed silk scarf that endeared me to my fiance's grandmother. And this afternoon I managed to knock off a few key items off my holiday shopping list.)

For those who like browsing arts and crafts fairs, or are looking for unique, locally produced gifts, the Creative Arts Workshop is a refreshing step outside our business bubble. The Celebration gallery runs through Dec. 24, with a few other events interspersed throughout -- like a Bowl-a-Thon fundraiser taking place tomorrow, Nov. 23. For a very reasonable donation of $10 or $15, you get a handcrafted ceramic bowl of your choice filled with soup, and fresh bread. Proceeds go to the Community Soup Kitchen. If tomorrow's weather is anything like today's, that sounds like a great Sunday afternoon activity to me.