Soggy, cold weather Saturday didn't dissuade upward of 1,000 people from getting in some Christmas shopping at Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council's eighth annual Open House and Arts Market.
Residents packed into the Regional Art Center in Texarkana to browse tables lined with colorful handmade scarves, jewelry, paintings, ceramics, wood turners, soaps, chocolates, leather items and other items produced mostly by local artists.
"Some people get all their Christmas shopping finished right here," said Jeanne Harrel, organizer and coordinator. "We've had this event right here the first weekend of December for the last eight years. Everything is handmade, and it has to be original."
The event, which started in 2009 with just 12 artists, has expanded to include 32 local artists. They take up all of the art museum's first and second floors and keep all the proceeds from their sales.
Harrell added that the tradition started at art museum employee Mary Armstrong's suggestion-she had a couple of friends who were artists.
One of the event's veteran artists, Leitha Herring, co-proprietor of local ladies' boutique Tejas Trade, said she and her mom, Dell Kirkman, have been to all eight of the art markets and have been designing stone, shell, horn and bone necklaces and bracelets for about the last 20 years. They opened their own store in the 400 block of Main Street about five years ago.
"Until five years ago, we just sold at art markets," Herring said of her products, which resembles the natural, simplistic and pristine look of desert land. "Designing and making jewelry like this is the most challenging aspect for this kind of art, but this open house is a very good show for us."
Herring said their bracelets seem to be the most popular of their wares from year to year.
"I love seeing this art show is growing from year to year," Herring said. "We see both new faces and familiar faces every year."
This year's open house also attracted some first-time attendees and out-of-town artists, such as Tammy Pruitt of Marshall, Texas.
"This is my first time here (in Texarkana)," she said. "Some of my friends asked me if I would try this open house because they thought that it might be a good venue."
Pruitt's art specialty is making book binders from ancient leather and metal.
"Making these book binders can be a long and tedious process," she said. "I started working on what I have here on display today back in January. These types of binders seem to be popular among both kids and adults, and I like coming up here to meet new customers, as well as other artists."