* Happy Thanksgiving! Because it’s officially the holiday season, this week’s column is devoted to all things holiday, beginning with the Durham Museum’s annual tree lighting ceremony. The ceremony runs 4-7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 26. Vocalist and local KIOS radio personality Michael Lyon will perform, and visitors can decorate cookies, create holiday gifts and share their list with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Durham’s annual holiday trees exhibit also opens Nov. 26, exploring worldwide holiday traditions. The show, through Jan. 2, includes a selection of holiday trees decorated with diverse holiday customs. * Saturday, Nov. 27, 10 studio locations in Benson will be part of one big holiday art show. Get Gifty includes work from more than 40 artists including Wanda Ewing, Julie Conway, Andrew Hershey and Jason Gerber, among many others. The event runs 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Galleries include Studio Illuminata, Adventure in Art, Pizza Shoppe Collective, Justin Beller Studio, Silver of Oz, Ying Zhu Studio, Blue Pomegranate Gallery, and JD Gerber Photography. A portion of all the art sold during the event will go to support Omaha Youth Emergency Services, which offers a safe place for at-risk young people in the Omaha area. * Friday, Dec. 3, the Artists Cooperative Gallery opens its annual holiday show. This year’s theme is “quarters only” and the members of the space will show work that fits into that theme, but with their own personal interpretation. The artists will play host to two openings during the show’s run: Friday, Dec. 3, 5:30-8:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 5, 1:30-4:30 p.m. * Hot Shops Open House is slated for Saturday, Dec. 4, noon-8 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 5, noon-5 p.m., at 1301 Nicholas St. Hot Shops artists and galleries will be open for business. Studio visits, art displays, live music and a huge variety of work, including the ever-popular blown glass holiday ornaments, make the weekend one not to miss. * A final note this week: Joslyn Art Museum has free admission all weekend: Friday Nov. 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 27, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 28, noon-4 p.m. All permanent collection and special exhibition galleries will be open, as will the museum shop, café and sculpture gardens. Mixed Media is a column about art. Get local art updates at weekfiftytwo.com. Send ideas to mixedmedia@thereader.com.
Artsy Holidays
