Ithaca Keeps it Artsy this Holiday Season

(Final Report)
By: Tracey A. Casseus, Joy Kucinkas, and Emma Tanner

During this holiday season Tompkins County shoppers are looking to find gifts locally to help support small businesses and local artists.

Annually the Community Arts Partnership (CAP), the Arts Council for Tompkins County organizes and facilitates a summer and winter show and sale of work by local artists. CAP was founded in 1990 as a not-for-profit agency that would serve the public by providing services to the arts in the County.

The exhibit showcases an array of artists’ paintings, drawings, photographs, collage, prints and sculpture. Additionally, the Ithaca Artists' Market usually attracts holiday shoppers. This years Holiday Artists Market was held on Saturday December 13th, 2008 at the Women’s Community Building. Artists Ryan Curtis’s work was showcased in the exhibit.

"It was good," said Curtis. "It wasn't a bank crazy New York City show, and nor was I prepared for such a thing, but it was a really nice scene for Ithaca. It was a pretty crowded market and it was nice to meet some of the other artists and nice to share the work."

Ithaca prides itself on being a community of artists. Art in this city comes in different forms: poetry, novels, dance, music, painting, drawings, and even ice sculptures.

The commons are aglow with festive ice sculptures created by local artists for the 2008 Downtown Ithaca Holiday Festival. The main attraction is the Holiday Parade of Ice, which is Central New York’s largest ice sculpture display. On December 11th the ice sculptures were shown to the public in an Unveiling Ceremony that included performances by carolers and musicians.

Several local businesses in the commons have decided to festivities and have paid local artists to have ice sculpture created for their store to be displayed out in front.


Ithaca Glass co-owner Tim Merrill was very satisfied with the ice sculpture proudly displayed outside the entrance of his store.

"I haven't necessarily noticed our sales go up that much, it's more of the recognition that we receive being on the Commons with an ice sculpture out front and people taking pictures of it, especially with it being our logo," said Merrill.

Having an ice sculpture is optional for local business, which incurs a fee that Merrill said he was glad to pay.

Merrill said, "We chose to do one, it's a way to support the Commons. It's a good cause."

News Story on The Commons




To see more of Ryan Curtis' artwork, view his collection at the ABC cafe through January 2009.
The ABC cafe is located in Collegetown (Ithaca); below is a map to help you naviagate your way!


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Photo Album--The Commons at Christmas, Ryan B. Curtis artwork at the ABC cafe