November 18th will be exactly 10 years since Cedar Park’s craft and gift shop VIX Emporium opened its doors to customers at 5009 Baltimore Ave. To celebrate the shop’s 10th anniversary, owner Emily Dorn invites everyone to a party this Saturday from 6 – 9 p.m.

It’s also the opening party for two new 2018 wall calendars by two local artists. One features 12 tiny oil paintings of West Philadelphia architecture by Russell Brodie (see image below), and the other, by Loretta Gary of Radical Hearts Print Lab, highlights 12 prominent social and political activists.

Both limited-edition calendars will be available for sale.

And last but not least, you can head start on your holiday shopping at VIX. Your purchase of $50 or more during the party will be 10 percent off. Also, stay tuned for more details about the annual Go West! Holiday Craft Fest, which will take place at The Rotunda on Sunday, Dec. 10.  Continue Reading

Archived photo (Selah Lynch/West Philly Local)

We have some news from the 5000 block of Baltimore Avenue. After a year of operation, Gush Gallery has closed its doors. Local artists Stephanie Slate and Sarah Thielke opened the interactive art gallery in August 2014 after months of fundraising through Indiegogo, but in the end it turned out to be very difficult to keep the business sustainable at that location.

Their former space at 5015 Baltimore Ave will not stay empty for long though: Snapdragon Flowers (Facebook page), a flower shop run by Cedar Park-based florists, is slated for October 2015 opening. Once open the shop will offer fresh and preserved floral arrangements, as well as gifts and cards with a botanical theme. There will be a couple of chances to learn more about Snapdragon Flowers and meet the owners at the upcoming Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll and Go West! Craft Fest at The Woodlands.  Continue Reading

Click to enlarge.

This Friday and Saturday (Nov 15 & 16), Penn Museum and VIX Emporium are teaming up to present one of the first holiday shopping opportunities for local residents and guests – a special two-day craft fair titled “Gifts in the Galleries.” The craft fair means unique, handmade gifts, like jewelry, clothing, accessories, hand knits, ceramics, home wares, original artworks, prints, stationery, soaps, candles and more from over 50 independent artists and craftspeople who will be there in person to present their work.

Gifts In The Galleries will take place in the Kintner and Dietrich galleries and the Widener Lecture Hall, located on the west end of the Museum, near 33rd and Spruce. Admission to the craft show is free, plus guests will receive a coupon for $5 off general museum admission on Saturday, so this is a great opportunity to view the museum’s vast collection of relics from all over the world. On Saturday, visitors are also encouraged to join the free instructional drum circle with internationally renowned Middle Eastern percussionist Joe Tayoun. For more information, go here.

Gifts in the Galleries
Penn Museum (33rd & Spruce)
Friday, Nov 15 – 4-7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov 16 – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The University City District and VIX Emporium are teaming up to bring  a new cool event to West Philly. The inaugural 30th Street Craft Market is happening Saturday, Feb. 23, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., and we wanted to let you know more about the participants. It’s an impressive list of super talented artists and crafts people from all around Philly who will offer unique, handmade items such as jewelry, pottery, cards & prints, knits, glassware, natural soaps & body care supplies, children’s items and more. Here’s the full list of participants (you can see their profiles here).

Art Star
As The Crow Flies & Co.
The Captain’s Vintage
Dop Dop Designs
exit343design
J4 WoodWorks
Jen McCleary Art & Design
joeyfivecents
Ken Beidler Ceramics
Krista Peel
The Lettered Set
Lindsay Gilbert Glass
Malachy Egan
Manic Muse
Mellifera Candles
Nice Things Handmade
Nicole Rae Styer
Old Blood
Phea Jean
Precious Meshes
Punk RocKnits
Rachelink
Sardine Clothing
Seampoets
Stitch Prism
Suzanne Francis
Tadpole Creations
Threet Ceramics
Volta Organics
VIX Emporium
Wrong World Ceramics

The market will take place indoors, at the 30th Street Station (that’s something unusual for America’s third busiest train station!), so you don’t have to worry about the cold weather and can spend more time shopping.

For more information, check out the event’s Facebook page or visit VIX Emporium‘s or the University City District‘s websites.

VIX Emporium, the popular everything-cool-and-artsy shop, opened its doors five years ago this month and now the shop owners, Emily and Sean Dorn, need your help to celebrate the 5th anniversary. This Saturday, Nov. 17, all are welcome to the AnniVIXary V party at the shop near 50th and Baltimore. The party runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The party will include festive refreshments, merriment and music by Philly blues legend Shakey Lyman (Facebook page), who will be playing his 1938 National steel guitar from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Shakey also played VIX’s grand opening. VIX’s own Sean Dorn will be on upright bass.

This will also be a good chance to scope out some holiday gifts. Fiber Artist Elissa Kara, the owner of Nice Things Handmade (Facebook page), will be on hand to talk about her crocheted wooly hats, which she has been making for more than a decade. Kara was the featured artist at the very first VIX holiday party back in 2007. Kara will also debut an assortment of pouches and purses in vintage fabrics. These were made from a collection of donated fabrics with wacky 1950s and 60s patterns mysteriously left on VIX’s doorstep a few years ago. A note was attached to the fabrics that read “for a deserving crafter.”

Spaces are still available for a terrarium workshop hosted by VIX Emporium and taught by artist Beth Richey. The workshop is next Saturday, May 19. Beth will teach you how to create a low-maintenance plant ecosystem in a jar – a little world with wild-gathered moss, water, and pretend inhabitants that Beth makes out of clay.

The workshop fee is $15 and includes instruction, moss, some decorations and other necessary materials. Bring your own jar with a tight-fitting lid, no more than 6″ diameter. There will also be a few jars available for purchase at the workshop, as well as special discounts on handmade miniature glass animals in stock at VIX.

To register for the workshop, please visit this page. The workshop is at 1 p.m. in VIX’s back room, 5009 Baltimore Avenue. If it fills up, a second session will be added at 2 p.m.