Salt Lake Gallery and Holiday Stroll (NOV. 16 & DEC. 7)

SALT LAKE CITY: Step into the fall season with refreshments and a bit of early holiday shopping when the Utah Arts Festival Gallery and Art Access Utah, 230 S. 500 West, debut new exhibits with opening receptions 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Nov. 16. The openings coincide with the monthly Salt Lake Gallery Stroll. The galleries also celebrate with receptions during December’s Holiday Stroll, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 7.

Utah Arts Festival Gallery, in suite 120, presents a diverse show with six highlighted — Melody and Kurt Bellock, David Leslie, Michael Lucarelli, Lori Mehan and Sally Neilson. These artists work respectively in wood, photography, mixed medium painting, ceramics and acrylic.

In addition, Marta Albee, Amber DeBirk, Marian McDevitt, Sandra Seifert, Patricia Street and Kaye Wankier will have handcrafted goods including jewelry, glass work and handmade bags to fulfill both your holiday wish and gift list.

Art Access Gallery and Art Access II, in suite 125, are displaying over 30 local artists. In addition, Annie Tueller Payne will provide live music for the November reception, with Tracie Price performing on Dec. 7. The gallery show features various styles and mediums, with something for nearly every budget.

Items include whimsical ceramic teapots and a variety of other lovely and unique creations, including small paintings, mixed media works, Prismacolor pencil drawings of ornaments, jewelry, photographs, sculptures in various mediums, collages, holiday ornaments, wood work, home decorations and jewelry boxes.

Artists at Art Access include Victoria Acoba, Cassandra Barney, Darci Bertelson, Marcee Blackerby, Ric Blackerby, Patrice Boerns, Julianne Calderon, Traci Carter, Patrice Showers Corneli, Mark Crenshaw, Brent Croxton, e. kent eichbauer, Darryl Erdmann, Wendy Erekson, Wayne Geary, Karen Gladstone, Megan Hallet, S. Matthew Jones, Bunny Kaufman, Justin Mason, Chris Manfre, Sue Martin, Lindsay Mattison, Sharon Mikkelson, Cassandria Parsons, Steven K. Sheffield, Jim Simister, Susan Slade, Stephanie Swift, Cathy Tafoya, Shirley Tegan, Martiza Torres, Heather Tuttle, Mary Wells, Daren Young and Toni Youngblood.

A Christmas tree festooned in origami ornaments by S. Matthew Jones will also be displayed, adding holiday sparkle to the night. In addition, Access II Gallery is also proudly presenting the photography exhibit "Landscape" by Miranda Whitlock.

Regular gallery hours for Utah Arts Festival Gallery are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The show runs through Dec. 14.

Art Access Gallery and Access II are open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with additional holiday hours 10 to 6 p.m. Saturdays on Nov. 17 and Dec. 1 and 8, and 10 to 2 p.m. Dec. 15. Art Access closes at 1 p.m. Dec. 21 for the holidays, and reopens at 10 a.m. Jan. 3.

For more information on the Utah Arts Festival Gallery, call Matt Jacobson at 801-230-9420, or email him at mattressmony@comcast.net. For further information on Art Access and Access II, call 801-328-0703or go to www.accessart.org.