Mount Vernon residents looking for unique holiday gifts may want to try Kudos Art Co-op downtown at 10 S. Main St.
Where else, after all, could you find blown glass, wooden bowls, ice cream scoops or even pens made of wood from olive trees in Bethlehem, as in the Bible?
Twenty-three local artists have their works on sale at Kudos, an artists' cooperative at 10 S Main St., next to the Grand Hotel.
The pens are made by a retired dentist, Dean Backiewicz, out of wood olive trees that are hundreds of years old, Kudos founder Marsha Ernst told the Mount Vernon News.
"He gets the wood from there and turns them into these gorgeous pens," Ernst said. "I've never seen anything like it."
Kudos is a nonprofit organization, with the artists receiving 95% of the money from sales, said Ernst.
Another new artist is Sara Keith, who has drawings, paintings and mixed media at the gallery.
Barbara Crockett, a former band director at Columbus City Schools and a wood turner, is also new to the gallery.
"She does beautiful, very colorful pepper mills and salt shakers," Ernst said. "She does ice-cream scoops, letter openers and key chains, lots of things that you can hold in your hand."
Kudos will be open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and, until Christmas, Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.
On Dec. 18, it will participate in "Men's Day Out" with wine and snacks for customers.
"It will an opportunity for men, who are notoriously (slow) with shopping, a chance to do so," Ernst said. "The shop is just bursting with items. We have tons of stuff right now. We have three Christmas trees loaded with handmade ornaments by our artists."
A holiday tradition at Kudos is trees covered with beautiful ornaments handmade by their artists, according to a Facebook post. "This year we have three trees and our artists have outdone themselves in creating unique ... ornaments."
For more information, call 740-501-8586.
