The Holiday Dutchess Handmade Pop-Up Shop

Melissa Dvozenja-Thomas, Executive Director, Arts Mid-Hudson

There’s something special about giving a gift that someone made with their own hands. Maybe it’s a ceramic mug that becomes part of someone’s morning routine, a piece of jewelry with an unexpected story, or an ornament that finds its place on the family tree year after year. Handmade gifts carry something beyond the object itself: the imagination, care, and creativity of the person who made them.

This holiday season, Arts Mid-Hudson invites shoppers to discover those stories at the Holiday Dutchess Handmade Shop located at the AMH Gallery in Poughkeepsie, opening October 22 and running through December 16. Featuring work by 82 artists from Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Ulster, and Westchester Counties, the shop brings together an extraordinary range of locally made gifts, artwork, and seasonal treasures.

With so many different artists represented, there’s plenty to discover. For those who love gifts that are both beautiful and useful, the shop offers handmade pottery, including Marilyn Price’s stoneware bowls, mugs, and serving pieces, alongside Caty Vilato’s whimsical ceramic gingerbread houses, ornaments, and holiday trees.

Jewelry lovers can explore creations ranging from Barbara Willmer&’s natural stone necklaces, earrings, and bracelets to Marie Elliott’s pieces made from vintage silver-plated flatware, giving familiar materials an entirely new life.

Textile artists bring warmth, texture, and personality to the collection. Maureen Van Ackooy creates needle-felted ornaments, miniature scenes, and wool artwork, while Beth Christy offers handmade bags, pouches, and holiday home décor. For something particularly unexpected, Sarah Anne Sherar creates tiny hand-knit sweaters designed for plant pots, a playful gift for the plant lover in your life.

Throughout the shop, visitors will find that creativity takes many forms. There are stained-glass suncatchers by Eileen Hendriksen, engraved wooden pieces by Peter Brown, original artwork and prints, handmade cards, candles, and countless small discoveries that make holiday shopping feel less like checking names off a list and more like exploring a gallery.

Some artists even transform materials we might otherwise overlook. Eileen Murphy creates decorative pieces from old, unplayable vinyl records, while Suzanne Bonser gives Scrabble and mahjong tiles new purpose as jewelry, ornaments, and accessories.

Beyond finding a thoughtful gift, shopping handmade offers another opportunity: supporting the artists who contribute to the Hudson Valley’s creative identity. Every purchase represents an investment in someone’s artistic practice and helps sustain the people who bring originality, craftsmanship, and imagination into our communities.

Whether you’re searching for a one-of-a-kind present, a little something for a holiday gathering, or simply an excuse to browse and be inspired, Dutchess Handmade offers a chance to slow down and enjoy the experience of finding something meaningful. You might discover that the most memorable gifts aren’t the ones produced by the thousands, but the ones created by a neighbor, an artist, and a pair of talented hands.

Full List of Participating Artists:  Amelia Acerra, Maryam Ali, Lucy Aponte, Carlise Azmitia, Roy Barrels, Janet Baskerville, Lisa Barach, Deborah Bein, Suzanne Bonser, Peter Brown, Patricia Collins Broun, Celia Calvo, Scarlett Hrycun Carney, Dianne Chambers, Beth Christy, Pia Cooperman, Vanessa Cooke, Madeleine Cutrona, Carrie Decker, Natasha Deines, Tim Dean, Carolyn Dickey, Karen Donohue, Marie Elliott, Lynn Esteban, Peggy Farrington, Mary Flad, Gabriella Fryer, Theresa Gooby, Christina Grimaldi, Nereida Gonzalez-Bridges, Ilene Goldman, Eileen Hendriksen, Keyonna Hicks, River Houska, Nikki Hung, Lynne James, Jim Bennett, David King, Cesar Kastro, Paul Kmiotek, Jeff Koehler, Linda Lau, Linda Lavn, Gillian Leslie, Elinor Levy, Alexis Lynch, Maureen Lohan-Bremer, Brittany Lower, Diane-Ellen McCarron, Ruth McLaughlin, Gregory Mazurkiewicz, Lucia Martell, Peggy Milone, Eileen Murphy, Janie Samuels, Maureen Van Ackooy, Renee Pasquale, Nicole Puckette, Susannah Pugsley, Marilyn Price, Bettina “Poet Gold” Wilkerson, Stefania Raschella, Sonia Reynoso, Amy Rosen, Veronica Spaziante, Barbara Shapley, Karen Sawdey, Maryellen Siegel, Kim Steinard, Linda Storminger, Sarah Anne Sherar, Shirley Tuttle, Ann Trocchia, Michele Ullian, Daniela Velez, Caty Vilato, Barbara Willmer, June Weldon, Ellen Weinstock, and Elizabeth Young

If you go:
The Holiday Dutchess Handmade Pop-Up Shop
October 22 - December 16, 2026
Monday - Friday
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturdays
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Closed on Veterans Day & Thanksgiving
Location: 696 Dutchess Turnpike, Ste F, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
info@artsmidhudson.org
www.artsmidhudson.org/dutchess-handmade