The 19th annual Artsolutely Holiday Artisan Market at the Vernon Community Arts Centre is the perfect place to do some Christmas shopping, and on Dec. 14 organizers held a thank-you event for the community to mark the midpoint of the market. 

Saturday was community appreciation day at the arts centre in Polson Park. The day featured a free hot chocolate bar and food from the Samosa Joe's food truck. There were a number of live demonstrations happening at the event, including obvara pottery firing with Gale Woodhouse; pottery by Eek Pottery (Erin Kronbauer) and Spiral Garden Ceramics (Lowell Friesen); live painting with Sarah Lewke and Jolene Mackie; and chainsaw carving with Tyler Welfing of Carvel Wel Creations.

The arts centre's studio spaces have been handed over to 35 local artists who are showing and selling their one-of-a-kind pieces for the month of December. 

"What you'll find here, you won't find anywhere else," said centre manager Rodney Goodchild at Saturday's event. 

Goodchild said the turnout for the event was "excellent" with a lot of people coming through.

"We've had lots of people who don't necessarily come to the centre come and check it out," he said. 

The little ones were able to unleash their creativity with a kids' crafting station at the event. There were also door prizes, live music by Howard Ketola and a surprise visit from Santa himself. 

Artsolutely is a month-long artisan sale that happens every December. It's an important annual fundraiser for the Vernon Community Arts Centre. 

The centre offers arts programming for all ages and abilities in the community throughout the year, and Artsolutely generates funds to make that possible. 

Sarah Lewke, an artist from West Kelowna, was busy doing a live landscape painting during Saturday's community appreciation day. 

"The community here is incredible, really supportive, and I love that (Artsolutely) is a fundraiser for arts in the community," she said. 

Lewke 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ” whose art is inspired by experiences in nature and her "emotional connection to the land" 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ” said business has been good at Artsolutely, as she sold a big painting on Friday and a lot of prints and cards on Saturday. 

Artsolutely will run every day until Christmas Eve, with the centre open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.