Small crafts advisory

Small is big at this year's holiday arts and crafts sales. In Framingham, a large-scale landscape artist is turning out teensy portraits of cupcakes. In Newton, a photographer used to making poster-size prints is downsizing for mini frames. And in Maynard, a paper artist whose massive work has covered full gallery walls is busy crafting tiny origami earrings.

No, these artists are not shrinking like Alice did in Wonderland. By producing gift-sized works for holiday arts sales, they hope to offer something for everyone.

"What we try to do is make smaller works because they are less expensive. That way we have something for all pocketbook sizes," said abstract painter Pat Mattina of Framingham, who just finished packaging 41 sets of gilded cards adorned with pressed leaves. "It's us saying, here's a way to own an original piece of art."

ArtSpace Maynard director Jero Nesson sees the small-works approach to the holidays as a win-win for both shoppers and artists.

"Only 7 percent of Americans ever buy fine art," he said, quoting a 2002 National Endowment for the Arts study. "So this gives people a chance to purchase art that doesn't happen every day. At the same time, it's an opportunity for a large number of artists to get exposure and help defray the cost of having a studio and producing their larger work."

You'll find these pint-sized masterpieces alongside all manner of handmade gifts at the upcoming arts and crafts sales below. From classic crafts to the unusual (personalized cowbells, anyone?), it's all here.

The DeCordova Artists' Market

The scoop: This is the crème de la crème fraiche of area holiday arts sales. A juried event, the Artists' Market takes the already well-stocked Store @ DeCordova and tops it off with the work of an additional 40 New England artists and crafters. In total, you can browse through the work of 140 participants. Offerings range from Christmas ornaments and Hanukkah cards to toys, glassware, jewelry, and the occasional hat with a goldfish sprouting out of it.

Local ties: This year's market features 35 new artists, including Ashland blacksmith Neil Mansfield, who crafts snazzy fireplace accessories, one-of-a kind housewares (like letter openers of forged steel), and fun sculptures (his bronze roses never wilt).

Convenience: Late hours on weeknights (until 9:30 p.m.) make this an easy after-work stop.

The facts: The Artists' Market runs through Dec. 31 at the DeCordova Museum, 51 Sandy Pond Road, Lincoln. Sale hours through Dec. 24 are 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sun. Free admission to the market. Call 781-259-8692 or visit decordova.org.

The Arts Center at Southborough

Small Works Sale & Holiday Store The scoop: The center hosts its first small-works holiday show this year, with 20 artist-members selling pieces priced under $200. Meanwhile, the annual Holiday Store, which features an additional 14 crafters, will share the gallery space. Artwork includes, paintings, photography, handmade soap, jewelry, and quilted items.

Social bonus: Everyone's invited to mix with the artists at the opening reception from 7 to 9 tomorrow night.

The facts: The sale runs Nov. 24-Dec. 17. Hours: 3-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri. (until 9 p.m. Thurs.); 1-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun.; and extended hours on Nov. 25, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Free admission. Call 508-481-9351 or visit southborougharts.org.

The Danforth Museum Holiday Sale

The scoop: Visitors cannot only shop for gifts here they can also browse for inspiration. Because this juried sale features work by Danforth Museum school faculty and advanced students, just about every item from the glittering jewelry to the woven wear is something you can learn to make in one of the Danforth's many classes. Fine-art hounds can also browse the large and small works by artists who have previously shown at the museum.

Finds: "We have prints by children's book illustrators who have shown in our children's book gallery. So you can buy a piece of artwork for your child's wall that's directly from the book that they can read," said museum director Katherine French.

Tea time: The sale kicks off with a free holiday tea in the main gallery.

The facts: The sale runs Dec. 3-23 at The Danforth, 123 Union Ave., Framingham. Sale admission is free. Dec. 3 holiday tea noon-5 p.m., free with museum admission of $8 adults, $6 students/seniors, under 12 free. Museum/sale hours: noon to 5 p.m. Wed., Thurs, Sun.; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Closed Mon. and Tues. Call 508-620-0050 or visit danforthmuseum.org.

The ArtSpace-Maynard Annual Holiday Gift Sale

The scoop: Offerings by 29 studio artists range from Gail Erwin's hand-crafted stationery to Denise Shea's gorgeous sculpted felt hats.

Finds: Nationally exhibiting sculptor Jennifer Maestre of Concord scales it down for holiday shoppers this year with a collection of brooches made from colored pencil tips.

Extras: Glass-blowing and pottery wheel demonstrations mean "you can not only purchase the work, you can see how it was made," said ArtSpace director Jero Nesson.

The facts: The sale runs 4 to 8 p.m. Nov. 30 and Dec. 1; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 2 at 63 Summer St., Maynard. Call 978-897-9828 or visit artspacemaynard.com.

Saxonville Holiday Open Studios

The scoop: In the nine open studios in this Framingham artist's building, you'll find fine art; quality crafts including jewelry and bound books; and numerous items made for the holidays like Pat Mattina's "peace egg" ornaments, which she creates using a wax resist technique she learned from her Ukrainian-born grandmother.

Finds: Landscape artist Lynette Haggard of Framingham has created a series of "small New England landscapes that are just buttery and soft and so beautiful," said Mattina. Meanwhile, Rosalie Ripaldi Shane of Boston, who "sold her cupcake paintings like hotcakes last year," has a new "sweet little series of small works of teensy little portraits of vegetables looking at them from above."

The facts: Open Studios runs noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 2 and 3 at Saxonville Studios, 1602B Concord St., Framingham. Free admission. Call 508-788-0366 or visit saxonvillestudios.com.

Celebrate Newton!

The scoop: This has to rank as one of the most fun MetroWest arts and crafts festivals. Besides featuring the usual baubles and such, the juried PTO fund-raiser for the Newton schools offers kids' crafts activities, live music, a pizza cafe, and lots of quirky gifts. Every artist hails from Newton, and many are talented hobbyists who only show at this fair.

"So you'll find things here no one else has," said card maker and Newton parent Sara Coen, who founded the festival in 2001. "More important, though, we've raised and donated $21,000 to the Newton schools in the last four years."

Resident paper prodigy: A 16-year-old origami whiz, Corey Comenitz, offers folded-paper sculptures, jewelry, and critters with moving parts.

Finds: Fred Altaffer, whose day job is research director for the state Department of Mental Health, "makes absolutely gorgeous works out of old bottles and recycled glass. His specialty is menorahs, and they are just really cool," said Coen.

For the person who has everything: Personalized cow bells, jewelry made from vintage buttons, fabric bowls, and custom-decorated apples are just a start.

The facts: Celebrate Newton! runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 3 at Newton South High School, 140 Brandeis Road. Admission is $2, or $5 per family. Call 617-558-3695 or visit perugi.com/newton.

The Second Annual Newton Fine Art and Craft Show

The scoop: Thirty-five New England artists, including "loads of potters," jewelers, a children's furniture maker, and mosaic makers, will gather for this benefit. All proceeds from table fees and admission will support arts programming by the Mayor's Office for Cultural Affairs.

Finds: Gerda Maaskant of Sudbury makes one-of-a-kind cement garden pavers and birdbaths imprinted with the leaves of large plants like rhubarb; and Joan and Gary Kaplan of Peabody fashion rosewood bottle stoppers, pens, and platters.

For families: Kids get their ya-yas out at the center's Playspace.

The facts: The show runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 9 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Newton Cultural Center, 225 Nevada St., Newtonville. Admission $3, under age 12 free. Call 617-796-1540 or visit www.ci.newton.ma.us/Parks/cultural-affairs.htm.

The Bobby Watson Band reunion

The scoop: OK. This isn't an arts festival, it's a blues show. But there's no shortage of artistry here. This six-man troupe was one of the hottest club acts in the '70s and '80s, and many alums, including guitarist Pete Henderson of Hopkinton, are still local blues royalty.

They reunite for just one show Saturday at Stone's Public House in Ashland to play the signature driving, soulful blues that drew their fans out to long-gone haunts like Ashland's Kemosabe.

"This is music for everybody, because everybody's got a song inside them somewhere and at least once a week it's a blues song," said Henderson.

Will Bobby be there? Of course. All six guys are "Bobby." The name hails from a Eugene Ionesco play where every character is named Bobby Watson.

The facts: The show is Sunday at 9:30 p.m. at Stone's Public House, 179 Main St., Ashland. No cover. Call 508-881-1778 or www.stonespublichouse.com.

Have an arts event? E-mail westarts@globe.com.