Mother’s Day is next weekend, May 10, and these local artists can help you treat Mom right without breaking quarantine. If you order soon, these sellers can ship your gift to arrive by May 9.
Mugs to Marvel at
Cat and Joe Taylor, Sierra Ceramics, Kings Beach
When you put salt and mugs in a kiln and crank it up to 2300 degrees or so, the salt vaporizes, lands on the mugs, and makes for a range of effects that clay artists spend years (or even lifetimes) perfecting. That’s one way to get a gorgeous mug to sip your coffee from. Another way is to rely on Cat and Joe’s years of expertise. Their line of porcelain Amoeba Cream Mugs ($35) is one of 11 designs ready to ship to Mom.
Order from Cat and Joe’s Etsy shop.
From the Heart
Meredith Tanzer, Reno
Shopping for multiple moms? Maybe you have a mother, a step-mother, and a grandma. Meredith Tanzer’s Mothers Day Special may be exactly what you’re looking for. Her jaunty, 4-inch mixed media paintings of hearts or cupcakes are $25, and this week she’s offering a buy-two-get-one-free deal. She can ship an order of three paintings to three separate addresses.
Order from Meredith’s Etsy shop.
Function or Form
Jennifer Standteiner + Mountain Forge, Truckee
Jennifer Standteiner and her family own Mountain Forge, a metal shop where they make everything from massive, outdoor sculptures to hand-held housewares. For moms who prefer decorative art, Standteiner recommends hand-forged flowers that will never wilt (prices vary depending on size) or a 12-inch initial letter ($110-185). For moms who like functional pieces, a metal leaf keychain is a forge favorite ($65-85).
To order, call or text Jennifer at 530-277-8217.
Photographs and a Boost for Small Businesses
Matt Theilen, Carson City
Matt Theilen is one of several photographers participating in the “Art For Small Business” project. Here’s how it works: A selection of affordable prints of his dramatic landscape, cloudscape and travel photos are for sale online. For each 15 prints he sells, he’ll send one buyer, chosen at random, a $50 gift certificate to the small business of their choice.
Order from Matt’s “Art For Small Business” gallery. To see the work of participating photographers in other regions, visit this site.
Bead Your Own
Elaine Parks, Tuscarora
After years of making ceramic and mixed-media sculpture for museums and collectors, Elaine has translated some of her often-used motifs—birds, houses, animals—into darling miniatures. For the last two years, she’s offered a line of handmade beads she calls “charms and talismans for modern life.” They’re perfect for moms who like to assemble their own pendants and earrings.
Order from Elaine’s Wonder Dust Studio Etsy shop.
Indoor Decor for Outdoorsy Moms
Tahoe Wood Maps, Reno
In Roger Floren’s laser-cut, bathymetric Lake Tahoe wall maps (in three sizes, $99-325), geography meets outdoor recreation meets snazzy home decor. The blue layers of Baltic birch show the lake’s various depths, and the unstained map areas surrounding the lake show nearby destinations like ski areas, trailheads and state parks. And if mom likes San Francisco, Portland, New York or Hawaii, Tahoe Wood Maps has those, too.
To order, visit the Tahoe Wood Maps website.
Keepsake Illustrations
Zoe Bray, Reno
In non-pandemic times, Zoe paints realistic oil portraits for gallery shows and homes. But social distancing does not allow for sitters in the studio. For Mother’s Day, she’s offering made-to-order illustrations ($70-180) that look like they’re straight from your favorite storybook—but they’ll actually be pictures of your own memories or family events.
Check Zoe’s blog for information on how to order.
Tropical Accents
Wes Michels, Reno
Wes’s new spring line of two-toned leather and corduroy laser-cut earrings ($29) are shaped like feathery tropical leaves. The best thing is that they’re substantial in style yet light in weight. He has sterling silver pendants and hand-stitched leather totes in stock, too.
Order from Wes’s Etsy shop.
