La Villita

New Years found us in San Antonio where I had the pleasure of poking around in the Historic La Villita Art Village. Located on the River Walk, it was one of the first neighborhoods in San Antonio dating back to the 18th century. Now it is home to around 30 art and craft studios, galleries and shops. Since my visit was on New Year's Eve, some of the shops were closed. Still there were enough open to keep me entertained for a couple of hours.

 

I especially enjoyed visiting with Marisol Deluna, a New York designer working with artisans in Texas. In addition to designing fashion, the Texas native has a foundation that supports "the education and mentoring of students and professionals in the fashion and design arts in Texas."

You can see her fashion designs at www.marisoldeluna.com, be 

sure to click on "Meet Marisol" tab to learn more about this fascinating young lady. To learn more about the Marisol Deluna Foundation, visit www.marisoldelunafoundation.org.

Oh, by the way, I came away with this pretty little bracelet! 

Another great find was The Copper Galley; understandably they do not allow photographs. You will just have to take my word for it, the craftsmanship is outstanding.

I had a lovely visit with Ann and Gilbert at Besarte. With a focus on mixed media, the boutique carries an array of art and crafts created by Texans. Having recently played with resin and registered to take a class with Susan Lenart Kazmer next month, I was particularly drawn to the resin jewelry. Besarte is a wonderful place to pick up gifts to carry home.

While I stopped at several other shops and galleries, these are the ones that especially spoke to my interests. Certainly artists and crafters visiting San Antonio will want to explore LaVillita Art Village.