People are beginning to do some holiday shopping, and in Golden, one place to go is the Holiday Art Market at the Foothills Art Center.

Weekends are busy with shoppers, volunteer Dave Rein said. “People are excited about the variety.”

Although there are glass tree ornaments and handmade winter scarves and hats, it’s not just holiday items that people will find—there is ceramics, woodworking, photography, paintings and fine jewelry to shop for. And more unique items, such as clocks made out of computer parts and lotion bars that look like soap, to discover.

“I don’t think you can find this caliber of work anywhere else,” volunteer Carol Schluederberg said.

And it’s all local. More than 90 Colorado artists are featured—not just from Golden or Jefferson County, but the entire state.

“We set ourselves apart for fine craft exhibitions and merchandise,” volunteer Cheryl Tittsworth said.

Fran Fraser of Golden discovered several unique items to give as gifts. She found a box of Fortune Pops—instead of cookies, they’re made of paper, which pops, and come in different themes. Fraser chose one with cartoon bugs on it.

“My granddaughter will love the bugs,” she said.

The market offers an outstanding selection with good prices, shopper Greg Branch said.

Branch drives down the mountain from Pine every year to shop at the art market.

He shops for gifts for friends and family in the U.S., but also for families of foreign exchange students in Hungary and Austria. “We’re always looking for unique things,” he said.

There is something for everybody, volunteer Judy Sorgenfrei said, and it’s high-quality work.

And, she said, “a lot of it is suitable for any time of the year.”

The Holiday Art Market is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays through Dec. 31. The art market is located inside the Foothills Art Center, 809 15th St., in Golden. For more information, visit www.foothillsartcenter.org.