By: Mary Genson | Birmingham-Bloomfield Eagle | Published December 8, 2025
BIRMINGHAM — For the last 45 years, the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center has brought together artists throughout the community for its annual Holiday Shop. During the holiday season, 3,000-square-feet of gallery space at the BBAC is turned into a boutique full of handmade gifts made by local artists.
The community is encouraged to stop by the BBAC to browse the unique items from a range of mediums, including ceramics, jewelry, fiber wearables, glassware, soaps, tiles, paintings and much more. It is free to visit the shop, and customers can find gifts ranging in price from $5 to several hundred dollars.
Eve Hyde is one of the artists with items at the Holiday Shop. Hyde creates unique baby knitwear. She said she uses natural materials and washable fibers whenever she can, since she understands that babies can be messy.
“I try to use interesting color combinations and try to be unique with my work,” Hyde said.
Whether it is putting little skirts on clothing or adding vintage buttons, she tries to make her work stand out. One piece she highlighted is a hat with a little felt flower on top.
She also likes to celebrate the time of year by adding products appropriate for the season. At the holiday shop, she is selling little snowmen that look like clowns. Pet owners can also find a gift for their furry friends while shopping Hyde’s products.
Another featured artist in the BBAC’s Holiday Shop is Sue O’Connor, who has been going to the BBAC since she was 12 years old and has been teaching there for almost 20 years. She is a ceramic artist who works with porcelain and stoneware.
In the Holiday Shop, O’Connor said, most of the work she is selling is functional — trays, cases, bowls and more. She said she thinks bowls are her biggest seller.
“I’d say most of my things are on the more contemporary side and I use a lot of linear lines,” O’Connor said.
Most of her work sticks to neutral tones, such as white, gray and black. She said she incorporates a lot of patterns in her pieces.
The Holiday Shop is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and noon-4 p.m. Sundays until Dec. 19. For more information on the BBAC and the Holiday Shop, visit bbartcenter.org.