Studio 1617 Welcomes Holiday Shoppers

The familiar bumper sticker tells us to “Think Globally, Act Locally.” This also applies to shopping. You can find artistic items from around the world in Silver Lake, at Studio 1617 on Silver Lake Boulevard.

Owner Bill Wheeler is an artist himself, and the studio started out as a gallery to showcase fine art. But over the years, the space has evolved into a shop that includes folk art from around the world, especially Peru. “This isn’t just a gift shop,” says Wheeler “It’s real art by real artists.”

Studio 1617 opened in 1976. “Silver Lake was not great then,” admits Wheeler, and he’s seen the neighborhood transform as his shop has as well. The shop includes “all handmade stuff” that is “from all over the world.”

Wheeler makes trips once or twice a year himself to Peru to buy different handcrafts like masks, textiles and jewelry. That means his prices are lower on comparable items since they’re imported directly. Studio 1617 is expanding to online sales, especially since the past year has been the “worst,” Wheeler laments, thanks to the “horrible economy.”

Local residents are encouraged to get their holiday gifts in the neighborhood this year, with the Silver Lake Holiday Night Out on December 17, 2011. From 3pm to 8pm, local merchants are offering specials and snacks to entice shoppers. Studio 1617 will have hot apple cider on hand as well as special items on sale.

What sort of gifts and goods can you find at Studio 1617? Wheeler recommends his Peruvian ceramics that are oven, microwave and dishwasher safe. There’s also a selection of silver jewelry, some with semi-precious stones.

Alpaca textiles are luxuriously soft and warm. For just $45, you can pick up a hand-knit alpaca scarf. You can mix the old and new with a laptop bag crafted of traditional Peruvian weaving.

For kids, you can find sweaters, bags and a variety of hand and finger puppets. And for holiday decorating, Wheeler says that you’ll find “a lot of Peruvian handmade Christmas stuff and ornaments.”

The shop is located at 1617 Silver Lake Boulevard. You can also find out more online at studio1617.com or at facebook.com/artunitesus.