For 26 years, students, faculty and community members have been able to sell their artwork as Christmas gifts.

Continuing the tradition, artwork will be on sale Thursday, Friday and Saturday to help raise money for art scholarships.

The artwork will be available for purchase from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in Room 1910 of the Doudna Fine Arts Center.

Sue Rardin, an office administrator for the art department, said about 40 percent of the profit from the sales goes to the art department to fund scholarships for the upcoming year, and the rest goes to the artist.

She said they raise on average $2,500 a year, which can help fund 15 to 20 scholarships.

Rardin said the art will vary from jewelry, ceramics, cards, scarves and other items.

“One of the unique things about the sale is that everything is hand crafted,” Rardin said.

“(The art is) one of a kind, no mass production of any sort.”

She said people like that the pieces are hand made because no one else will have the same product, making them more collectable.

Rardin said the students can take anywhere from the entire semester or just a few weeks to make the pieces that they will sell in the store.

The prices for the art work also varies from $2 to more than $100.

Rardin said she is happy to see all the students and artists participate in the sale.

“We have got local artists who have been with us for years, and every year, we get new artists,” Rardin said.

She said they have a group of people who come back every year.

“You get to see people that you see every year, people who come in, you know, and it’s the only time of the year you see them and get to visit,” Rardin said.

Rardin said this gives students the opportunity to see what it is like to sell their artwork.

“It helps them prepare for when they have exhibitions, and it encourages them,” Rardin said. “It encourages them to keep going and make more.”

She said it acts as a confidence booster for the students who have not sold anything.

“It makes them realize that their product will sell,” Rardin said.

She said it also gives the community a chance to see what the artists do.

“These students have so much talent that it is just unbelievable,” Rardin said. “I don’t think people realize that sometimes—them being students—but they are just awesome talent.”

Samantha McDaniel can be reached at 581-2812 or slmcdaniel@eiu.edu.