Members of campus were swept into the holiday spirit on Thursday and Friday as the 31st annual Holiday Art Sale in room 1910 of the Doudna Fine Arts Center.

Pottery, prints, jewelry and clothing were among the many forms of art included in the sale.

Forty percent of the proceeds from the sale go to the department of art and design’s scholarship fund, used to support art majors.

Leann Daubs, the office manager for the department of art and design, said this is her second year running the festival. She said her interest in the art sale was sparked because it is for a good cause and allows her to meet new people in the department.

“We do well every year. Last year, we raised around $2,000 for the scholarship,” Daubs said.

Although Daubs is relatively new to the art sale, she said she has been pleased with its turnout each year.

“A lot of people come to support the students, the art is great and the money goes into the fund for scholarships. Opening night I would say we had around 50 people,” she said.

The sale included art from not only students, but community members as well.

“Anyone that has art to sell, we love to put it in the show,” Daubs said. “Ceramics are always an amazing seller.”

Daubs said because of the recent decline in enrollment, the art sale has suffered in recent years.

“In previous years, more art was sold, which gave students more scholarship opportunities,” Daubs said.

Because of this, organizers of the art sale are relocating from the classroom to Doudna’s lobby next year, so it is more visible to students. Tarble was the original venue for the sale.

“We’d like it to be more accessible. It’s hard for community members to get here because of parking, especially when an event is happening here on campus,” Daubs said.

Daubs said her and her colleagues are looking for new ways to spread word of the sale other than through email and word of mouth.

“The more people see it, the more they show up,” Daubs said.

Although numbers might not have been as high as in the past, there is a steady amount of customers who return to the sale every year.

“I have seen a lot of the same people I saw last year who could not wait to come and support the students and community,” Daubs said.

Meghan Cebula can be reached at 581-2812 or mecebula@eiu.edu.