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Gifts for Art Lovers in NYC

While there’s no shortage of places to shop for the holidays in New York, the art lovers on your list are especially lucky. From museums to bookstores, the choices here are varied and thorough, especially at this time of year. And happily, we’ve defined “art” in the broad sense, so gardening implements and notebooks are just as fair game as the more traditional posters and reproductions.

Alvar Aalto Emerald Vase

The sinuous shape of the small green glass Alvar Aalto vase at Cooper Hewitt ($125) references Finland’s lakes, and is hand-blown at the factory there. It would nice to display on an end table—or cluster in a group. (Production on this piece stops at the end of the year.)

Also at Cooper Hewitt, the set of two espresso cups is based on a pattern by early 20th century French artist Rene Crevel; it was originally a wall covering in a softer palette. This version adds a bright pop of color. Filled with your daily shot of espresso, it will get you out the door and fuel you ‘til lunchtime. And a set of Nathalie du Pasquier notebooks is small enough to pop in a bag (or someone’s stocking) and cheery enough to make even your to-do lists more fun ($12.50).

Over at the Jewish Museum, the institution's handy (and lovely) wall calendar includes both the Gregorian and Jewish dates, along with 16 works of art from the museum’s collection, from paintings and prints to sculptures and ceremonial objects.

Give your chic friend the metallic evil eye pillowhandmade in Brooklyn! It’s both decorative and functional; the symbol is thought to ward off evil spirits. (It will also look funky on someone’s couch.)

Whitney Museum t shirt

Downtown at the Whitney, show how in-the-know youor your recipientare by purchasing a “Friday Night at the Whitney” t-shirt, showcasing a graphic of visitors (by artist Justin Hager) waiting in line for the pay-what-you-wish Friday night experience ($40).

A special feature at the museum is the print-on-demand option—archival quality prints you can order and have delivered directly to you, or your giftee.

And your cool cousin would probably like the set of temporary tattoos inspired by artist Stuart Davis ($18.25), with such works as Electric Bulb, Salt Shaker, and Egg Beater No. 2. (No, we don’t know where Egg Beater No. 1 is.) Your cool cousin’s mom (yep, your aunt) might like the Stuart Davis tea towel, printed with his 1957 work Premiere. And you can remind your beach-loving neighbor that summer will indeed make an appearance once again with the Hot Dog beach towel ($45), designed for the Whitney by Kenny Scharf (one of the first artists to bring street culture to contemporary art).

Assyrian Palace Bookends

The Metropolitan Museum has a vast selection of gifts, including beautiful reproductions from the sculpture collection. The Assyrian Palace Guard bookends ($135) are both practical and artistic, while the small Egyptian cat sculpture ($35) is petite and graceful enough to fit just about anywhere. A large selection of prints is also offered—David Hockney: Mount Fuji and Flowers ($25) shares a pop culture and Japanese aesthetic, while the Edgar Degas Race Horses print ($50) is stately enough for a country manor—or a small apartment. For wearable art, The Louis C. Tiffany peacock feather shawl ($75), inspired by his glass vase, has lush colors and an eye-catching design, and can be worn pretty much anywhere. And the men’s 19th century English watch in silver ($195) is based on an original pocket watch; it’s both elegant and unfussy.

The store Printed Matter on 11th Avenue in Chelsea is a non-profit that offers art books for sale; artists and independent publishers can submit their books to be carried in their store. (“Artists’ books,” in this case, refers to books that are looked on as works of art in their own right.) It’s a good resource for books and artists you won't find anywhere else, such as books published by Gato Negro, an independent publisher in Mexico City. In addition to books, they offer posters, magazines (or “zines”), and out-of-print materials.

Audubon Birds of America

The independent McNally Jackson bookstore in Soho offers a wide range of art books (many of which seemed to actually be called The Art Book.) For the enlightened—or perhaps the unenlightened, your choice—you might consider the paperback The Zen Art Book: The Age of Enlightenment; it includes 40 works of painting and calligraphy. And Irving Zucker Art Books features a fine selection of books on decorative arts and photography, as well as rare and out-of-print books (a first edition of Audubon’s The Birds of America, perhaps?). Most are price on request, so make sure it’s for someone you really like. A lot.

And for something a little more offbeat, the Morgan Library & Museum offers tarot cards with paintings by Italian artist Luigi Scapini, which recreate 15th century Italy. We also love the William Morris garden tool set—even if the extent of your gardening is to arrange flowers in a vase, it's so beautiful you can almost display the flowered fork and trowel on your coffee table.

And for those who not only appreciate art but also want to try it themselves, they also offer gorgeous bicolor pencils ($12.95) and artists’ palette erasers ($3.95). (They would pair nicely with the Magma sketchbook ($15.95) from the Strand Bookstore).

About the Author

Evan Levy runs fable & lark, which offers interactive museum tours inspired by great stories. See fableandlark.com for all the details. In addition, she's the author of two children's picture books. She loves stories in any form, and lives in New York with her family.

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