Little Village, Big Shopping
La Villita Historic Arts Village — the site of the first Spanish neighborhood in San Antonio — is now home to shops and studios filled with the work of painters, potters, weavers, metal smiths, jewelers and other artists. Here’s a sampling of some original Texas-made treasures.
Angelita
© MOYA McALLISTER
1 Angelita
418 Villita #300; 210-224-8362
Two sisters at Two Bar West, a ranch near Uvalde in Texas Hill Country, fashion supple leather and decorative embellishments into distinctive handbags — like this rich brown carry-all trimmed with nickel-domed nailhead studs. $220
2 Copper Gallery
418 Villita #1100; 210-271-3856
Members of the Negrete family have been hammering recycled copper into graceful vases (like this three-sided one), pitchers, platters, sinks and other elegant wares for four generations. Each piece is handcrafted from a single piece of copper, without welding or soldering. $89
3 Originals Beads, Jewelry & Gifts
418 Villita #2700; 210-226-7625
Billy and Lacee Wood take limestone riddled with tiny fossils — known as “rattlesnake rock” — and polish it into stars, hearts and the shape of Texas (shown here), all of which make perfect coasters, paperweights or conversation pieces. $11 to $15
4 The Village Gallery
502 Villita St; 210-226-0404 Mesquite, one of the hardest woods around, forms gnarly burls pocked with little holes. After taming the wood into elegant boxes, the artists at South Texas Mesquite fill the gaps with copper nuggets and turquoise, then polish it to silken smoothness. $185
5 Little Studio Gallery
418 Villita #2300; 210-227-8893
Expect to wear this handsome turquoise bracelet without ever having to polish it; plated with rhodium, it never tarnishes and is hypo-allergenic. $160
6 Found
418 Villita #2400; 210-224-2484
The size of a small grapefruit, these one-of-a-kind pincushions by Laura Jeanne Pitts are made from hand-dyed, painted and silk-screened linen and whimsical found objects like miniature ceramic animals. The sand inside sharpens pins and needles while preventing rust. $34
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