BY KATE BRAUER AND ALISSA CONE

'Tis the season for holiday gift giving, so we dedicate this column to art that's fit for giving. Why not make a pledge this year to buy bona fide artwork for everyone on your list? (Isn't it time your brother took down that Led Zeppelin poster?) Good local art is often surprisingly affordable, and often increases in value over time. Many galleries feature "giftable" art this time of year -- art with a price tag that's light on the wallet. Still others feature unique, holiday-themed gift items for sale. You're guaranteed to score with anyone on your list with a one-of-a-kind piece of art. Here's a peek at some of the best, with a special nod toward the many different urban and suburban neighborhoods where CityBeat readers live and shop. ...

On Saturday and Sunday you can find art to give this year that won't bust your budget. ART ACHES is a new event debuting this weekend at Plush, the upstairs lounge at Carol's On Main (825 Main St., Downtown) showcasing works by more than 15 local artists -- paintings, jewelry, sculpture, stained glass and more -- all priced at $100 or less. Created by AMANDA HOGAN CARLISLE of ArtWorks and local music man PUCK DUNAWAY of Plush's popular Girls & Boys night, Art Aches enables young, emerging and established artists a venue for their work. With the sounds of Brit Pop as a backdrop, Carlisle and Dunaway will host bimonthly exhibitions at Plush (they'll be back in February). Carlisle told us the opportunity to promote local arts was too good to pass up. "I'm excited to bring something positive and new to the downtown area which is beneficial for the working artist in Cincinnati." Admission is $2. Hours: Saturday 9 p.m.­2 a.m.; Sunday starts at 4 p.m. ...

Just up the street, another holiday art sale will be shaking at BASE GALLERY (1225 Main St., Over-the-Rhine) on Saturday night as the seventh annual holiday bazaar, Biz Arre, offers up holiday giftables by more than a dozen artists who comprise the Main Street co-op. For one night only, everything is priced at $50 or less. A.TIMO.T, a painter and one of Base's self-proclaimed "oldest" members, told us that bartering between artisans is always an option. Hours: Saturday 7 p.m.­midnight. Info: 513-721-2273. ...

Thank goodness for "Small Works"! Especially for those of us with small budgets. Small Works of All Kinds at SUZANNA TERRILL GALLERY (1315 Main St., Over-the-Rhine) is particularly wallet-friendly, so come ready to buy. The show runs through Dec. 28, and offers a wide range of artworks for holiday gift giving. Even if you find yourself snow-logged in the suburbs, a trip to Suzanna Terrill Gallery is always worth the drive, and metered parking is always available, so you can forego the usual mess of holiday traffic. Hours: Wednesday­Sunday 1­6 p.m. Info: 513-665-4500 ...

And if small works are your thing, they will have you seeing red (holiday red, that is) at LINDA SCHWARTZ GALLERY. The contemporary gallery opens Friday night with Small Works III: Red. The third annual exhibition has become a holiday tradition, with Schwartz's gallery artists creating works no larger than 20 inches square, sized and priced for giving. Schwartz describes the different executions as "red, really red, virtually red, conceptually red and arguably red." New, unique works of all media by artists including JOEY VERSOZA, KEVIN T. KELLY and JOEL OTTERSON explore and exploit the color red in over 20 contemporary, fun pieces. Hours: Tuesday­Saturday 10 a.m.­5 p.m. Opening: Friday 6­9 p.m. Info: 513-241-4202 or www.lsgallery.com ...

Our next stop for holiday cheer? MILLER GALLERY (2715 Erie Ave., Hyde Park). The Hyde Park mainstay rings in the season with its 11th annual holiday exhibition, Objects of Desire XI, featuring original decorative art objects to give as gifts. A range of ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, decoupage, assemblages and glass pieces will be priced to sell. The show runs through Jan. 4. Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.­5:30 p.m.; Thursday-Friday 10 a.m.­8 p.m. Info: 513-871-4420 or www.miller-gallery.com ...

For 18 years, LAURA PAUL GALLERY (5110 Montgomery Road, Kenwood) was a downtown fixture. Recently, the business -- one part art gallery, one part frame shop, one part posh gift store -- moved from its home in downtown's Dixie Terminal Arcade to the popular shopping area of the Kenwood Galleria. If you find yourself in the crazy throng of shoppers heading toward the KENWOOD TOWNE CENTRE this season, stop first at Laura Paul Gallery. You just might find the gifts you need for everyone on your list. Prices range from stocking-stuffer budgets on up. Info: 513-651-5885. ...

The BROWNSTONE GALLERY (848 Lincoln Ave., Walnut Hills) opens its doors for its annual holiday exhibition, featuring original artwork artist-in-residence JOEL THOMPSON, along with limited and open edition prints from local and nationally renowned African-American artists. The holiday exhibit will feature intarsia -- mosaics inlaid in wood -- as well as framed reproductions of Black Americana commercial art. Owner VERDALE BENJAMIN calls Brownstone "a private salon gallery," meaning the gallery is typically open to the public only by appointment. The holiday show is a brief exception. Hours: Saturday 5­9 p.m. Info: 513-221-5591.

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