(Above: Barbara Bakalarova’s Sculpting in Time, on display at The New Zone Gallery)

By Randi Bjornstad

As usual on the first Friday of each month, a bevy of downtown Eugene galleries and shops will be open — most of them from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in addition to their normal business hours — to greet the public and share the rich variety of arts and crafts that are produced and sold by area artists.

A few things are still different from the pre-pandemic First Friday ArtWalks. There’s still not a guided tour of selected venues, in the interests of maintaining social distancing. Instead of the previous organized tour, there is an ArtWalk Guide that can be picked up at Manifest Beer Company at 39 W. Broadway to help “tourists” decide where they want to go and in what order.

Those who attend the ArtWalk are expected to wear masks indoors at all times and outdoors when needed to maintain appropriate space from others enjoying the sights, in accordance with state of Oregon and Oregon Health Authority guidelines.

Some things remain the same as always — the ArtWalk is always free to those who wish simply to stroll through the downtown area and enjoy the sights and the ambiance.

Participating venues

  • Allies LLC (131 E. 11th Ave.) — Featured artists in this exhibit are individuals supported by Allies with daily living skills. The group this month has explored the theme of Enough, including ideas of what it looks like to have enough or not have enough. Some works are collaborations in process, including a large creature that craves your gratitudes to feed its belly.

    Heather Sterling’s art is among those on display at Art with Alejandro.

  • Art with Alejandro (5th Street Public Market 2nd floor at 246 E 5th. Ave. on the second floor in Suite 224) — The featured theme is Magic and Miracles, original art by Alejandro Sarmiento, Heather Sterling, and Nate Brown. The venue combines art gallery, boutique shop, and working art studio with paint-and-sip classes, custom pet portraits, events, commissioned projects, and more.
  • ArtCity Studios on Broadway (160 E Broadway) — Includes the working studios of David Placencia of Wheelhaus Arts, Sandra Honda, Emma Lynn, Sabrena Annette, Terry Holloway of Fuzzy Beuys, Darryl Evans, Maggie Morrisette, Erika Propst, Jarrell Blake, Eugene Printmakers, and Charly Swing.
  • Bennett Vineyards & Wine Company (199 E. 5th Ave., #11) — Cloister, by MV Moran, focuses on community, with circles representing individuals floating about while connecting with each other; on display through Dec. 12.
  • Broadway Commerce Center (44 W Broadway) — Work by artists and students at WheelHaus Arts.
  • ECO Sleep Solutions and Gallery (25 E. 8th Ave.) — New wood and stone carvings by Cedar Caredio, who uses a set of antique woodworking tools passed down to him from a master woodcarver.  His carvings meld Pacific Northwest nature with Celtic elements,  using a variety of local woods and unusual stone types with symbolic inspirations.
  • Epic Seconds (30 E. 11th Ave.) — Featuring Doug Davidovich’s  The Citadel Series, described as “an ongoing exploration focusing on simple forms and a reductive use of color produced with the traditional relief printmaking technique of inked linoblock on Japanese washi paper,” focusing on observations of architectural shapes and urban environments; on display through Dec. 31.

  • Grief Observed, by artist MV Moran, is part of a show at the Bennett Wine Company

    Karin Clarke at the Gordon (590 Pearl St, Suite 105) — Miniature abstract works by Chelsea Beaudrie, scaled-down from her traditional large-canvas pieces into small panels and boxes that are one-of-a-kind pieces. Meet the artist from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

  • Karin Clarke Gallery (760 Willamette St) — Every Now and Every Then, an exhibit of new paintings and very old prints by Adam Grosowsky, includes new grand-scale oil paintings with subjects ranging from human figures with birds and animals, to local landscapes, and what he calls Hopperesque scenes, as well as a series of his college-era fine art prints; on display through Jan. 15.
  • The Lincoln Gallery (309 W. 4th Ave.) — Glow Up, a series of light installations that explore grief, reflection, and growth, by contributing artists Cari Ingrassia, David Placencia, Terry Holloway, Isaac Being, Susan Detroy, and artists of the Oregon Supported Living Program.
  • Mosaic Fair Trade Collection (28 E. Broadway) — Book-signing and photography by local author Lucas Spiegel, sharing his round-the-world travel memoir, The Weight of Empathy as well as handmade, Fair Trade jewelry, homewares, unique gifts, clothing, accessories, and more from all around the world.
  • The New Zone Gallery (110 E. 11th Ave.) — Pieces in Ralf Huber’s TURNING the/into TOOLS draw heavily from the Industrial Revolution, covering a wide array of industries and their respective role in using children as human capital. This and That includes eclectic past-and-present art by Rebecca La Mothe. The Beautiful, The Strange, and The Imagined Again, photographs by Barbora Bakalarova, combine pure play and experimentation. Live music: Priyo.
  • Oregon Art Supply (1020 Pearl St.) — Artists Zoë Cohen, Jenny Gray, Ann Hamilton, Rebecca Mannheimer, Beth Robinson, and Sarah Sedwick carry on their tradition of creating work on the same theme, this year on the concept of Depth, exploring the spatial properties of area and volume, either literally or through illusion; open until 7 p.m.
  • Passionflower Design (128 E. Broadway) —  The annual Holiday Open House Extravaganza! goes on from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., featuring holiday-oriented gift items, home goods, flowers, jewelry and more, plus complimentary gift wrapping and free-of-charge merriment.
  • Starlight Lounge (830 Olive St.) — Featiromg The Greats on Gold Plates, a collection of monochromatic, retro-inspired portraits of musicians whose talents are considered both timeless and unmatched, by Bonnie Bozell.
  • Windowfront Exhibitions presents window murals at 1038 Willamette St. (Snow Birds by Alejandro Sarmiento); 858 W. Park St. (Make Way by Lisa Yu); 133 W. Broadway (Humility of Narcissus IV by Eleanor Soleil); 39 and 94 W. Broadway (Spring Fling by Janene Block); and 1045 Willamette St. (Winter Owl/Spring Owl by David Placencia)

Special events

Bailamos Latin Dance Network at 5th Street Market (550 Pearl St, in The Alley) — Latino music and dance with Bailamos Latin Dance Network, a collective of dancers, DJs, event organizers, and instructors looking to create communities to promote and support LatinX dance culture. Lesson starts at 6 p.m. with social dancing from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Free — donations appreciated.

Design Arts Apprenticeship Showcase (Sparklab, 22 W. 7th Ave.) — Creations by middle- and high-school students around Lane County, working with professional designers to develop new and innovative products, including upcycled fashion pieces, graphic design posters, hand-pulled prints, character masks, and custom furniture. Meet-and-greet from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Event sponsor: Lane Arts Council is a nonprofit organization that works to cultivate strong and creative arts communities throughout Lane County. They provide high-quality arts experiences, engaging people of all ages in arts education and encouraging artistic endeavors.

Miniature art by Chelsea Beaudrie is scaled-down from her usual large pieces; on display at Karin Clarke at the Gordon in The Alley at the Fifth Street Market.