(Above: Walking the Butte/Dancing the City by Hannah Hamalian uses video footage shot from Spencer Butte in combination with images from a dance performance. The piece is part of the Windowfronts Exibitions project.)

Edited by Randi Bjornstad

The First Friday ArtWalk on March 4 in downtown Eugene is still a self-guided tour from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., so the first order of business should be to stop by the ArtCity Studios in the basement at 160 E. Broadway to pick up the ArtWalk Guide.

From there, take yourself to any and all of the galleries and other locations that appeal to your need for soaking up culture (and hopefully not rain, although it looks as if there may be some in the forecast for that day).

As has become usual, be sure to bring a mask for indoor wearing as well as outdoors if you find yourself unable to socially distance from the other eager art appreciators out there.

Here’s a list of places to visit:

Allies LLC (131 E. 11th Ave.) — Allies looks forward to the appearance of spring with its theme of “Kindness Blooms.” Check out their collaborative creature, a dragonish sculpture called Eco, peruse the prolific drawings of Ryo Mastrogiovanni based on his memories of living in Japan, or watch Jon Conway as he demonstrates his rune work and divination.

Barbara Council created this study of Ernst Haeckel’s Orchidae, on display at Art with Alejandro

Art with Alejandro (5th Street Public Market, 2nd floor, 246 E. 5th Ave., Suite #224) — Art with Alejandro is an art gallery, boutique shop, and working art studio offering paint-and-sip classes, custom pet portraits, events, commissioned projects, and more. This month’s theme, “Luck be a Lady,” features Barbara Counsil’s study of Ernst Haeckel’s Orchidae; Jane Jordan’s dot art mandalas and images; Steph Korman’s mixed-media pieces; and Lacey Lacosse’s art based on lines of the female face and body.

ArtCity Studios on Broadway (160 E Broadway, basement) 
— Eugene Printmakers present woodcut blocks carved by their members for the ArtWalk. If you see one you like, they will print it on their press for you on the spot. At WheelHaus Art, David Placencia’s youth students will be painting live, and there will be many affordable artworks for sale by the K-12 crowd. And, the Difficult Music Ensemble will perform experimental works in the atrium. Eugene Difficult Music Ensemble performs experimental works in the atrium.

Student art is on display and for sale at WheelHaus Arts. This piece is by Una Osborne, 12.

Books with Pictures Eugene (99 W. Broadway, Suite C) — Art inspired by fantasy and magic features original 2D art and prints available for purchase by local artists Mat Whiteley, AJ Newell, Gabe Phayt, and Stephen Stanley, plus  a display of  local zines.

Broadway Commerce Center (44 W. Broadway) — Why We Build, presented by The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Lane County, in cooperation with Lane County Public Health. The multi-media campaign shares the stories of people who have survived suicide attempts in Lane County, in an effort to improve community understanding and action around suicide prevention. Each of the participants in this project have worked hard to build a life of support and purpose after their attempt, creating a life that isn’t always easier, but one that is worth living.  Bring your smartphone QR scanner and headphones to the gallery to hear, see, and read the stories of these survivors in their own words.

ECO Sleep Solutions and Gallery (25 E. 8th Ave.) — Although Annie Heron’s work leans heavily to traditional pottery forms for the home, this collection shows her more expressive mosaics, embodying her flair for whimsy and sculptural design of  handmade ceramic tiles set in repurposed frames from second-hand stores,

Epic Seconds (30 E. 11th Ave.) — An exhibit of paintings by Benjamin Terrell created in anticipation of his upcoming group show at Bark Gallery in Berlin, titled Here Comes the Suns, along with small works by UK painter Spencer Shakespeare.

Karin Clarke at the Gordon (590 Pearl St, Suite 105) — Selected works from Margaret Coe’s series of paintings of Venice, Italy, City of Light. Working in both the plein-air style and studio setting, This exhibit features plein air and studio paintings, plus that mix the two methods,  started on site and finished later in her studio.

Karin Clarke Gallery (760 Willamette St.) —  The Wild in the Flow by Hart James, and Oregon Landscape: Glimpse and Wonder by Humberto Gonzalez, is a two-person exhibit focused on the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Gonzalez is known for lush, colorful plein-air watercolors of the Willamette Valley and the Oregon Coast, from the sparkle of light on the coastal waters to the dance of colors across Oregon vineyards and fields of flowers. Hart James lives in Anacortes, Wash., and works primarily with oil and charcoal. Several paintings in this show were inspired by the Hoh Rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula camped in the summer of 2021. On display through April 9th.

Cactus Aoki’s creations are on exhibit at the Starlight Lounge

The Lincoln Gallery (309 W. 4th Ave.) — NOT MY DAY JOB features 2D and 3D artwork by people working in community support services.  On display through April 22nd.

The New Zone Gallery (110 E . 11th Ave.)  — The gallery continues its long tradition of hosting the ZONE 4 ALL, a non-juried show that brings together local artists from all backgrounds to show their work. This eclectic mix of styles, techniques, and media will be on display through March 25. During the First Friday ArtWalk, there will be live music by David Gregoire, playing jazz and contemporary music on piano.

Starlight Lounge (830 Olive St.) — Acrylic paintings and canvas prints by Cactus Aoki  delve into the world of dark fantasy and creature illustration.

Windowfront Exhibitions — Downtown Eugene’s empty storefronts become interactive artworks and galleries with new and evolving windowfront paintings and art installations, including these:

  • 856 Willamette St —  Meditative Layers by Kum Ja Lee, a weaving display that explores the different relationships that exist between contemporary practices and conventional approaches in visual arts.
  • 1004 Willamette St — Walking the Butte/Dancing the City by Hannah Hamalian combines video footage recorded from the top of Spencer Butte with documentation of a dance performance.
  • 280 W Broadway — Spring Emerges by artist Lindsay Swing  (Honey + Sass) celebrates the vernal equinox and the early signs of the world awakening from its winter slumber.
  • 833 Willamette St — Seeing Within (Seeing Without) is a collaboration of University of Oregon students that invites viewers to process feelings and reactions to the pandemic, social uprising, wildfires, and other social challenges. Contributing artists include Abby Pierce, Audrey Rycewicz, Zachary Smith, Tahoe Mack, Ellen O’Shea, and Anastasiya Gutnik.

Special event

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



About Lane Arts Council


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

Colton Brown, 17, created Untitled Landscape at the WheelHaus Arts studio.