(Above: Oregon Cabin, by Steve LaRiccia, eclectic artist and one of the movers-and-shakers behind the founding and maintaining of the longtime New Zone Gallery in downtown Eugene; his work is on display in a show called to be continued …, a retrospective of more than 45 years of his art, from painting to steampunk.)

Edited by Randi Bjornstad

As has become the habit since its completion, the still sort-of new Farmers Market Pavilion at 85 E. 8th Ave. in downtown Eugene is the place to pick up the First Friday ArtWalk Guide before setting out on a self-guided tour of all things artistic.

The Aug. 4 First Friday ArtWalk officially begins at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m. and features The Little Block Party, this time a celebration of African-descendant traditions, practices, and cross-cultural exchanges, including dance and musical performances.

The rundown of performers includes Ziree Sun, Fiddlin’ Miriam, Cameron Daye, MUNYA, and Amiia Nectar, plus Carlos “Retro” Rasmussen and Fermata Ballet Collective Inc. Food, too, including vendors, Styr Kurbside Kitchen and Red Five Hotdog Company, and drinks by Ninkasi Brewing Company. On the arts side, inside the Pavilion will be featured exhibits by Zoë Gamell Brown, Jalen Thompson, and Christian Alvarado.

And of course that’s just the beginning. Here’s an alphabetical list of places that will be open for the August ArtWalk from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., unless otherwise noted:

A piercing design by artist Jared Duke, at Area 51 Piercing

Area 51 Piercing (505 Willamette Street, Suite 100) — Body-piercing jewelry and rings by Jared Duke, who sells throughout Oregon and Washington, including Oregon Country Fair, Art in the Vineyard, White Bird Gallery in Cannon Beach, and The Perfect Piece Gallery in Lake Oswego.

Art with Alejandro (5th Street Public Market, 2nd floor, 246 E. 5th Ave., Suite 224) — Showcase of diverse paintings by Alejandro Sarmiento in an array of expressive subjects and style, plus works in Paisley Mae’s many mediums and styles, including figures in many styles, including aliens and magical creatures.

ArtCity Studios on Broadway (160 E Broadway, basement level) — Last chance to visit The Soul Success Medals for Humanity by Arianne (Air) Taylor, featuring an audio-visual tool with words and art that celebrate the invisible strength within humanity, so bring a phone and headphones. Also on display is watercolor and other creations by fourth-graders Joy “Birdie” and Mila “Beanie,” showcasing their pop-up art creation station for kids.

Beaudet Gallery at 5th St. Makers Row (590 Pearl St., Suite 106) — August-born jeweler Hannah Becker shows her Peridot birthstone the Peridot in some of her favorite jewelry pieces. She also is a potter and teaches relief printmaking and watercolor classes at The Craft Center.

Broadway Commerce Center (44 W. Broadway) — Ultimate mash-up of science and art by Amethyst “Ame“ Beard with LED-light responsive art, changing dramatically as the lights change, creating optical illusions and a 3D effect. Art glasses provided.

Epic Seconds (30 E. 11th Ave.) — Getting Along is a series of oil on canvas paintings by DiDi Davidovich about how we fit into our environments—the push and the pull—while trying to live harmoniously within our own boundaries, with visual elements representing plant life as they take on unique forms when planted next to objects or other plants. Recurring tree imagery symbolizes the idea of being tied to something, like the ground or weather.

Eugene Public Library (100 W. 10th Ave., second-floor Newspapers and Magazines Room) —  Momentary Emotions, paintings by Uyen-thi Nguyen, member of the Springfield Arts Commission, creator of youth art programs at the Emerald Art Center, and member of the Plein Air Painters of Lane County, The New Zone Gallery artists collective and Eugene Figurative Arts Group. Concert from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., The Happiest Day of My Life by singer-songwriter Jay Seeley, with high-energy ukulele skills and clever lyrics.

Megan Burnside’s MothWingsWoman, part of a show of her various forms of art at Flux Studio

Flux Crystals (280 W. Broadway) — Veneta artist Megan Burnside’s created and painted ceremonial drums as well as digital, generative, and mixed-media art.

FUSE Jewelry Collective (112 E. 13th Ave.) — A place for jewelry lovers to learn, shop, create, and connect with a showroom displaying collections by local jewelry designers as well as thoughtfully curated, small-batch gift items, including newly added work from jewelry artist Brianna Caridio, live music by cellist Ben Hamilton, and studio tours of the FUSE Classroom, plus a drawing for a free metalsmithing class.

J. Scott Cellars on 5th Tasting Room (207 E. 5th Ave., Suite 105) — Jenifer Billman/Mann’s impressionist Western landscapes created by using the impasto technique with palette knives. Also The Practice of Discovery, Carolyn Quinn’s abstract paintings that visualize energetic fields guided by intuition, dreams, and channeling.

Karin Clarke at the Gordon (590 Pearl St., Suite 105) — A changing inventory of large and small paintings, prints, photography, cards, and mixed-media works by Northwest artists such as Heather Jacks, Robert Schlegel, Rick Bartow, Bets Cole, and more.

Karin Clarke Gallery (760 Willamette St.) — Mark Clarke: Northwest Master, a nearly 30 paintings of landscapes, figures, and abstracts from the estate of one of the gallery’s most venerated artists, with talk about the show by art connoisseur Roger Saydack speaks a at 6 p.m. during the art walk; exhibit ends Aug. 26.

Open Your Mind, a print by Heather Halpern on show at Oregon Art Supply

Oregon Art Supply (1020 Pearl St.) — Members of the nonprofit Whiteaker Printmakers present their traditional hand-pulled prints, using methods from linocut and screen print to etching and mezzotint. Artist remarks and demos at 6 p.m. Open until 7:30 p.m.

Starlight Lounge (830 Olive St.)  — Digital art by John Huston, drawn by hand in the Adobe sketch app, along with Tombow markers on paper, including portraits, some with space backgrounds, and a few explorations of horror drawings on napkins.

The New Zone Gallery (110 E. 11th Ave.) — In addition to the usual eclectic mix of art created by New Zone members, there are three special shows during the month of August:

  • Undressed, figure Art by Will Mitchell, portraying that to be naked is to be oneself, to be without disguises. Artist remarks at 6:30 p.m.
  • to be continued…, a retrospective show of Steve LaRiccia’s photographic work and interactive assemblages from the past 45+ years.
  • Trust Your Empire, an exhibition looking back at the spoils of the Happyface Empire, under the beneficent and bloody leadership of Erik Roggeveen.
  • Plus live music with Sam Fields on piano.

Windowfront Exhibition (99 W. 10th Ave., south windows) — Diversity Project, a photography installation created by Kenji Shimizu, celebrating diversity from an immigrant’s point of view. Born in Japan, Shimizu uses his passion for taking portraits that resemble Renaissance paintings to highlight the richness of diversity in our community and celebrate how diversity is already helping to make the community stronger, wiser, more empathetic, kinder, and closer together.

Special Events

#instaballet (Capitello Wines, 540 Charnelton St.) — #instaballet creates a new dance in real-time as the audience suggests new moves for the local, professional dancers to perform to live music by Bluegene Brass Quintet. No dance experience necessary, all ages welcome. Drop in from 5:30 p.m. t0 8 p.m., when the finished dance will be performed.

Eugene Hotel Residents’ Art Gallery (Eugene Hotel, 222 E. Broadway) — The lobby turns into a pop-up gallery, featuring works from the talented residents and staff of the Eugene Hotel, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, poetry, homemade dolls, and more, with live music by Oregon Oldtime Fiddlers.

Reptilian Cotillion: An Art Show Celebrating the Slithery and Scaled (Graduate Hotel, 66 E. 6th Ave.) — The Sweet Dreams Society presents The Reptilian Cotillion, a solo pop-up art exhibition featuring screen printed, painted and large-scale works created by artist in residence Rae Matagora. Artist remarks at 7 p.m.

Ride, Read, and Rock the Block Party (Corner of 10th and Olive streets) —
Story time for families on an electric bus, plus face painting, book bag coloring, button making from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., with a live remote by KDUK live remote of the event from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., plus food trucks, and more. Hosted by Lane Transit District, Eugene Public Library, and Lane Community College. Free.

Windermere Real Estate Open House (1600 Oak St.) — Features an eclectic collection of artwork by Judy Casad, David Diethelm, Todd Davis, Jim Hinton, Melanie Pearson, Karin Spurgin, Sandi Black, Rebecca La Mothe, and Susan Detroy, with live, Scruggs-style music by Mark Thomas, playing a five-string bluegrass banjo.

August ArtWalk Sponsor

Lane Transit District’s mission is to connect the community by providing access to jobs, health care, recreation, and more through creating a more connected, sustainable, and equitable community through collaboration, equity, safety, integrity, and respect.

About Lane Arts Council

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

Sandi Bonn’s Around the Horn, part of an exhibit by artists of Whiteaker Printmakers at Oregon Art Supply