Arts Hound

KLCC’s arts and culture reporter Eric Alan hosts the Dec. 5 First Friday ArtWalk starting at 5:30 pm at Eugene Piano Academy and hitting stops MECCA, MODERN, Oh So Jo and The Gallery at the Watershed. Keep an eye out for the beautiful modern and almost Fauve-like painting of Shelley Roenspie at Oh So Jo as well as new works by Adam Grosowsky — stunning gestural large-format oil portraits — at Karin Clarke Gallery (off the guided walk). The Gallery at the Watershed explores urban life with exhibit Cityscapes: The City As I See It featuring a smorgasbord of paintings, photography, mixed media and sculpture curated from artists across the nation — Kathleen Eaton’s glowing, saturated and precise oil works on hardboard panels are particularly eye-popping.

While 2012 EW Next Big Thing winner Volifonix is no more, some members of the band have reformed as Goldfoot, a dance-rock band featuring Elijah Medina, Joe McClain and Trevor Forbess as well as Ruth Heald and Anthony Messano. With debut The Goldfoot EP (released Oct. 31) in tow, the funky outfit hits Sam Bond’s Friday, Dec. 5.

Less than a year after opening on 3rd Ave near REI, the volunteer-run all-ages music venue The Boreal may be closing its doors for good because “the bills are stacking up and for the first time we don’t have a way out. We need your help to get things back on track,” as stated on its “Save The Boreal” GoFundMe crowd-fundraising site. At press time, the venue, which has hosted bands Circle Takes the Square, Planning for Burial, United Nations and New Bums, had raised $355 of its $1,217 goal. For more information, visit http://wkly.ws/1un.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!