Sometimes in our fair valley, it seems the only cultures deemed worthy of attention, or investment, are football and beer. Another gallery falls; another brewery rises. One more great local artist is lost to Portland — to opportunity — while Eugene funnels in more star players, more zealous fans and more Duck stuff.
Artists take heed: Paint your palettes yellow and green and let your kilns cook only the most bulbous growlers.
Oh, we tease. But in our third year of producing the visual arts issue, ArtsHound, it’s become clear that the best things — art that moves, heals, inspires and connects — come in quiet packages without much fanfare.
Many of the artists featured here work diligently holed up in their home studios. Finding them was half the fun, and then we had to coax them out of their holes like the sly, talented foxes they are.
In this year’s ArtsHound, we sought the art stories not often told, and artists and organizations whose names may not ring a bell, because they deserve a cheering section, too. Who knows, maybe we can get Eugene so excited about the arts that tailgating at exhibit openings becomes a new tradition. An arts editor can dream.
Street Views
Eugene Weekly’s second annual art box series hits Broadway Oct. 2
Shining Like the Sun
A photographic memory infuses the brilliant art of Perry Johnson
Escape the Familiar
Rising photographer Sam Gehrke finds the color in black and white
Happy Glass
Jamie Burress’ glass art bursts with pop culture
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!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519