Art? No Foolin’

Bets Cole’s watercolor ‘On the Plateau’ is at Karin Clarke at the Gordon

It’s been a long, dreary pandemic — especially for the arts world — but following last month’s relaxation of masking rules for public spaces, the First Friday ArtWalk kicks into high gear on April 1.

Nearly two dozen downtown venues, from formal art galleries to coffee shops, will be showing original work by artists who span the full range from raw beginners to accomplished professionals. The ArtWalk, which has taken place downtown for decades, is a great place to get acquainted with Eugene’s art scene, to see and discuss art works and to shop for great art bargains.

This month’s ArtWalk is sponsored by Eugene Symphony, which presents its family concert Peter and the Wolf on April 24. Kids at the ArtWalk will especially enjoy a Peter and the Wolf Scavenger Hunt, finding characters from the music at 5th Street Public Market.

Here are a few recommendations of art venues to check into on Friday:

ANTI-AESTHETIC, 245 W. 8th Avenue. Here’s your chance to pretend Eugene is a big city and enjoy full uptown, contemporary conceptual art straight from the artist. Eugene artist Noelle Herceg, an MFA student at the University of Oregon, is in residence at the gallery through April 3 as part of Eugene Contemporary Art’s Public Process program. Friday will be an open studio night with the artist on hand to help “demystify the process of contemporary art making and invite conversation.”

Here’s what Herceg, who works in printmaking and fiber art, says on her website: “Balancing play and planning, my work continues an active exploration of lost intimacy with the everyday. Returning again and again to processes of printmaking, sewing and image-making, my fear in memory loss shapes my desires to document, bind and capture ephemerality with empathy. I not only investigate, but aim to preserve and protect the mundane; collecting lost fragments which will indefinitely become lost again.”

ArtCity Studios on Broadway, in the basement at 160 E. Broadway. Lighten up and enjoy “Foolish Fish” made by Eugene Printmakers in the form of linoleum and woodblock prints for April Fool’s Day. On that day in France, people make paper fish and stick it onto someone’s back when they are not looking. This might occasionally happen in Eugene as well. The fun starts at 5:30 pm and runs until 7.

Broadway Commerce Center, 44 W. Broadway, is showing work by multimedia artist Debra Mae Jacques in Tell The Universe Exactly What You Want. Jacques, whose work was included in the 2021 Eugene Mayor’s Art Show, uses techniques from monoprint to collage to create brightly colored images that explore themes of love, motherhood and community.

Karin Clarke at the Gordon, 590 Pearl Street, Suite 105. Eugene printmaker Heather Halpern will be showing new works in black and white drypoint and monotype in a series she’s titled Spiritual Growth, exploring themes of tenacity, recovery and growth. Halpern is well known in town as the founder of Whiteaker Printmakers; her moody prints have been shown throughout the U.S. and in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.

The New Zone Gallery, 110 E. 11th Avenue, is offering three shows during April. The nonprofit cooperative has been presenting non-juried shows for four decades to encourage an atmosphere of freedom and experimentation; it also has some of the best receptions in town, usually featuring live music. The Zone’s new shows are Between Heaven and Earth, paintings by Nancy Friedemann based on her study of Chinese calligraphy and painting; Weavings Gone Wild, featuring woven baskets, wall art, mats and wearable art by Sheri Smith; and The Collected NUDE, an assemblage of nude artwork from past New Zone exhibitions from 1991-2021, curated by Steve LaRiccia.

Lane Arts Council’s First Friday ArtWalk runs 5:30-8 pm Friday, April 1. Pick up an ArtWalk guide at 5th Street Public Market to enjoy the self-guided tour of downtown Eugene art spaces. Bring masks, as some venues may still require them. Free.

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!