Eugene’s Visual Arts Week, which celebrates local artists, musicians, galleries and venues, kicks off at 5:30 pm Friday, August 5, with the First Friday ArtWalk. Hosted by Lane Arts Council and City of Eugene Cultural Services, the ArtWalk begins at the Farmers Market Pavilion, where opening ceremonies, including an artist marketplace, award ceremony, live music and more, will be taking place.
Locations featured on the ArtWalk include galleries, art studios, coffee shops and pop-up exhibits dispersed throughout downtown. All of the venues included on the walk will be open from 5:30 to 8 pm. The best part about the walk: It’s all free.
The opening ceremonies at the Farmer’s Market Pavilion include a First Friday ArtTalk with Michael Boonstra, the artist behind the new “Willamette River Contours” piece recently installed at the pavilion. The talk begins at 6:30 pm.
A previous home of the farmers market, the 5th Street Market, hosts multiple exhibits and galleries. In the Market Alley, check out augmented reality with VR equipment supplied by Glimmer Technology, and on the second floor of the 5th Street Market experience the laid-back vibes of landscapes and quotes curated by artist Alejandro Sarmiento and letter artist Erica Heim, otherwise known as the “Eugene Chalk Lady.”
For more local art, stop by the Art Bar at the Gordon Hotel, which will have an exhibit by Lane Arts Council grant recipient Cari Ingrassia.
Broadway also features multiple locations to check out as you stroll downtown. ArtCity Studios, on the basement floor of 160 E. Broadway, hosts WheelHaus Arts, which provides professional tools, supplies and teaching to an upcoming generation of artists. Earl Dunbar’s experimental work with color will be available for viewing at Broadway Commerce Center, featuring watercolors, oil paintings and acrylics done by the artist. Books with Pictures Eugene will showcase a series of works created with secondhand and thrifted materials by Lisa Yu.
Eugene Public Library, 100 W. 10th Avenue, will also host various exhibits. Passersby will be greeted by StoryHelix, featured in the front windows of the library. StoryHelix, sponsored by Lane Arts Council and Wordcrafters in Eugene, is a collaboration of community storytellers and professional artists where each window panel tells a different story of a lived experience. Inside, the Mayor’s Art Show is on display on the second floor, and will be open for viewing until Sept. 5.
The lobby of Eugene Hotel, 222 E. Broadway, is turning into a pop-up gallery featuring artworks of all kinds done by residents and staff of the building. From 6 to 7:30 pm, live music by the Oregon Oldtime Fiddlers will accompany the art.
Directly around the corner, Community Cup Coffee on 901 Pearl Street, hosts photographic work by Barbara Bakalarova, whose subjects include portraits, arranged scenes and patterns found in nature. Dark Pine Coffee, just down the block at 954 Pearl Street, features a series of eye-opening paintings titled “Trippy, but Classy” by Kylie Jess, as well as oil-on-metal paintings by Brittany Micho.
Oregon Art Supply, 1020 Pearl Street, invites viewers to reconsider their definition of art through Diana C. Patin’s show, Got to be Good For Something; a mixed-media exhibit focused around objects that have passed their prime, and would otherwise be thrown away.
Just a few blocks away, Allies LLC, on 131 E. 11th Avenue, a support organization for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is hosting an exhibit called Fun Shine Pride! with new work by their customers.
Another exhibit to check out on 11th Avenue is Sound Waves by Eugene Weekly Art Director Todd Cooper, which is being hosted by Epic Seconds, 30 E. 11th Avenue. Cooper has had work featured in Rolling Stone and Spin and has worked with multiple record labels. These photos are not to be missed.
Multiple exhibits will be on display at New Zone Gallery, 110 E. 11th Avenue, including the Salon des Refusés, featuring works turned away from the Mayor’s Art Show; Hues of Comfort, by Kelly Sweat; and Taxidermy by Will Lotz, which showcases extraterrestrial life forms in various media.
Additional exhibits, galleries and attractions will also be open during the ArtWalk, including artwork by Sierra Squires at the Barn Light, collage works by Dori Koberstein, wildlife and landscape photography by Ben Sutter, acrylics, jewelry and more.
More information on the ArtWalk and Visual Art Week can be found at LaneArts.org/first-friday-artwalk.
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