Visual Arts Week at the First Friday ArtWalk October 4, 2024

First Friday ArtWalk during Visual Arts Week October 4, 2024, in Downtown Eugene

Eugene, OR – Celebrate Eugene’s vibrant art scene at the October 4^th First Friday ArtWalk, presented by Lane Arts Council. Start your self-guided tour at Farmers Market Pavilion (85 E 8th Ave), where you can pick up your ArtWalk Guide and shop the Artist Marketplace before exploring the many galleries and art venues of downtown Eugene. The monthly First Friday ArtWalk is from 5:30pm-8:00pm and is always free.

This month’s First Friday ArtWalk is also part of Eugene’s Visual Arts Week, September 27^th-October 6^th, presented in partnership with City of Eugene Cultural Services and Maude Kearns Art Center. Visual Arts Week celebrates, uplifts, and fosters engagement with the visual arts community. Explore galleries, workshops, art installations, special exhibitions, and creative activities throughout Eugene. For more information about Visual Arts Week events and experiences, visit bit.ly/VisualArtsWeekEugene2024.

Pavilion Programming: October Originals, 6:00pm-9:30pm
Get inspired with Music Education & Performing Artists Association (MEPAA), including performances by GRRLZ Rock musicians along with local singer-songwriters Apis Mellifera and John Shipe! If the music moves you, participate in the free MuseArt event and create your own visual art during performances.

Images for the October 2024 ArtWalk are available at this link.

First Friday ArtWalk details

Getting to the ArtWalk is easy with a FREE bus pass from LTD! Visit the ArtWalk webpage the day of the event for your free bus pass code.

As part of the October 4^th First Friday ArtWalk, the following galleries and art venues will be open from 5:30pm-8:00pm (unless otherwise noted): 

• #instaballet (Capitello Wines, 540 Charnelton St) Help make a new dance in real time by suggesting new moves for local, professional dancers to perform. The choreography will be created by YOU! No dance experience necessary, all ages are welcome, fun guaranteed. The final community created piece will be presented at 8:00pm. Bring your friends and family to experience this unique form of community-created art!
• Allies, LLC (200 E 11^th Ave, Ste 130) Check out the new Art Annex! Featured art this month is Group Art. See all original artworks thoughtfully created at Allies by member artists. All work sold goes to benefit the Allies Art Fund.
• Art with Alejandro (5th St Market Alley, Ste 104) Visit us during the monthly First Friday ArtWalk to see guest art and Alejandro’s newest works on display in our gallery! Come check out Paisley’s new portraits “Goblin” and “Butterfleyes” and Alejandro’s new “Furious Tiger” and “Dragon” paintings among other new works. This month our new feature artist is Plein air painter Jerry Ross featuring two stunning local views.
• The Backalley Guitar Co. (350 W 5th Ave) Join us for a seasonal visual and audio feast for your senses. We will be featuring canvas, print, and mural works by local artists Kerry Casey, Brooke Lovaas, Lillian Langford and more, hosted in our functional art facility and featuring live demonstrations of cigar box guitar building by in-house luthier Jim Bow, and owner/luthier Joseph (Diddley Joe) Langford.
• Broadway Commerce Center(44 W Broadway) Mobile Photography Project- This project, inspired by the artistic vision of painter Arturo Hernández Santiago, involved capturing the dreams and emotions of children from the Colibrí Folkloric Ballet through dance and photography, using mobile phones as the main tool. Despite technological limitations, the project highlights the deep connection between the children’s dance and nature, reflecting elements like the flow of the river, the song of birds, and the movement of leaves. By working closely with the children, the project aims to preserve these moments as tangible memories, emphasizing the importance of supporting young people in expressing their dreams through art.
• Bumble Boutique (233 W 5th Ave) Bekah Zeimetz is a self-taught realistic wildlife and bird painter based in Eugene, Oregon. Using countless layers of delicate, vibrant brush marks, her work serves as a reminder that magic still exists.
• City Exhibitions:
  • EMERGE (99 W 10th Ave, south windows) QUEER FACES OF EUGENE, a digital art display by Kiki Boniki, celebrates the intersectionality of queer, trans, BIPOC, gay, gender-nonconforming, drag-loving, sex-positive, interesting citizenry of Eugene and the Pacific Northwest.
  • City Hall Gallery (City Hall, 500 E 4th Ave) Confluence: A Community Art Exhibition features a stunning collection of artworks by regional artists that span a spectrum of mediums and art practices, including traditional basket weaving, intricate wood carving, vibrant paintings, oil on canvas, and delicate ink on paper creations by Analee Fuentes, Amrita Dutia, Arusha Dittmer, Christy Long/Galvloi, Raoul Dittmer, Stephanie Craig, and Yvonne Stubbs. Open until 7:30pm.
• ColdFire Brewing (263 Mill St) Wings and Strings is a delightful watercolor collection of birds from Jessica Ballestrazze featuring intricate threading, adding a unique and winsome flair. ColdFire will be sponsoring a Youth Art Contest during the months of September & October with amazing submissions by 6th-12th Graders from our community. Please come and vote for your favorite artwork!
• Cultural Currents:
  • SupSupra Pavilion at Downtown Riverfront Park (701 E 8th Ave) Biology Rising is an immersive experience by Julie Anderson Bailey and Eric Braman, combining original artwork and spoken word poetry that is intertwined with memories alongside video footage of regional rivers and lakes. Best experienced at dusk.
  • Farmers Market Pavilion (85 E 8th Ave) Woman Working in the Field This collage piece is a collaboration between the art of Hampton Rodriguez and Sofia Carpenter-Rodriguez. Blending visual representation with sociological insights to highlight the vital role of migrant workers. Opening September 27th, 2024.
  • McDonald Theater (1010 Willamette St, window facing 10th Ave.) Lamp Back is a Film/Video. The artist Anthony Hudson, writes and make videos, installations, community experiences and theatre as Carla Rossi, Portland’s premier drag clown, who finds herself in satirical environments that lampoon our realities and ask for better ones. Showing Sept. 27-Oct 13, daily 6 p.m.- midnight.
  • Hult Center Plaza (7th and Willamette, 6th avenue) A’ppealing and Leaf Dance are two different steel and reclaimed materials sculptures, by Artist Jenny Ellsworth. Through her work, Jenny breathes life into the forgotten, transforming discarded metal into beauty and wonder. Each piece tells a unique story, celebrating the journey of the materials she embraces. Viewable 24/7, Sept. 27, 2024-Sept. 15, 2025.
• Dark Pine Coffee (954 Pearl St) House Bozell Pop-up- Local horror illustrator Bonnie Bozell will have a variety of her original and pop culture prints, stickers, original paintings, coloring posters, coloring books (both volumes), and her original pumpkin carving book available for purchase. Come by and start your scary season off right!
• Eugene Ballet (Midtown Arts Center, 174 East 16^th Ave) The Midtown Arts Center presents an Art Show and Reception on October 4th, featuring original paintings and drawings by Eugene Ballet dancers Antonio Lopez, Sam Neale, and Koki Yamaguchi. The gallery also includes costumes from Eugene Ballet and collaborative elements that highlight the artistry behind the company’s productions. This exhibit offers a unique perspective on the dancers’ creative talents beyond the stage.
• Eugene Difficult Music Ensemble (Kesey Square, 10 E Broadway) Come see the first concert of EDME’s 3rd Annual New Music Festival, featuring the musical talents of Peer2Peer, Professor Lumos, Ryan Carraher, Synsor, and Treya Nash! Their various styles, featuring beat-based electronica, noise, ambience, custom instruments, and even audience participation, will be accompanied by the glitchy projection art of Mage Chadowitz lighting up the walls of the square. The show will run after dark from 7:00-9:30pm.
• FUSE Jewelry Collective (112 E 13th Ave) Meet Arianna Nicolai, our FUSE October ArtWalk featured artist. Arianna Nicolai is a local jewelry designer that specializes in mix metal one of a kind pieces, incorporating beautiful stones & textures. Stop by to see a collection of her work, designed and fabricated in her studio here in Eugene. Take a tour of our classroom and learn about our new metalsmithing workshops!
• Good Creative Design (942 Olive St) Good Creative is taking a break this month to welcome the newest team member into the world. Founder Adam Junod and his partner, Emily Little, will be on the journey of childbirth, one of life’s great art forms. Congrats! ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊
• Karin Clarke Gallery (760 Willamette St.) Rick Bartow: Crow’s Fear, a richly diverse selection of works from the Bartow Trust Collection. Included are large pastels, hand-colored lithographs, and small drawings, while Bartow’s characteristic bird imagery (crows, hawks, owls, eagles) features prominently in monotypes, mixed media works on handmade Japanese paper, and some of the finest dry point prints still available. The pieces, created between 1991 and 2015, have been freshly framed for this exhibit. Together, they provide a highly representative cross-section of Bartow’s works and of his powerful mark-making, reaffirming his stature as one of the most important leaders in contemporary Native American art.
• Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts (MECCA) (555 High St) Announcing MECCA’s 15th Annual Object Afterlife Art Challenge! Object Afterlife is our favorite event which constantly inspires us as we watch unwanted materials become incredible works of art. With a mission to connect scrap and fine art while reimagining unwanted materials, we challenged artists to make inspiring, thought-provoking, and creative works of art out of a mystery bag of scrap materials. Object Afterlife challenges artists to re-imagine unwanted materials and turn scrap into art. The resulting artworks exist in the space where artistic discovery and conservation meet, inspiring us all to think differently about the materials we may consider waste. The Object Afterlife Artist Reception and Awards Ceremony is on Friday, October 4, from 5:30 – 8:00pm. Refreshments will be served.
• Modern Betty Salon (132 E Broadway Ste 102, inside the historic Miner Building) Two Artists will be featured this month- Shannon Carleen Knight “…. Multidisciplinary artist with passion for painting. Her work is densely layered with acrylic paint, mixed media and elements of collage.” Heather Rand, was born on the shores of a once-forgotten lake, now resurrected, H.I. Rand spent childhood exploring the remnants of the industrial revolution, immersed in chaos and decay. These experiences profoundly shaped H.I.’s artistic vision, weaving a rich tapestry of contrasts that reflect the scars of industry and the resilience of nature. In recent years, the lush, damp rot of the Willamette Valley has become H.I.’s creative backdrop, influencing both palette and mood. Through H.I. Rand’s art, monsters and skulls emerge as powerful symbols of the duality of existence—representing both fear and fascination, decay and renewal. This dialogue between humanity and the environment unfolds, merging man and organic elements from nature. H.I.’s work invites viewers to confront their own inner demons while reflecting on the beauty that can arise from chaos. The fearless approach to creativity inspires others to embrace uncertainty and take risks in their own lives, reminding them that even in darkness, there is potential for transformation. Modern Betty Salon will be decked out to the nines in Halloween decor, transforming it into a dark parlor, filled with curiosities to tantalize the eye and brain. There will be refreshments and appetizers.
• The New Zone Gallery (110 E 11th Ave) In addition to the eclectic mix of art created by the New Zone members, there are four special shows during the month of October: Love Cats by Thi Nguyen Paintings inspired by cats and The Cure. Tableaux from the American West by Doremus Scudder. Photography reflecting the myriad countenances of the spirit of the West. Shattered to Strong by Sue Pepper-Reed & Elizabeth Foley. An exhibit of paintings & sculpture in support of the Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Photo Zone at New Zone – a member show, and Live Music.
• One Wall Gallery at Epic Seconds (30 E 11th Ave) Spirit Hands new work by Shelley Turley. October 4- November 30, 2024. Portland based painter Shelley Turley, “My work can be seen as narrating the search for spiritual ground or meaning to replace a lost community or alienation from deeper cultural roots: strange pagan rituals, contemporary witchcraft ceremonies visited by hazy spirits that don’t quite materialize.” All of the pieces from this show come from Turley’s Friday Sketch series where the artist creates and posts a drawing each week.
• Origins 806 Charnelton St. Origins by Julie Anderson Bailey explores themes inspired by the raw elements of the Earth–rock, water, and air–with a nod towards the roots that connect and sustain us, intertwining the natural world with human existence.
• OSLP Arts & Culture Center (110 E 11th Ave, Ste C) OSLP Arts and Culture Center continues with our So Big installation show, featuring large scale interactive works by 6 artists in the community. Join us for reflections on nostalgia, pop culture, sweet treats, and beautiful lights. We will also be promoting our Fall Classes and will have miniature art for purchase.
• Our 21st Century Renaissance (132 E Broadway, Ste 212) Continues with the theme A Celebration of the Female Form with Anna Golden’s beautifully and delicately modeled “Leila” as our featured artwork, and with the addition of some equally wonderful two-dimensional pieces. Again, prepare to be amazed.
• PLAY (232 W 5th Ave) Patrick Whiting: “I made these paintings over the course of the last 6 years or so. The name, Huck, is a tip of the hat to a dear friend who was born somewhere in Kentucky. The rest are a spin of the propeller for other friends that gave the purest gift on earth, the gift of friendship. Thank You. I love you.”
• ShelterCare (499 W 4th Ave) Visit ShelterCare to see art featured by our program participants and our talented staff. ShelterCare’s behavioral health clinic has a weekly art therapy group for individuals to gather and heal together, while using art to explore and process trauma. In addition, we will have several local artists featured from the community! ShelterCare provides housing and behavioral health services for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or on the verge of becoming homeless.
• Starlight Lounge (830 Olive St) Creep Sheets Halloween Show: Back for her 6th year at Starlight, illustrator Bonnie Bozell hangs a new collection of her coloring pages and painted pieces – all horror and Halloween themed. She will have special coloring pages from her Creep Sheets coloring books on hand for anyone who wants for color while they have a drink!
• Urban Canvas Murals — The City of Eugene’s local mural program Urban Canvas presents:
  • 1059 Willamette St – Gertrude, a portrait honoring the memory of a friend’s departed hen by Bayne Gardner
  • 1059 Willamette St – Take Flight by Teak, Capsel Rock, and Eliza Be (Williams) is an extension of Teak’s previous form line murals, representing the traditional Tlingit art from Alaska, already on the building. In this new collaboration, Teak added the Three Sisters Mountain line, coniferous forest, and a sunset, with Eliza and Capsel contributing the colorful figure and osprey.

• Additional venues include Flux Crystals (280 W Broadway), Nexus Business Lounge (40 E Broadway), and Sparrow Nest Coffee (132 E Broadway).

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

ArtWalk Program Support
This project has been funded in part by grants from Travel Oregon and the National Endowment for the Arts.