First Friday ArtWalk December 6, 2024, in Downtown Eugene

Eugene, OR – Celebrate Eugene’s vibrant art scene during the December 6th First Friday ArtWalk. Start your self-guided tour at the 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 arts venues of downtown Eugene from 5:30-8:00pm. The monthly First Friday ArtWalk is presented by Lane Arts Council and is always free.

In the Farmers Market Pavilion:

World Aids Day Commemoration, 5:00pm: Join HIV Alliance in commemorating World AIDS Day on December 6th, beginning at 5:00pm in the Farmers Market Pavilion. Celebrations include a reception, art by people living with HIV, distribution of at-home HIV test kits, and interactive displays highlighting community efforts toward ending HIV/AIDS. At 5:30pm, a program will begin where HIV Alliance’s medical director, Gail Hacker, will be honored for her volunteer work, followed by a community candlelight walk in honor of those lost to HIV/AIDS.  More information at hivalliance.org/events.

Makers Mixer, 7:30pm: Get to know local makers at the Makers Mixer, hosted by Eugene Made, Eugene’s Table, and Lane Arts Council! This free, public mixer will open at the close of the Artist Marketplace, providing an opportunity for Lane County artists, makers, and manufacturers to connect and collaborate ahead of the hectic holiday shopping season. If you’re interested in participating, please RSVP at eugmade.com/rsvp.

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

December First Friday ArtWalk Sponsor: Sherry Schaefers with State Farm
Sherry shares: “I’m honored to help sponsor the December 2024 ArtWalk. I’ve been on the Lane Arts Council board for eight years and am proud of all the work they do across Lane County. My day job is as a State Farm agent, where I’ve been assisting customers in downtown Eugene for 24 years. My office team and I provide a full range of insurance and financial service products.”

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

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 December 6th First Friday ArtWalk, the following galleries and art venues will be open from 5:30pm-8:00pm (unless otherwise noted): 

  • Allies, LLC (200 E 11th 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.
  • Arose Ateliér (313 E 8th Ave) Discover the artistry of Arose Ateliér and experience our limited-edition, in-house designs that blend timeless elegance with bold creativity. Celebrate the intersection of fashion and art with exclusive pieces crafted to inspire. Join us for a night of style and imagination. New venue!
  • 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 portraits “Goblin” and “Butterfleyes” and Alejandro’s “Furious Tiger” and “Dragon” paintings, among other works. This month our feature artist is plein air painter Jerry Ross, featuring two stunning local views.
  • Broadway Commerce Center (44 W Broadway) WheelHaus Arts presents their Annual Winter Showcase of youth artworks. Live music and refreshments with a reception at 6:00pm. Support the next generation of local artists at this special, family friendly event. Live music by John Badger’s Apocalyptic Revival, Cassie Candles, and the Sandal Vandals, and Travel Faster. Refreshments by Havana Café.
    Special event!
  • CFAR – UO Center for Art Research (510 Oak St) Marissa Lee Benedict and David Rueter’s Metrica Vol. 3 delves into the psychological breakdown of a building management system. As the room’s lights switch on and off at irregular intervals, a receipt printer emits transcripts of an ongoing dialogue, one that resembles a psychotherapy session mandated by the system’s employer. Referring to the contents of state archives—including the earliest recorded land ownership claims to the exhibition site—the system interprets its own lighting decisions, regurgitating and rationalizing fragments from these official histories as if they were its own memories. The artists’ (USA/NL) collaborative site-adapted videos, sculptures, installations, and drawings intercept infrastructural platforms and linguistic architectures from official worlds.
    Returning venue!
  • City Exhibitions:
    • EMERGE continues the artistic activation of window spaces downtown and supports professional exhibition experiences for new and emerging artists.
    • 99 W 10th Ave (south windows) Vanessa Woods Paintings, acrylic works incorporating gold leaf and other mixed media that center around family, music, dance, nature, and history.
  • Cultural Currents
    • 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.
    • Hult Center Plaza 6th Ave 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.
  • Urban Canvas Murals — The City of Eugene’s local mural program presents:
    • 941 Willamette St, Alley – Wayde Love’s newly completed mural Radically Radiant.
    • 957 Willamette St, Alley – Nature’s Child by Mural Mice Universal.
  • Window Activation (806 Charnelton St) Julie Anderson Bailey’s Origins, show, which includes 3 separate installations, can be viewed anytime, night or day, through the large windows.
  • ColdFire Brewing (263 Mill St) Throughout her artistic journey, Lisa McElroy has explored various styles and techniques, continually bushing boundaries of her creativity. Her transition to alcohol ink art has opened up to new avenues for expression, allowing her to create vibrant, fluid designs that capture the imagination. Lisa’s work often reflects the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. In addition to her individual artwork, Lisa has participated in numerous art fairs, believing in the importance of community engagement and support for fellow artists. As Lisa continues to develop her craft, she remains inspired by the world around her and is excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. With each piece she creates, Lisa McElroy not only captivates viewers but also contributes to the rich tapestry of the local art scene in Eugene, Oregon.
  • Flux Crystals (280 W Broadway) Sarah Root works in ceramics and sculpture. Sarah’s work is heavily inspired by nature, feminine strength, and the human need for sacred spaces. Also, Meet the Makers Market at Flux Crystals, where several of our featured community makers will be at Flux tabling their creations for the gifting season.
  • Good Creative Design (942 Olive St) Join us for our final ArtWalk at this location! Our commercial design studio is moving, so this month will be an exciting showcase of our branding, design, packaging, and fine art projects over the last year. Live DJ, lasers and light show, and a very special video art display by local craftsman Josiah Martens. We ask the important questions, like: what is art?
    Special event!
  • Karin Clarke Gallery (760 Willamette St.) New Work: Faces, Landscapes, and Nudes by Adam Grosowsky, December 4th-January 25th.
  • Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts (MECCA) (555 High St) Winter Whimsy is a fundraising group art show and auction benefiting MECCA and participating artists. Local upcycle artists working in a variety of mediums will have the opportunity to sell and showcase their work or donate a piece directly to MECCA for the silent auction on December 6. Art will be on sale throughout the month. Support local artists this holiday season! We will have refreshments for this event. Open 5:30pm-7:30pm.
    Special event!
  • The New Zone Gallery (110 E 11th Ave) In addition to the eclectic mix of art created by the New Zone members and live music, there are three special shows during the month of December: Lily Grey’s Exploring the sublime in nature: the delicate balance of beauty and terror, connecting with nature through her work and observing what feelings organically come up for the viewer; Asante Riverwind’s Living in Interesting Times ~ Nature & Spirit ~ Dreams & Visions, paintings that convey Asante’s hope that humans can co-create a societal pathway worthy of the magic and wonder that we all inherently are; and Good Things Come in Small Packages, a special New Zone members show featuring work limited to 48 inches total circumference – while this sounds small, the creativity & artistry behind it definitely is not! And all these gems are priced at less than $100.
  • One Wall Gallery at Epic Seconds (30 E 11th Ave) Surface of Mantra, the work of Lesley Raeside and Frederic Dumoulin, showing through January 31st. Most works by painter Lesley Raeside contain a single geometric shape centered in the foreground. When seen in a body of work, “the repetition of the form allows for the elements of color and light, surface and space, form and dispersion, to softly shimmer and glow.” Painter Frédéric Dumoulin often uses repeating pattern, delicate pottery like surface qualities, and compositions reminiscent of vast landscapes to imply a timelessness that is universal, abundant, and epic.
  • OSLP Arts & Culture Center (110 E 11th Ave, Ste C) In Loving Memory: Celebrating the Art and Life of Larry Hurst. Larry Hurst III (1957-2024) was born in Chicago and was a prolific and detailed painter. His paintings most often depicted scenes of nature, inspired by photographs that range from realistic to surrealistic interpretations. Many of his paintings also included unique and fantastical architecture. Larry enjoyed plein air painting and liked to work outdoors if he could. In addition to painting, Larry was also a very talented jewelry maker, wig maker, photographer, and model house builder. He produced scale models of several houses that he has lived in, as well as the historical Shelton McMurphey House. He continued his studies here at the OSLP Arts & Culture Center beginning in the winter of 2013. There is nothing this artist couldn’t do. Larry’s kind soul, unlimited imagination, and precise eye, inspired all who were lucky to know him. He is remembered by those closest to him by always smiling, wearing several colorful layered necklaces created by him, his fascination with architecture (specifically doors), and the voracity he displayed while creating his colorful worlds. He will be deeply missed.
  • Our 21st Century Renaissance (132 E Broadway, Ste 212) R21 contributing artist Glenn Smith will be giving away his plaster “Obelisk 2023,” an intermediate product in the creation of his kinetic—and now completed—”Obelisk 2024,” with the purchase of an artwork by one of our other fabulous contributing artists with work for sale: Anna Golden, Thi Nuygen, Barbora Bakalarova, and Priscilla Montoya.
  • PLAY (232 W 5th Ave) Todd Cooper is a photographer, art director, graphic designer, photo editor, and production manager currently based in Eugene, Oregon. He’s been covering the music scene here (and beyond) since around 2006, some of which has been seen in print and online with Eugene Weekly. His photo work has also appeared in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, LA Times, Interview, The Wall Street Journal, SPIN, NPR, Bloomberg Businessweek, Artforum, People, and more. This collection of photographs, Sound Waves, were all shot right here in Eugene, elsewhere in Oregon, or on the West Coast. Cooper explains, “Part of my approach to shooting music expands on the traditional idea of ‘the moment.’ Instead, waiting for that wave of seconds where everything has synced up: the energy of the room, the focus and delivery of the performer, the band locking in, your awareness and response to it. Magic is in the air and you pray to catch a piece of it.” The show will include works that span from 2012 to present day and feature artists André 3000, Jack White, Ms. Lauryn Hill, mk.gee, WILLOW, Khruangbin, and more.
  • Sparrow Nest Coffee (132 E Broadway (Lobby)) In 2013, Erich Schwarzwald and his life partner founded Whiteaker Tattoo Collective in Eugene, Oregon. Erich is the studio’s resident realism artist, celebrated for his skillful portraits and intricate depictions of animals, insects, and floral motifs. His artistry extends beyond tattooing; Erich also works in oil paint, colored pencils, and graphic design. Outside the studio, Erich’s creative pursuits are as diverse as his artistic portfolio. He builds cycle carts, competes in adult soapbox derbies, and enjoys disc golf, gardening, and spending time with his three dogs. Follow his journey on social media at @onearmedwanda, or stay updated on the shop’s latest creations at @whiteakertattoo.
  • Sprout Children’s Business Expo. (Eugene Mindworks & 5th Street Market Alley) The 8th Annual Sprout Children’s Business Expo is proud to be part of this December’s ArtWalk, offering a platform for young artists and entrepreneurs to showcase their creativity and innovation. This two-day event provides an opportunity for the community to discover the unique talents of these budding business minds, while supporting their ventures. The event will take place on Friday, December 6, from 5:00pm-8:00pm at Eugene Mindworks, and on Saturday, December 7, from 12pm-3pm at 5th Street Market Alley. Attendees can explore a variety of handmade crafts, creative products, and services thoughtfully curated by the young participants. Being part of the ArtWalk allows the Sprout Children’s Business Expo to highlight the intersection of creativity and entrepreneurship, encouraging the community to engage with and support the next generation of innovators. We invite everyone to join us, celebrate the talents of these young entrepreneurs and artists, and help nurture their passion for business. Special event!
  • UO Product Design (942 Olive St) Designers present a trio of product exhibitions with environmental considerations for groups and for individuals: enhancing public transportation, small-space living and lighting, and responsible chairs. The development of these product solutions will be shown through sketches, models, 3D prints, and final products. The designers on site, lead you through their processes of development in the spaces where they work. Returning venue!

Additional venues include: Bumble Boutique (233 W 5th Ave), and Starlight Lounge (830 Olive St).

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.