The December 5th First Friday ArtWalk is packed with over a dozen openings and special events across downtown. To get a taste of everything from botanical sculptures to dynamic installations, check out the full listing and map at the Lane Arts Council website.
I love the detail work this month, especially at Bree’s Way Gift Shop. Artist R. M. Salners creates lifelike botanical sculptures from paper and watercolor, including gorgeous, large pansies.
At The New Zone Gallery, be sure to look for Cheryl Owen Wilson’s piece, "Bass in Red. ”Imagine a spooky, black-and-white graveyard scene where the only source of light is a vibrant, cherry-red double bass. It’s a powerful example of how a single dramatic ‘pop of color’ can add focus and emotional intensity.
This will be the most festive First Friday of the year, but the really big attraction is this Saturday, December 6th, at The Oblivion Gallery. This gorgeous contemporary gallery—roughly at Roosevelt and Bertelsen in Eugene’s light industrial area—is hosting the collaborative show, Wonder/Tender.
The title perfectly captures the feeling: "Wonder/Tender"—one who tends to wonder, nurturing curiosity, awe, and reverence. It's about returning to the childlike self that guides us toward play and imagination.
The show is a powerful collaboration featuring Jud Turner’s mixed media assemblages, Renee Mahni’s sculpture work, the spoken word poetry of Eugene Weekly’s "Best Poet" Jorah LaFleur, painter Shanna Trumbly, and my own 24K gold multi-media art.
Shanna Trumbly’s monumental painting, “Wonder-Tender,” sets the mood. It features a serene young girl riding an ethereal, spotted blue jaguar through an otherworldly landscape alive with butterflies and luminous starlight.
The gallery is open all day Saturday from 11 to 6, but we want to see you for the artists' presentation at 2:00 PM! Come experience the gold and the wonder.
