This holiday season, I challenge you to stretch your definition of a gift. Beyond the crowded aisles of big-box stores lies a more intentional path: art gifting. This isn’t just about purchasing an object; it’s about sharing a sense of wonder and connection.
Letters From Noah are entirely hand-crafted. There's nothing digital about them — except the final document to print at my local printshop. Even the text is a font of his own handwriting.
Consider the "slow art" movement of Noah Strycker. You likely know him as Eugene’s own world-traveling "bird man"—an adventurer who once tracked over 6,000 species across seven continents in a single year.
His new project, LettersfromNoah.com, revives the lost magic of snail mail. By subscription, you receive hand-written dispatches and original watercolor sketches mailed from his global expeditions. Instead of a screen, you hold a physical fragment of a journey—a collection that arrives letter-by-letter to build a global field journal on your coffee table.
Location:
New Zone Gallery
Dates:
December 6, 2025 - December 24, 2025
Closer to home, unique gifts are everywhere. While many are making their way to the traditional Holiday Market, don't overlook our local Artist Studios. There is something profound about stepping into an artist’s workspace, breathing in the scent of paint or clay, and taking a piece directly from the hands that shaped it.
Our local gallery scene is also buzzing. Look for unique finds at The Hybrid Gallery in the Whitaker, New Zone, and the Emerald Art Center. Maude Kerns Art Center offers a famously eclectic shop, and the UO Museum of Natural and Cultural History is a goldmine of curated treasures.
541 520 6210
Finally, I invite you to my show, Wonder/Tender. The Oblivion Gallery is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday throughout the holidays with a stunning selection of prints, sculpture, and photography.
This year, seek out the extraordinary. Choose a gift that speaks to your shared sense of what is beautiful in the world.
