First Friday offers holiday art gifts

Art lovers looking to buy gifts made by local artists have a variety of options to choose from at shows opening this month. Most exhibits are by Homer artists or artists with a Homer connection.

Bunnell Street Arts Center holds a second reception for its 10×10 Members Show that opened last month. Now in its second year, the show challenged artists to create within the confined space of 10-inches squared or, for sculpture, 10-inches cubed. Many artists chose to create two or three works, sometimes as a triptych.

At the Art Shop Gallery and Fireweed Gallery, the emphasis is on handcrafted art. Nancy Wise shows her hand-painted scarves and glass ornaments at the Art Shop while at Fireweed ceramics artist David Kauffman puts a new twist on a familiar form, adding alternative handles to the classic mug, “bringing those who drink and eat from them a pleasant moment’s pause,” he writes.

In his show at Ptarmigan Arts, “Old Trucks, Cars, Guitars and Bars (and then some),” artist Michael Murray, long familiar as the guy who sketches at musical performances, shows some of his work of musicians, but also of the instruments they play. He also explores the romance and charm of rusty old trucks and cars.

In a new venue at Redfish Custom Framing in Old Town across from Bunnell, artist Carolyn Seymour honors the courage of Paris with etchings, woodcuts and engravings she did while living and studying in France. Seymour lives in Colorado but has been a member for seven years at Ptarmigan Arts.

Rounding out the evening, art lovers can try their own hand at art with Art Night at Alice’s Champagne Palace. Artist Patrick Bradley will have psychedelic coloring books to color as well as big sheets of paper with fresh markers in an evening of collaborative art. Neck and Neck plays at 7 p.m. 

Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com.

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