Many Alaska artists seek and find inspiration in nature. That’s the case for several shows opening for First Friday, but for one show, artists find another source for creative ideas: books. In “Inspired by Books,” opening at the Homer Council on the Arts, artists Karen Fogarty, Lily Huebsch, Marilyn Kay Johnson, Jane Marshall and Connie Tarbox have come up with a new twist on a book club. Here they not only discuss books, but quilt about them.

At Bunnell Street Arts Center, longtime Homer artist Kim Terpening shows the transition of the season in “Equinox, Alaska.” Known also as a book artist, for this show Terpening turns to digital photography to examine the light, moods and texture of the turning season in Kachemak Bay. Another photographer, Laural Sabin, explores the colors and patterns of nature in her show of photographs printed on metal at the Art Shop Gallery.

Several other artists also explore wildlife and nature in their work. At Fireweed Gallery, Kenai artist Marlyn Kramer shows her watercolor paintings. In a special treat, Anchorage artist Janaan Kitchen returns with her intricate batik paintings done on paper. Her show, “Waxing Alaska,” at Ptarmigan Arts, also includes another wax medium, encaustics. Because of medical issues, Kitchen might be setting aside batiks, so this could be the last chance to see her original work.

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