Bunnell Street Arts Center
106 W. Bunnell Ave.
Lyrical Topography, art by Sarah Frary
5-7 p.m., First Friday Opening Reception; 6 p.m., artists talk
Gwendolyn Chatfield, artist in residency
8 p.m. First Friday concert, $10 member, $15 general suggested admission
Homer artist Sarah Frary’s Lyrical Topography features her visual work created for Bjørn Olson’s documentary, “Heart of Alaska.” Frary painted maps of Cook Inlet in watercolor, brush pen, black ink and acrylic on arches watercolor paper, tracing nautical maps for accuracy.
Following the First Friday reception is a concert at 8 p.m. by Gwendolyn Chatfield, Bunnell Street Arts Center’s international Artist in Residence in April. During her residency, she will work with the community to create a sound map, The Folk Tapes of Homer, that explores notions of land and memory through stories, sounds and songs. Chatfield holds a Ceilidh Dancing workshop from 6-9 p.m. April 5 and a Sea Ballads and Shanties workshop from 6-9 p.m. April 12. Both events include potlucks at 6 p.m. and are $10 for members and $15 general admission. Her closing concert is 7 p.m. April 27.
Fireweed Gallery
475 E. Pioneer Ave.
Quilted Snapshots, fiber art by Abigail Kokai
5-7 p.m., First Friday Reception
Fiber artist Abigail Kokai’s “quilted snapshots” of Homer scenery and resident personalities are featured at Fireweed Gallery for April. Growing up in rural Ohio, Kokai learned “making” — sewing and crafting — from her mother and grandmother at a very young age. A former Bunnell Street Arts Center Artist in Residency, she stayed in Homer after her residency. Since moving here she submersed herself into day-to-day life, sketching observed moments along the way. These sketches have become her quilted snapshots.
Homer Council on the Arts
344 W. Pioneer Ave.
Jubilee Youth Visual Art Exhibit, by various artists
5-7 p.m., First Friday Reception
Wonderheads: The Middle of Everywhere
7 p.m. Saturday, Mariner Theatre; $20 Homer Council on the Arts members, $25 nonmembers, $10 youth up to age 18. Tickets at the Homer Bookstore, HCOA and online at homerart.org.
As part of Jubilee, the annual celebration of youth art, the Homer Council on the Arts displays works by local youth artists.
On Saturday, HCOA presents “Wonderheads: The Middle of Everywhere.” The Wonderheads are Emily Windler, Kate-Braidwood and Andrew Phoenix. The physical theater company specializes in mask performance and visual storytelling. They perform in full-face mask, a wordless form that mixes European mask traditions with character mask styles, resulting in a craft rarely seen on North American stages. Audiences have described the experience as watching a living cartoon – the whimsy and imagination of Pixar or Warner Bros in theatrical form. “The Middle of Everywhere” is a family-friendly show for ages 6 and older about two people who find a mysterious radio that, when tuned, transports them through time and space.
Paul Banks Elementary School
1340 East End Road
Annual Arts Extravaganza, art by various artists
5-7 p.m., First Friday Reception
Paul Banks Elementary School once again features its spring Art Extravaganza with art in various media from all students. The evening also includes a hands-on art table where students will be able to make a fancy art project with their family and bring it home. Appetizers will be served by staff members.
Ptarmigan Arts Back Room Gallery
471 E. Pioneer Ave.
Surprises from Toby’s Attic, by R.W. “Toby” Tyler
5-7 p.m., First Friday Reception
By popular demand, Ptarmigan Art has extended R.W. “Toby” Tyler’s retrospective and original show, “Surprises from Toby’s Attic.” One of Homer’s revered elder artists, Tyler is known for his ability to capture the beauty and essence of wildflowers and plants. He displays a collection of prints that has not been seen for many years, including five seasonal charts of local flowers and plants, a project that he undertook from 1979 to 1983. Other items from his attic are sets of notepapers depicting 11 Russian Orthodox Churches in Alaska. From his days in California, Toby offers sets of notecards with intricate pen and ink drawings of Victorian-era homes. A special treat is a jigsaw puzzle replica of an oil and palette knife painting created by Toby in 1957. The original painting, also on display, captures the view of Grewingk Glacier as it appeared then. The show also includes original watercolors, acrylics and oil paintings. A special surprise is new work done by Tyler since recovering from a stroke in December 2014.
