As the snow begins to thaw and daylight increases, more shows and First Friday receptions return to local galleries. For March, painting is the featured media, with exhibits at Art Shop Gallery by Tracy Early, Grace Ridge Brewing Co. by Jen DePesa and AnnaLisa Cox at Ptarmigan Arts. The Homer Council on the Arts also features paintings, drawings and encaustics from the late Gaye Wolfe.
Bunnell Street Arts Center features work in progress by visiting textile artist Berith Stennabb from Skovde, Sweden. Stennabb is part of an exchange with the Skovde Museum where Homer artist Mandy Bernard visited last fall. Fireweed Gallery does not have a reception, but they feature the glass work of Linda Jones.
And in what may be a first for First Friday openings, the Pratt Museum & Park holds a reception for a different kind of art: the art of architecture and site design with Standek’s official unveiling of its plans for a multipurpose community center to be built on the site of the Homer Education and Recreation Complex. See the conceptual plans and meet with city staff to share your ideas on what a new community center should look like.
Art Shop Gallery
202 W. Pioneer Ave.
Dreaming of Spring by Tracy Early
5-7 p.m., First Friday Opening Reception
Homer artist Tracy Early shows new original acrylics. Of her work, Early writes, “I found my love for all things creative in college, where I ended up pursuing a career in photography and graphic design. While I have been in the graphic design world for the last 20 years as a profession, learning new art mediums has become a fun way to destress and enjoy the beautiful things in life that often go unnoticed. Art is my therapy. I love that it doesn’t have to be done a ‘certain way.’ I can express myself through art mediums in a way that words cannot express. Growing up in Idaho and living in Homer for the last 15 years has given me an amazing natural world to inspire my art and design.”
Bunnell Street Arts Center
106 W. Bunnell Ave.
Artist in residence show by Berith Stennabb
5-7 p.m., First Friday Opening Reception, with 6 p.m. artists talk
Berith Stennabb, a visual artist from Skovde, Sweden, is Bunnell’s artist in residence for February and March, as part of a reciprocal exchange with Skovde Museum. In turn Skovde Musuem presented Homer visual artist Mandy Bernard for an eight-week residency in Skovde in the fall of 2021.
Stennabb is a textile and performance artist interested in meeting and interacting with people from all walks of life. She creates interactive fiber installations featuring crochet and mixed media. She will explore forms of communication that transcend language and geography through everyday movements and textile materials. Her residency in Homer continues her “Folding Ritual” and “Untangling Project” to build communication through authentic movements in everyday choreography.
In her artist’s statement, she writes, “The power of meeting physically in the same room has become increasingly important during the pandemic era. Roads to new communication, regardless of language, socio-economic, or geographical affiliation, are in my interest to explore. I do this through everyday movements and through textile materials. My exploratory work with what I call Folding Ritual is a way to communicate wordlessly and intuitively. Folding a piece of clothing together, which may carry a special story, is a way to deepen the understanding of the other and of oneself. Likewise, the Untangling Project is through the chaos and order of the thread a way to communicate in authentic movements in everyday choreography.”
Fireweed Gallery
Decorative art glass by Linda Jones
475 E. Pioneer Ave.
11 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday gallery hours.
Fireweed Gallery does not have a First Friday opening, but during March they feature a selection of decorative art glass along with acrylic pour paintings, some illustrated with birds, by Linda Jones.
Grace Ridge Brewery
870 Smoky Bay Way
New work by Jen DePesa
5-7 p.m., First Friday Opening Reception
For its first First Friday at their new location on Smoky Bay Way off Lake Street, Grace Ridge features Homer artist Jen DePesa with all new art. Her show will feature her recent original paintings created with oil, acrylic and watercolor. Vibrant colors and rich contrast are the focus of this showing, painted on canvas and wood. Her work also features handmade cedar frames by her husband, Adam.
Grace Ridge Brewing will have the Red Bird Kitchen food truck from 3-7 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
Homer Council on the Arts
355 W. Pioneer Ave.
Selected work by Gaye Wolfe
5-7 p.m., First Friday Opening Reception
7, 9 p.m., Second Friday concert by Ben Peters; admission by donation
For March, the Homer Council on the Arts features selected works and sketches by the late Gaye Wolfe. This collection was bestowed on Homer Council on the Arts by her estate. There’s quite a lot of work, mostly monoprints but also sketches, paintings, ceramics and encaustics. Her 2011 collection “A Human Tapestry: ARTrageous Homer” remains on display in the office.
For Second Friday, March 11, HCOA presents musician Ben Peters. Inspired by musicians like the Grateful Dead and Tony Rice, Ben Peters incorporates elements of rock, bluegrass and funk into his unique finger-picking guitar style. New to Homer, Ben previously gigged in the southern Maine music scene with jam band Jelly Sauce. As a solo artist he adopts the “Travis picking” style made popular by guitarists like Jerry Reed and Tommy Emmanuel to accompany his own melodic leads with a simultaneous rhythm and bass. Though practiced in playing with other musicians, this style allows him to be his own band. HCOA’s Second Friday performances are an all-ages venue for all genres of performance, especially emerging artists and experimental projects.
Pratt Museum & Park
3779 Bartlett St.
Homer Community Center plan
4-6 p.m., First Friday reception.
2-4 p.m., March 10, drop-in meeting
2-4 p.m. March 12, drop-in meeting
Join the City of Homer Planning Team at the Pratt Museum & Park to see the collection of conceptual drawings by Stantec for the proposed new multipurpose community center to be located at the current HERC site at Pioneer Avenue and Sterling Highway. This visual feast of ideas is a multi-panel exhibit of architectural designs and plans. The exterior drawing features outdoor concepts to encompass current recreation uses and the flow of activities. The indoor floor plans have a modern feel and bring the community’s ideas to life for the potential use of the building.
These conceptual drawings are a direct result of the public survey the City conducted in January to determine the desires and needs of the community for a new center. Be first to see these exciting conceptual drawings, talk with city representatives and leave your feedback.
In addition to the first Friday, there will be a session called “Drop-In With Parks and Recreation” from 2-4 p.m. March 10. Parks and Community Recreation staff will be present as well as invited outdoor groups to talk about the HERC grounds under the proposed revitalization plan.
From 2-4 p.m. Saturday, March 12, there will be a general drop-in time for answering questions.
Ptarmigan Arts Back Room Gallery
471 E. Pioneer Ave.
New work by AnnaLisa Cox
5-7 p.m., First Friday Opening Reception
New Ptarmigan Arts member AnnaLisa Cox uses vibrant, multi-dimensional colors to create one-of-a-kind fluid acrylic paintings. Her work not only changes when placed in different lighting conditions, but also engages the viewer’s imagination to find a way to explain and express what they are seeing.
Ptarmigan Arts will be open every day of the week from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and for extended First Friday hours from 5-7 p.m.
