Homer’s galleries and public art spaces celebrate the colors of summer with a showcase of artist’s work inspired by the season. Stroll the galleries, meet the artists and enjoy the variety of mediums on display.
Art Shop Gallery
202 W. Pioneer Ave.
“Celebrating Peonies”, Photography by Edson Knapp
Opening Reception, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Art Shop Gallery hosts Homer photographer Edson Knapp with his exhibit, Celebrating Peonies. A display of images on canvas from the Knapp family peony farm, this exhibit showcases the beauty of these flowers and Homer’s July Peony Celebration. Knapp has photographed seven continents, from Everest base camp to the Dead Sea, with a passion for capturing the moment when natural beauty fills the light around him as he showcases the beauty of his journey. Visit the gallery online at artshopgallery.com.
Bunnell Street Arts Center
106 W. Bunnell Ave.
“Suumacirpet (Our Way of Living: Sugcestun)”, Work by Indigenous Alaskan artists
Opening Reception, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Artist’s talks, 6 p.m.
Bunnell Street Arts Center presents Suumacirpet (Our Way of Living: Sugcestun), Anĝaĝiisingin (The way we live: Unangam Tunuu), Yuuyaraput (Our way of life: Yup’ik), uaptiktun inniguq (Doing things Our Way: Inupiaq), Ye’uh qach’dalts’iyi ‘what we live on from the outdoors: Dena’ina). This exhibit is a display of work by several Indigenous Alaskan artists showcasing connections between Alaska Native makers and wild resources, with each artist honoring materials and memories that have been passed down through their families. Danielle Larsen’s paintings share snapshots of family traditions and pay homage to Alaska landscapes and wild creatures. Merna Wharton, Quki/Golga Oscar, Kunaq Tahbone and filmmaker Alex Sallee celebrate material traditions of the arctic ground squirrel. Bobby Brower, Joni Spiess and Dana Hank highlight creative practices with seal skin. Michelle Ravenmoon’s work showcases subsistence resources with her Dena’ina-style hood made from caribou hide, martin fun, fish skin and porcupine quills. Through their work, each artist carries forward kinship ties, connections to place and their way of living. A skin-sewing discussion will take place with artists on Saturday, July 6 at 5 p.m. Visit the gallery at bunnellarts.org.
Fireweed Gallery
475 E. Pioneer Ave.
“Ode to Fireweed and More”, Acrylic and watercolor paintings by Jan Peyton
Opening Reception, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Fireweed Gallery presents “Ode to Fireweed and More”, watercolor and acrylic paintings by Homer artist Jan Peyton. A longtime member of the Kachemak Bay Watercolor Society, Peyton is currently the president of the Society and has taught watercolor workshops locally, including through Kachemak Bay Campus. Her colorful paintings are intended to record Homer’s landscapes and seascapes through the seasons, and, as in this exhibit, showcase the community’s annual displays of magenta Fireweed. This show also features paintings that the artist had originally painted, set aside and now completed and “Ode to Fireweed and More” showcases a wide variety of styles, including traditional landscape paintings, wet on wet floral work as well as abstract pieces. Visit the gallery online at fireweedgallery.com.
Grace Ridge Brewing
870 Smoky Bay Way off Lake Street
“Art For the Wild Heart”, Acrylic paintings by Whitney Dahl
Opening Reception, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Grace Ridge Brewing presents “Art For the Wild Heart”, an exhibit of acrylic paintings by Whitney Dahl. Born in British Columbia, Canada, she has been a Homer resident since 2021. An outdoor enthusiast, she is inspired by nature and is the child of a father who is a professional sculptor and a mother who is a painter/poet. She was encouraged by her parents at a very young age to explore her creativity. Her love for vibrant colors and nature is captured in this “play of colors” collection. Exhibit is on display through July. Also taking place on First Friday is an original painting by Jen DePesa featuring a colorful peony flower that is also featured on label of the brewery’s peony-inspired beer on tap, a Grapefruit Hazy. Visit the brewery online at graceridgebrewing.com.
Homer Council on the Arts
355 W. Pioneer Ave.
“For Nancy – Celebrating the life we lived together and the art I made along the way”, Work by Leo Vait
Opening Reception, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Homer Council on the Arts presents a collection of work by Homer artist and sculptor Leo Vait, titled “For Nancy – celebrating the life we lived together and the art I made along the way”, dedicated to his late wife, Nancy. After her passing in 2022, Vait returned to his studio and rediscovered a collection of unfinished works that he had created over the course of their nearly 50 years together, finding solace in returning to the work he had begun during their marriage. Working primarily in found driftwood from Homer beaches, Vait’s work is reminiscent of the very Alaska landscape from which he sources his materials. Visit HCOA online at homerart.org.
Kindred Spirits Weaving Studio
Wildberry Homestead Cabin, Pioneer Ave. between Cosmic Thai and AC/DC Electric
Weavings by Lisa Talbott and Bonita Banks
Opening Reception 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Kindred Spirits Weaving Studio showcases the work of local weavers Lisa Talbott of Raven Fed Designs and Bonita Banks of sit.breathe.weave. Visitors to their working studio will find works-in-progress on multiple looms, along with completed luxury hand-woven products. Talbott’s work showcases color and texture with whimsical fringe and her own hand-spun wool and her scarves, blankets, and wall hangings inspired by the local environment are found displayed throughout the studio. Bank’s pieces bring a diversity of fiber, texture and pattern to her shawls, scarves, and baby blankets and tote bags composed of hand-woven fabric and leather. Both artists use fiber to create mixed media jewelry in fun and unique ways. Visit the weavers’ online at ravenfeddesigns.company.site and sbwhandwovens.com.
Pratt Museum
3779 Bartlett St.
“Inner Stellar”, Paintings by Marjorie Scholl
Gallery Reception, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Artist talk 5 p.m.
In the Main Gallery, the Pratt Museum continues to host “Inner Stellar”, paintings by Marjorie Scholl. A series of painted portraits of community members that are set in a forest of birch trees, each subject actively participated in the creation of their portrait, including sharing related personal anecdotes. As part of the series, Scholl includes a self-portrait to share her own journey. A Homer painter interested in depicting human relationships to our changing Earth, she examines complex social issues and shifting landscapes to challenge systemic inequalities and explore experiences of belonging. Scholl’s work has been exhibited throughout Alaska and the Pacific Northwest and she has created murals in public and private settings. Exhibit remains on display through September. Visit the Museum online at prattmuseum.org.
Ptarmigan Arts
471 E. Pioneer Ave.
Member Pop Up of watercolors, painted silks, woodworking, ceramics, quilts and oil paintings
Opening reception, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Ptarmigan Arts will hold a pop up of work by several of their co-op members, including Jennifer Chamberlain, Olga Amaral, Carolyn Seymour, Cindy Nelson, Kim Schuster, Laura Faeo, Carrie Reed and Lynn Marie Naden. Inspired by local peonies and summer botanicals, on display will be watercolors, painted silks, woodworking, ceramics, quilts and oil paintings. Pop up hours are Friday, July 5, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, July 6 and 7, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit the gallery online at ptarmiganarts.com.
The Dean Gallery
40374 Waterman Road
New Metal Art by Jeff Dean
Open 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. First Friday
The Dean Gallery is family-owned and features contemporary art by M’fanwy, Ranja, and Jeff Dean. This month, the gallery showcases one of Jeff’s current commissions, “Day Breeze”, a three-piece, 13-foot-long heat-colored steel engraving that features a view of the mountains and Kachemak Bay depicted as a nautical chart and complete with various local creatures. In the gallery, you’ll find intricately carved wood panels, bronze sculptures, metal and wood wall art, seed bead jewelry and specialty prints on metal, wood, and paper.
Visit them online at deangallery.com.
“Smooth Riders,” a painting by Whitney Dahl, is on display in her solo exhibit at Grace Ridge Brewing through July in Homer, Alaska. Photo provided by Grace Ridge Brewery
“Peonies,” a photograph on canvas by Edson Knapp in his exhibit, “Celebrating Peonies,” which includes images from his family’s peony farm, is on display at the Art Shop Gallery through July 2024 in Homer, Alaska. Photo provided by the Art Shop Gallery
Hand-painted silk by Lynn Marie Naden, one of several spring-inspired pieces of art in a variety of mediums by local artists, is on display at Ptarmigan Arts during their July First Friday weekend in Homer, Alaska. Photo provided by Ptarmigan Arts
“Day Breeze,” a three-piece, 13-foot-long heat-colored steel engraving is a commission in progress by Jeff Dean, currently on display at the Dean Gallery. Photo provided by The Dean Gallery
“Loon(er) Landing,” a spruce and colored concrete sculpture by Leo Vait is on display in his solo exhibit at Homer Council on the Arts through July. Photo provided by Homer Council on the Arts
Visitors to the Pratt Museum on Friday, June 7, 2024, take in “Inner Stellar,” paintings by Marjorie Scholl on display through September. Photo by Christina Whiting
