First Friday art exhibit openings

As more Alaskans get vaccinated for COVID-19, local galleries are reopening cautiously. The Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival opens today, so it’s no accident that many shows feature birds or wildlife.

Topping the list is the festival’s Art and Adventure Auction now on exhibit at The Bagel Shop on East End Road. See shorebird artist Oceana Wills’ painting of ruddy turnstones that was used for the festival guide cover, poster and clothing apparel. The show also includes the 6-inch-by-6-inch show of shorebird art, available by sale through an online auction.

Other artists painting birds as subjects include Dan Coe, showing at the Art Shop Gallery, and E.M. Remme at Grace Ridge Brewery. The Homer Council on the Art invited artists to contribute to “Maritime Art of Kachemak and Bristol Bays.” Kim Schuster considers marine life for her assembled wood sculptures at Ptarmigan Arts.

A special treat is the Window Walk at Paul Bank Elementary School. In lieu of its annual Arts Extravaganza, student artists have displayed art in the front windows of the school. The exhibit runs through Sunday, May 9.

Art Shop Gallery

202 W. Pioneer Ave.

Celebrating Shorebirds, by Dan Coe

5-7 p.m., First Friday Opening Reception

Homer artist Dan Coe shows two new original acrylics painted on wood that represent bird habitat and diversity.

The Bagel Shop

3745 East End Road

Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival Art Show by Oceana Wills and other artists

Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival featured artist Oceanna Wills shows her work as well. Also shown are 6-inch-by-6-inch shorebird art from other artists and items in the festival’s Art and Adventure Auction.

Bunnell Street Arts Center

106 W. Bunnell Ave.

Paintings by Gail Priday and ceramic art by Jeff Szarzi

6 p.m., First Friday virtual tour and artists’ talk via Zoom

Of her work, Gail Priday writes, “I am especially interested in the features of the northern forest that might be overlooked if I were to move through too quickly.”

Homer ceramic artist Jeff Szarzi writes of his work, “ My pottery is for use in the home and is inspired by nature. My love for the natural world was sparked in my adolescence working at a local Michigan nature preserve.”

Fireweed Gallery

475 E. Pioneer Ave.

Kachemak Bay Watercolor Society show

Open 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday

Fireweed Gallery hosts the annual Kachemak Bay Watercolor Society show of new work by member artists.

Grace Ridge Brewery

3388 B. Street off Ocean Drive

New work by E.M. Remme

5-7 p.m., First Friday Opening Reception

Anchorage artist E.M. Remme is an abstract oil painter from Anchorage, Alaska. For this exhibit, her work celebrates sandhill cranes.

Homer Council on the Arts

355 W. Pioneer Ave.

Maritime Art of Kachemak and Bristol Bays

5-7 p.m., First Friday Opening Reception

There is a a First Friday opening, but COVID-19 safety measures remain in place: no refreshments, face masks required and limited capacity.

Ptarmigan Arts Back Room Gallery

471 E. Pioneer Ave.

Pop-up show by Kim Schuster

First Friday reception 5-8 p.m.; on display 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, May 7, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 8.

Homer artist Kim Schuster holds a two-day pop-up show of her intricate assembled wood sculptures .

Pratt Museum

3779 Bartlett St.

Finding Home in Homer

4-6 p.m. First Friday

The Pratt Museum holds a reception for its new show, Finding Home in Homer,.

Paul Banks Elementary School

1340 East End Road

Window Walk show

Through Sunday, May 9

In lieu of its annual Art Extravaganza, Paul Banks Elementary has a student art show, its Window Walk. The show is an outside window walk along the front windows of the school. Each student from Pre-K to second grade has art displayed and some students have artist statements with their art. Please visit after 2:30 p.m. after school hours on Thursday and Friday.

Gail Priday’s paintings are on view starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Bunnell Street Arts Center in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Bunnell Street Arts Center)

Gail Priday’s paintings are on view starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Bunnell Street Arts Center in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Bunnell Street Arts Center)

Gail Priday’s paintings are on view starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Bunnell Street Arts Center in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Bunnell Street Arts Center)

Gail Priday’s paintings are on view starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Bunnell Street Arts Center in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Bunnell Street Arts Center)

Jeff Szarzi’s pottery is on view starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Bunnell Street Arts Center in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Bunnell Street Arts Center)

Jeff Szarzi’s pottery is on view starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Bunnell Street Arts Center in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Bunnell Street Arts Center)

jeff Szarzi’s pottery is on view starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Bunnell Street Arts Center in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Bunnell Street Arts Center)

jeff Szarzi’s pottery is on view starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Bunnell Street Arts Center in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Bunnell Street Arts Center)

E.M. Remme’s sandhill crane paintings go on display starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Grace Ridge Brewery in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Grace Ridge Brewery)

E.M. Remme’s sandhill crane paintings go on display starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Grace Ridge Brewery in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Grace Ridge Brewery)

E.M. Remme’s sandhill crane paintings go on display starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Grace Ridge Brewery in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Grace Ridge Brewery)

E.M. Remme’s sandhill crane paintings go on display starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Grace Ridge Brewery in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Grace Ridge Brewery)

E.M. Remme’s sandhill crane paintings go on display starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Grace Ridge Brewery in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Grace Ridge Brewery)

E.M. Remme’s sandhill crane paintings go on display starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Grace Ridge Brewery in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Grace Ridge Brewery)

Apayo Moore’s painting is part of the Homer Council on the Arts’ Maritime Art show opening Friday, May 7, 2021, at the gallery in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Homer Council on the Arts)

Apayo Moore’s painting is part of the Homer Council on the Arts’ Maritime Art show opening Friday, May 7, 2021, at the gallery in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Homer Council on the Arts)

Tim Troll’s “Drifting off Flounder Flats” is part of the Homer Council on the Arts’ Maritime Art show opening Friday, May 7, 2021, at the gallery in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Homer Council on the Arts)

Tim Troll’s “Drifting off Flounder Flats” is part of the Homer Council on the Arts’ Maritime Art show opening Friday, May 7, 2021, at the gallery in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Homer Council on the Arts)

Kim Schuster’s art goes on display starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Ptarmigan Arts in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Ptarmigan Arts)

Kim Schuster’s art goes on display starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Ptarmigan Arts in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Ptarmigan Arts)

Kim Schuster’s art goes on display starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Ptarmigan Arts in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Ptarmigan Arts)

Kim Schuster’s art goes on display starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Ptarmigan Arts in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Ptarmigan Arts)

Kim Schuster’s art goes on display starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Ptarmigan Arts in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Ptarmigan Arts)

Kim Schuster’s art goes on display starting Friday, May 7, 2021, at Ptarmigan Arts in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Ptarmigan Arts)

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