During April, the artwork featured in local galleries has been created by Homer artists as young as pre-kindergarten and as old as, well, who knows. Never mind snow that continues to fall, the calendar says it’s spring. And, while Covid precautions continue to shape how and when art can be viewed safely, there’s no stopping the creative spirit. Just remember to have your mask handy and maintain a safe distance from other gallery visitors.
Homer Council on the Arts and Grace Ridge Brewery are the only galleries to be hosting open First Friday evening receptions this month. Bunnell Street Art Center’s First Friday artist talk is being held via Zoom. The Pratt holds a reception, but with limited attendance by reservation. All other galleries listed below can be visited during their regular hours.
McKibben Jackinsky is a retired journalist and a freelance reporter living in Homer.
Bunnell Street Arts Center
106 W. Bunnell Ave.
Artist’s talk by Amy Schubert
6 p.m., First Friday artists talk via Zoom
Hours: Monday by appointment, Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Artist-in-residence Amy Schubert’s multi-media puppetry takes center stage in this Old Town gallery during April, beginning with a First Friday artist’s talk via Zoom at 6 p.m. Friday. Schubert’s exhibit is focused on “lost-ness,” giving special attention to Homer resident’s relationship to landscape in a time of climate instability and rising sea levels.
“I create objects to grapple with the philosophical quandaries life presents: How does one cope with anxiety on an individual, communal and global level?” Schubert writes. She explores responses to that and related questions through an interdisciplinary approach varying in method and material.
To register for the Zoom talk, visit Bunnell’s web site, www.bunnellarts.org.
Fireweed Gallery
475 E. Pioneer Ave.
From the Sea, art by various artists
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Saturday noon-5 p.m
With Homer’s toes dipping into Kachemak Bay and the air tinged with a savory salty smell, Fireweed’s many in-store artists have been invited during April to showcase existing pieces that fit the theme “From the Sea.” Expect to discover mediums of marine origin — rocks and sand, for example — as well as creations inspired by the area’s watery environs and the creatures that live beneath the surface. An evening event isn’t scheduled, so be sure to stop by during the gallery’s regular hours.
Grace Ridge Brewery
3388 B. Street off Ocean Drive
Fantasy Dreamscapes, by Tyler Schlieman
5-7 p.m., First Friday Opening Reception
Outdoor seating daily, 3 p.m.-7 p.m.
Curbside pickup available; call 435-0601 to order.
Perhaps you met Tyler Schlieman at Fika: Coffee Friends, a coffee booth at Homer Farmers Market, or heard his weekly radio show Planet Dream on KBBI. Now you can meet Tyler Schlieman the artist through a collection of paintings dubbed “Fantasy Dreamscapes.” Described by Schlieman as “a conglomeration of cosmic rapture and grounded utilitarianism, exemplified by the canvas that I paint on,” the canvas being mostly plywood. The weathered wood’s natural knots, twists and waves serve as Schlieman’s muse, the created scapes “teeter on the familiar and unfamiliar, the terrestrial and the alien.” Schlieman studied poetry at the University of Washington, handmade and self-published two books of poetry, and has no formal training in visual art, “mostly years of making mistakes and trying again.” COVID-19 safety restrictions apply, including mask wearing.
Homer Council on the Arts
355 W. Pioneer Ave.
Jubilee: Celebrating Youth in the Arts
5-7 p.m., First Friday Opening Reception
Hours Monday-Friday, 1-5 p.m.
At a time when so much has changed, it’s good to know at least one thing hasn’t: Homer Council on the Arts’ annual Jubilee: Celebrating Youth in the Arts, a tribute to the community’s younger artists in grades pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. It kicks off with a First Friday reception with Covid safety measures in place: no refreshments, masks required, capacity limited.
Speaking of youth, in conjunction with the Jubilee exhibit, HCOA has applications available for the Youth Summer Fine Arts Scholarships. The opportunity is open to Homer-area students in grades 6-11 and supports continued arts education during summer months. For more information, visit homerart.org/calendar/scholarship.
Ptarmigan Arts Back Room Gallery
471 E. Pioneer Ave.
Ptarmigan Arts Scholarship Fund show
Hours: Thursday-Monday, 11a.m.-5 p.m.
Step into Ptarmigan Arts Back Room Gallery to view artwork donated in support of Ptarmigan Arts Scholarship Fund. The wide-ranging mediums include fiber and photos, cast paper and paintings, leather and wood, and more.
The gallery began the scholarship program 25 years ago as a way to give back to this arts-supporting community and to help youth interested in visual arts. The scholarship is available to local high school juniors and seniors. In past years funds were raised through a silent auction. Covid restrictions have changed that, however. Instead, the artwork is for sale. One hundred percent of sales from these items benefit the Ptarmigan Arts Scholarship Fund, administered by the Homer Fund.
Pratt Museum
3779 Bartlett St.
Familiar Faces: Portraits of Community
4-7 p.m. First Friday reception
Fun, family, and friendly describes Pratt Museum’s First Friday Covid-safe event. It’s free and open to the public. Outside, enjoy live music, arts and crafts, free hotdogs and lemonade. Inside, viewers can experience the museum’s current exhibit, “Familiar Faces: Portraits of Community,” while youngsters enjoy the museum’s reading nook. Bring a family photo to leave at the museum for inclusion in Pratt’s community portrait.
Don’t forget to wear a mask. Space is limited and RSVP required. To reserve a spot, go to eventbrite.com/e/first-friday-at-the-pratt-tickets-147688128167.
Art by Tyler Schlieman on exhibit at Grace Ridge Brewery. (Photo courtesy Grace Ridge Brewery)
Bunnell Street Arts Center Artist in Residence Amy Schubert in one of her multi-media puppetry shows. (Photo courtesy of Bunnell Street Arts Center)
Art by Tyler Schlieman on exhibit at Grace Ridge Brewery. (Photo courtesy Grace Ridge Brewery)
Elora Thoning’s art in the Jubilee Youth Art Show at the Homer Counicl on the Arts. (Photo courtesy Homer Council on the Arts)
Feodora Reutov’s art in the Jubilee Youth Art Show at the Homer Counicl on the Arts. (Photo courtesy Homer Council on the Arts)
Ruby Gervais’ art in the Jubilee Youth Art Show at the Homer Counicl on the Arts. (Photo courtesy Homer Council on the Arts)
Sabre Wilmeth’s art in the Jubilee Youth Art Show at the Homer Counicl on the Arts. (Photo courtesy Homer Council on the Arts)
Dee Wilmeth’s art in the Jubilee Youth Art Show at the Homer Counicl on the Arts. (Photo courtesy Homer Council on the Arts)
