Tag: Eureka

Artsy Spot: North Coast Open Studios & Eureka ArtsAlive

Every weekend Mr. F and I stay at home ( in other words, no camping or backpacking on the agenda ), we say we’re going to have a relaxing, chill weekend. But lately, our weekends around home have been anything but slow and this weekend was no exception! After a yummy breakfast in Arcata Saturday morning, we attended the Sustainable Living Expo– gotta get some ideas for the artsy dream home we’re saving our pennies for!

I try to take advantage of our weekends in town to do something artsy and lucky for me, this weekend we were able to take in not only a few stops along the North Coast Open Studios tour, but this month’s ArtsAlive in Eureka.

peggy loudon studio

peggy loudon studio

In addition to Peggy Loudon’s studio ( check out her website, stunning ceramics! ), we also took a peek into the studios of Libby George, who was kind enough to give me some pastel tips, and mixed media artist and painter Natalie Craig.

After a little rest, we headed down to Old Town for Eureka’s monthly ArtsAlive event. We were able to hit a few studios and galleries before meeting up with one of Mr. F’s coworkers for a drink.

lori goodman at piante

sheldon skillie at the black faun

The work of both these artists intrigued me with their references to ancient cultures– Bhutanese for Goodman, Native American Haida for Skillie. To reference aboriginal culture and customs in modern interpretations give me hope that these old traditions won’t be forgotten. And this busy but artsy weekend won’t be far from my own memory for a long time yet! Next weekend– hoping to get some painting time in!

All images are by Artsy Forager.

June 10, 2014
Artsy Happening: April Arts Alive! in Eureka

You guys, we are loving our new little town so much! Since we arrived, everyone’s been telling me how many artists there are here in Eureka and that we must check out the monthly art walk, ArtsAlive. It was a perfect, beautiful evening and it seemed like everyone in Humboldt County was in downtown Eureka, enjoying the spectacular weather and taking it all in.

I knew there were a few galleries I needed to check out but what I didn’t know was that so there were so many artists with studios downtown and a great many of them were open that night! I do so love a peek inside artists’ studios! After checking out the mesmerizing work of Isabelle Staehle at The Black Faun, we wandered through the studios & Hall Gallery at C Street. Large, high ceilinged, open beam studios with tons of light? Yes, please. Mr. F asked if I would like a studio like one of these.. uh yeah, let’s find a way to make that happen! Lots of people wandering through the halls, and a nice variety of work to be found, from abstract expressionist to folk art inspired to traditional landscapes. Truly a cornucopia of artsiness!

studio of Augustus Clark

We also wandered through the studios at the Center for Insane Artists. How could we resist checking it out with a name like that? Alas, I’ve been unable to find any info for them online. But a handful of the studios were open, some interesting work to be found there, for sure!

Next stop was Piante Gallery‘s show Metal Pin Cushion featuring work by Sondra Schwetman and Patrick Williams, addressing the process and physicality of fabric.

My favorite stop was First Street Gallery, HSU’s non-profit, off campus art gallery. No cameras were allowed, but I HAD to share these shows with you, so I pulled images from their website. Currently, the exhibition space is broken up into two shows, one featuring the work of artist and Stanford University professor Gail Wight, on loan from Patricia Sweetow Gallery. Wight’s work is an elegant combination of beauty and science, her burned vellum drawings inspired by a 1948 pharmacological study of spiders and her composite digital prints, all drew my eye with their intricate simplicity.

gail wight

The other half of the gallery was taken over by three North Coast artists, Seana Burden, Jeff Jordan, and Jesse Wiedel in their group exhibition, Laughter in Darkness. The works of these three artists combine traditional landscape and dream-like imagery often providing commentary on contemporary culture. I was especially drawn to Burden’s “Boob” paintings in which she creates a fantastical land in which all the subversive messages we are sent each day are much more blatant.

seana burden, jesse wiedel, and jeff jordan

Like most good art walks, we weren’t able to get to everything, but what we did see gave Mr. F and I lots to chat about over a glass of wine ( or 3! ) at the end of the night. I hope you’ll check out the websites of these artists and galleries– so much wonderful talent in this area. I feel so lucky to be here, even if for just a short while.

Gail Wight, Seana Burden, Jesse Wiedel and Jeff Jordan images via HSU website. All other images by Artsy Forager.

April 9, 2014
Artsy Spot: Sewell Gallery

The forecast for last Saturday in Eureka was cloudy and rainy, so Mr. F and I planned to spend a leisurely day drinking coffee and catching up on work in a downtown coffee shop. And we did, for a few hours.. until we noticed that the rain didn’t seem to be coming and the sun was shining! So we decided ditched work to spend the afternoon doing a little more exploring around Old Town Eureka. We tasted grains at the local brew shop, browsed a dusty antique shop and a fun little vintage clothing boutique. As we were about to grab a burger & hit up Mr. F’s favorite Eureka watering hole, I spotted an open sign at Sewell Gallery and was so pleased at what we found inside.

Sewell Gallery exclusively features the work of Humboldt County artists and showcases some of the best the region has to offer in a large and inviting space. The current show, up for just a few more days, features the work of textile artist April Sproule . She creates these amazingly intricate contemporary quilt designs– I was especially drawn to the graphic quality found in her monochromatic work.

quilt by April Sproule, sculpture by Conrad Calimpong

April Sproule quilt details

In addition to the featured exhibition, Mr. F and I found a wide range of mediums and styles to peruse. We both loved these ceramic pieces by Shannon Sullivan— gorgeously crafted and temptingly priced!

ceramics by Shannon Sullivan

Of course, you know I can’t resist abstract paintings and these two were calling to me across the sunlit gallery..

details of work by Leslie Price [ top ] and Victoria Ryan [ bottom ]

It was just the perfect day to wander through a gallery! We’ll definitely be putting Sewell on our list of places to stop in occasionally.

It’s looking pretty likely that Mr. F and I could be in Eureka at least through the summer and I’m more excited about that prospect than ever. With the largest concentration of artists per capita in all of California, Humboldt County has so much to offer and discover!

If you ever happen to be in Eureka, make sure to put in a stop at Sewell Gallery! Coming up Saturday is my first Eureka Arts Alive event. Stay tuned for more on that next week!

Exterior gallery image via Sewell Gallery on Facebook. All other images by Artsy Forager.

April 1, 2014