Emerald Art Center is a small Art Gall in Springfield, OR. Despite its small size, it does hold…read moresome very nice pieces of art. The people are very friendly and knowledgeable and are eager to answer any questions you may have.

Emerald art center is a small art center with an iconic mural right in front of the place. I picked…read moreup some art and took pictures with the Simpsons. In addition to that they give out an official Simpsons mural map. I recommend this art center to any art collector or Simpsons fan.

Located a short walk from campus, this arts center offers a variety of exhibits year round. A…read moresimple donation is asked for (on the honor system) when you walk in the door. Nice gift shop featuring the showcased artists work.

Cool place and friendly staff, they make you feel like family. I love the way they set up and…read moredisplay the artist works. It's easy to find and lots of parking.

The 2nd & Blair Artists Collective is an independent group of artists in the Whit who share studios…read morein the Historic Pierce Building, where they occasionally open to the public. The holidays are one of those times, and despite the heavy snow today, the galleries were open. Each of the little stores also functions as the studio space for the artist, so you can look around and see where the art is created. For the holiday events, they have free snacks and drinks, and they invite other artists to share the space with them. Today we mostly saw ceramics, painting, glasswork, jewelry, and modern art. The quality varied from 'quirky local' to some really high quality, beautiful pieces. The only thing I didn't care for was a mask with a bunch of George W. Bush faces on it, which was entitled "A Really Scarey Mask" I may be a Green Party voter who dislikes Bush as much as the next liberal, but that just seemed petty. I wouldn't buy from an artist who felt they had to make such cheap shots to gain the sympathy of the ultra liberal hippie community in Eugene. The other art was lovely though, I particularly enjoyed the work of Betsy Wolfston who makes paintings on ceramic. While the overwhelming theme was "Put A Bird On It", I found some very striking small landscape paintings of a slightly abstract nature. The smaller ones were mounted on wood, and only $50. They would make nice gifts, and I will likely return to get one next week. In short: Check it out whenever they open for special events, or get in touch with the artists directly to come see their work.

Ditch Projects is Eugene's artist-run contemporary art gallery. The University of Oregon has a good…read moreregional BFA and MFA program, and many of their artists and faculty show in the space. I have known their work when they showed in Portland galleries such as 1430 and RocksBox. The clean white space has gallery walls set up inside a vast industrial high ceiling building. For a large opening event, they had a coat check, beer and wine, and they have a small selection of printed matter for sale. They have limited hours and are only open select months of the year. Their regular hours and events are on their website and socials. You can contact them to visit by appointment other times in their season. On my visit was the thesis show by UO MFA students. AI-generated video was in evidence along with mixed media sculpture. It is in the Booth-Kelly Makers District. Part is an industrial area East of the Willamette and South of downtown on the wrong side of the tracks in a good way. Before Homer Simpson and the nuclear plant, the Booth-Kelly lumber mill was a major employer, from 1901 when they bought the Springfield Mill, to 1931 when they closed as a result of the Great Depression. In the industrial part here is also a large brick building which was the biomass electricity plant that ran the mill and Eugene-Springfield. The city parks school buses. School buses when parked seek the most basic real estate to minimize school budgets. So if you are looking for cheap space, they are a good indicator. The Booth-Kelly trail starts there. The entire project is owned and operated by the City to host and incubate small businesses. The parking is gravel, so you already know NW puddles. Wear appropriate footwear. The lots are clean and the buildings keep up with waste collection. Ditch Projects is the Springfield-Eugene nonprofit contemporary art gallery. There is enough space for the work to breathe. If you visit Eugene, they would be a good resource on local contemporary visual art.

Urban Artisan has fun workshops. I've been to a few and enjoy them each time. It's a relaxed and…read morefun atmosphere, you can buy drinks there. Instruction is friendly and supportive for those of us less creatives, still needing an outlet. The variety of classes is good- just have to find what interests you. Pricing is fair. Website is informative and it's easy to sign up.

We recruited some friends and the four of us went to Urban Artisan to create our own charcuterie…read moreboards. Megan and Ava welcomed us in and took us to our stations. There, we found our blank untreated cutting boards with our pre selected stencils. This is a very well run and organized crafts shop. An entertaining class for the uncrafty novices as well as the seasoned pro. There is coffee and some wine available as well as soft drinks. Megan is an excellent instructor who is clear and concise as well as helpful and patient. We were walked through the application of our stencils and inks as well as the treatment and sealing of our boards. Then Megan from Charcuterie Boards & Grazing Tables took over and brought out our boxes of cheeses, crackers, fruits and goodies. We were taught how to display and arrange these foods in an artful manner on our boards. We really enjoyed the creative aspect of taking simple household items and arranging them into an outstanding and tempting display. It was a great night out for the Mrs and I and our friends had an entertaining night as well. Full Disclosure, this is actually my 2nd time doing this at this location.

I have been to two of these events from Creatrix now and I can't wait to do more!!…read more My level of drawing/painting is somewhere in the stick figure range yet somehow I have two awesome paintings hanging in my house done by ME!! It really is such a fun night. Grab some friends, have fun, drink wine, and play with paint. I can't tell you how nice it was to get out of my comfort zone and do something different! Celeste is a fantastic instructor. She is so encouraging and inspiring! She goes at your pace and helps you if you mess up. Can't wait to do the next one. The hubs even wants to come this time!

A friend and I spent 2 hours hand building at Daniels Family Pottery this morning. Leonie provided…read moreclay and casual instruction, and Sterling the family dog sat at our feet as we happily sculpted and massaged the cool lumps laid before us. It was perfect. They also work with kids, instruct multiple potting techniques, and produce their own products sold in galleries and on etsy. I highly recommend some time here if you're looking for a creative outlet.

Daniels Family Pottery was a wonderful find when I first relocated to Eugene. I actually stayed at…read moretheir cute Airbnb for a week when I first arrived. During that time I was able to watch Steve, the owner, make pottery while chatting with him about his work. He has shelves of pottery that he and his students have made and even the Airbnb itself had some of his pieces. He was very patient and friendly with many years of experience to teach from. You can do private lessons with him to learn how to throw pots on the wheel. You can also purchase his work if you would like some beautiful pottery of your own. If you have family in town and want to give them a friendly Eugene experience you should check out his Airbnb too!

Great little venue in the Whit. Music, burlesque, and workshops. Nice intimate space to see good…read moremusic. Little bar up front with local libations and reasonably priced cocktails and mocktails. Fun place to see and support local artists!