MENDOCINO COUNTY, CA, 9/30/22 – Fall is in the air at the First Friday art walks in Fort Bragg and Ukiah on October 7. This month’s exhibits reflect the autumnal season with musical mushrooms, cozy textiles, and Day of the Dead activities.
First Friday art walks are held in historic downtown Ukiah and Fort Bragg the evening of the first Friday of each month. Galleries and museums open their doors to the public, for free, often offering live music, beer and wine, and special activities to complement the art works presented.
Here are our picks for what not to miss during October’s First Friday tour.
Fort Bragg
It’s never a dull moment at the Larry Spring Museum, and First Friday is no exception when artist-in-residence Tosca Terán performs. “Midnight Mushroom Music with Nanotopia” features audio and visual contributions produced by mycelium, a type of fungus, with additional instrumentation by Tosca Terán. It’s bound to be a surreal evening with doors opening at 6 p.m. Tempeh burgers and mushroom-centric food and beverages will be available for purchase.
Pacific Textile Arts will host a preview of its annual Fiber Fair & Textile Bazaar. Fabric freaks flock to the annual sale for handmade clothing, textile art, and art supplies. Edgewater Gallery’s featured artist, Neno Villamor, will exhibit her handmade cast paper work including Day of the Dead inspired cat sculptures. Both events are from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Ukiah
Embracing the darker themes that October is known for, the Deep Valley Collective will host an evening at Medium Art Gallery that explores the delicate balance of life and death. A juried group exhibition “Momento Mori” will “explore the inevitability of death and its impact on us all” with accompanying live music. Attendees are invited to make a paper flower or bring their own offering to remember the dead on a community altar. Learn more here.
The Grace Hudson Museum & Sun House will weave contemporary and traditional Pomo art with a pop-up exhibition featuring works by Kathleen Smith and the Pomo Weavers Society from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Guests can try their hand at making traditional dolls from tule, a plant harvested from the Museum’s Wild Gardens. It’s also a great opportunity to explore the Museum’s current exhibit, “Gathering Time: Pomo Art During the Pandemic.”
The Ukiah Branch Library showcases the watercolors of Hispanic artist Alexandrea Villarreal in the exhibit “Mixed Reflections” from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The event includes music by Jay West and guests can participate in a sugar skull painting activity. Inspired by David Hockney and Matisse, Polly Palecek’s show “Single Handed, Double Fisted,” opens at Corner Gallery at Art Center Ukiah. The opening is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and features music by Elizabeth McDougal.
