With all of its art galleries, artistic organizations and art classes, Eugene is a wonderful place for art lovers to live. Artwork ranges from glass-blowing to photography to murals on street walls. Today, the Eugene-based New Zone Art Collective is making its way to The Buzz coffee shop and the Aperture Gallery, located in the EMU.
According to its Web site, the New Zone Art Collective has been around for more than 20 years and is a nonprofit organization committed to presenting and encouraging the education and development of local artists and art students.
“They’re all community members and do many things for the community,” UO Cultural Forum Event Coordinator Erica Rothman said. “Not only are they a nonprofit organization bringing new experimental art to Eugene and the surrounding areas, but they also have an educational side.”
Although this won’t be the first time the artists have displayed work at the University, it has been years since their last showing, and they’re eager to reconnect with students.
“This is a wonderful experience for the collective,” New Zone President Peter Herley said. “Getting the diversity of the students who will see the work every day and the interaction with the students is great. We haven’t had this kind of interaction since we left our space on Broadway, where we had a really good ongoing relationship with the students of the University. We hope to bring that back.”
With a membership of about fifty Eugene-area artists, the New Zone Art Collective ranges from realistic painting to abstract art and everything in between.
“I’m amazed by the depth that their collection brings,” Rothman said. “They have many media represented and I think that the show at The Buzz coffee shop will be very diverse.”
One goal that both the UO Cultural Forum and the New Zone Art Collective hope to meet is for students and community members to come to the opening of the show at 5 p.m. today in The Buzz. Art-lovers are encouraged to attend the opening, where light refreshments will be provided by the Cultural Forum.
“The New Zone has a very sizable following throughout the community,” Rothman said. “But hopefully the art will draw more students so we can have a nice mingling of both community members and UO students.”
The New Zone Art Collective would like to achieve another goal with the help of the community.
“Our future goal is to get our own space (to put up work),” Herley said. “Anyone who wants to help finance or be a patron is more than welcome to contact us by visiting our Web site at www.newzone.org.”
New Zone’s art collection will be available for viewers to enjoy in The Buzz and the Aperture Gallery throughout November.
“We’re looking forward to this show,” Herley said. “It’s going to be fun.”

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