No disrespect to the abstract pile of greasy pizza boxes or architecturally sound beer can pyramid, but the typical college living space is often devoid of visual art. But, a visit to an art gallery is an affordable way to stir your visual senses.
While the University’s own Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art will not open until January 2005, many opportunities exist to experience great local, national and international art without straying far from the University area.
Located east of campus at 1910 E. 15th Ave., the Maude Kerns Art Center is Eugene’s only nonprofit community organization for the visual arts. The gallery is housed in a late 19th century church and features a wide variety of juried-in local, national and international exhibits.
The center also periodically features works by founder and namesake Maude Kerns. According to Publicity Coordinator Marsha Shankman, the center owns roughly 70 pieces of Kerns’ work, many showcasing the late artist’s involvement in non-objective painting. The center also features instructor-led classes and open studio sessions for figure drawing, painting and sculpting.
A short bus ride from campus, downtown Eugene is home to 16 galleries and businesses showcasing visual art. Most are located along a several-block stretch of Willamette Street called the gallery district.
A great introduction to this vibrant area is the Lane Arts Council’s First Friday Artwalk, held year-round on the first Friday of each month.
This guided tour of downtown galleries and arts attractions is a “free opportunity for community members to experience the visual arts in downtown Eugene,” said Chelsea Cannon, arts program assistant at the Lane Arts Council.
The tour offers free wine and food, and a self-guided tour is a viable option as well. Three galleries located within a one-block radius are easy to locate and are not to be missed.
Situated in the lower level of the Hult Center at 7th and Willamette, the Jacob’s Gallery serves as an anchor to the downtown art scene. It showcases local and regional artists and each year holds the Mayor’s Art Show, which features an array of artwork created by artists residing in Lane County.
A half block south is the White Lotus Gallery. Located in the old Smeede Hotel building at 767 Willamette St., it specializes in 20th century Asian art. The collection features many Asian artists who have been awarded prizes in national and international competitions.
The gallery also offers a large collection of contemporary Chinese prints ranging from realistic illustrations of the Suzhou landscape to abstract expressions in the Zen tradition, a selection of contemporary ceramics, antique furniture and Asian artifacts.
“Hopefully we have something for everybody,”
said Dick Easley, who owns the gallery with wife
Hue-Ping Lin.
Across the street is the Karen Clarke Gallery. It features recent and past works by owner Karen Clarke’s parents, acclaimed Oregon painters Mark Clarke and Margaret Coe.
The gallery also features changing exhibitions of contemporary and historical work. A majority of the artists represented have shown widely in Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Joshua Lintereur is a freelance reporter for the Emerald.