Friday's snowstorm may have deterred rational folk from making the First Friday art openings, but several exhibits should be caught as the weather improves.
The premier show right now is undoubtedly the big solo exhibit of work by Preston Singletary now on display at the Anchorage Museum. Singletary was in town for the opening reception and several museum events Saturday. But he also found time to drop by Boreal Traditions in the Hotel Captain Cook, which has carried his work for a long time.
Singletary shared the museum reception with photographer Tim Remick, whose giant photos of climbers returning from the summit of Mount McKinley will also be on display through April.
More glass art can be found at Artique Ltd., 314 G St., which hosted a reception for Tom and Carol Lewando, Keeper North and several other Alaska glass artists (plus one from Oregon). The curious may be particularly interested in the work of North, of Anchorage, who has been receiving a lot of praise at shows outside Alaska.
The opposite of all this luminescence can be found at Alaska Pacific University, where James Behlke has some serious charcoal canvases. Behlke is best-known for sprawling Alaska landscapes that rival Sydney Laurence's stuff. In "Day and Night" he contrasts the charcoal images with landscape photos taken at night; little strips of white in the sky indicate the long exposure times. The result is too dark to show up well in newsprint, but appear distinct and impressive in person.
Also at APU, Unalaska artist Carolyn Reed has a show replete with Chagall-like symbolism, images like a robed figure framed by what might be ladders in a traditional Aleut dwelling and two humpish forms that may be background but resemble wings.
More night photography, specifically the work of Don Mohr, is on display at the International Gallery of Contemporary Art, 427 D St. But the foremost attraction there for the First Friday crowd was the static display of wearable art modeled at last week's "Object Runway" event. If you missed that party, get an up-close gander during the month of February.
Reach Mike Dunham at mdunham@adn.com or 257-4332.
By MIKE DUNHAM
Anchorage Daily News