Arts and Entertainment

First Friday: Spotlight on Anchorage artists

Here's the short list of First Friday events set for Sept. 7 around Anchorage.

Anchorage Museum of History and Art

Da-Ka-Xeen Mehner's solo exhibition, Finding My Song, opens Sept. 7. The artist will be on hand during the Museum's First Friday "Artist on the Floor" reception which begins at 6 p.m. Admission is free.

Additionally, and if you haven't had time to catch The Museum's much discussed exhibit True North, this is the last weekend to do so. After Sept. 8, True North: Contemporary Art of the Circumpolar North will phase out in order to make room for the world famous traveling exhibit Body World, which plans to open to the public on Sept. 28 and run through the first week of January 2013.

Downtown

Alaska Native Arts Foundation (500 W. 6th Ave) will hold an opening reception for emerging jewelry and silver artists Allie High, Eve Mendenhall, Norman Natkong, Jr. and Benjamin Schleifman from 5 to 8 p.m.

International gallery of Contemporary Art (427 D. St): A First Friday reception, beginning at 5:30 and running until 7:30, will honor Heather Layton, Ted Kincaid and the Alaska Quarterly Review at 30.

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Alaska Experience Theater (333 W. 4th Ave) gives you "Ties that Bind: From Marionettes to Toys" an instillation by puppeteer Buzz Schwall.

The Upstairs Studio's (406 G. St. Suite 109) in house artist Sioux Blackledge, Darlene Cullor, Zaynab Falconer, Carol Lambert, Marlee Mitchell, Katie Way and Dallas Wildeve will show along side Meg Goodman and Stephanie Fields for the Studio's last show. The event starts at 5 p.m.

If you're feeling the need for something a little different, head to Snow City Cafe (1034 W. 4th Ave.) and check out paintings by Marianne Elson Griffith, music from SJ Stephens and light appetizers. Reception begins at 5:30 and goes until 8 p.m.

The Alaska Humanities Forum (161 East 1st Avenue, Door 15) "When Crab Was King: Faces of the Kodiak King Crab Fishery 1950-1982" will hold a First Friday opening reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Elsewhere in Anchorage

The University of Alaska Anchorage's Student Union Gallery (3211 Providence Dr., room 218) will display Emily Longbrak's ceramics.

Alaska Pacific University presents the art of Jean Lester, Darleen Masiak and Mary Lee Guthrie at the Leah J. Peterson Gallery in the Carr Gottstein building. While Heidi Banach's "Plays Well With Glass" will be featured at the ConocoPhillips Gallery in Grant Hall (410 University Drive). Receptions for the artists are scheduled for 5:30 until 7 p.m.

Midnight Sun Brewing Co. (8111 Diamond Hook Dr.) presents First Firkin Friday featuring the taste of a unique Full Curl Scotch Ale for local enjoyment. Beer tapping begins at 5 p.m.

Middle Way Cafe (1300 W. Northern Lights Blvd.) hosts a group fiber artist show featuring Linda Weatherwax, Jan Ingram, Akiko Sugimoto, Nancy Tileson, and Wendy Smith Wood.

If you feel like Tap Root, Northbound Productions presents Jack River Kings at 9 p.m. Come prepared, expect a $7 cover.

Correction: this story originally reported that the Alaska Native Arts Foundation will feature Lena Amason and Anna Nelson's exhibit "Kitoi to Sitkalida," this is not the case. ANAF is in fact presenting the silver and jewelry work of five emerging Alaska Native artists.

Craig Medred

Craig Medred is a former writer for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch and Alaska Dispatch News. He left the ADN in 2015.

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