First Friday Art Walk

Join us for an evening of art, music and community.

Laura Arbogast (@artofherown) – Abstract + realist painter, with a temporary tattoo station

Bonnie Lindstrom (@bonnellspastels) – Fort Collins pastel artist bringing the healing power of nature in a live demo (you can even try pastel!)

Laura Resau (@lauraresau) – Award-winning local author of The Alchemy of Flowers 🌸 (6:30pm reading)

Live Bluegrass Music starting at 7pm with Dave Jensen (@david.jensen.10) and Ian Foster (@ianfostermusic)

As always, we will have in store discounts on retail and flowers!

Artist: Vivian Lynn
Exhibition Title: VIVLYNN Art - Landscape Dreaming
Gallery: Gallery A
Exhibition Statement:  "People interested in art recognize that every brush stroke of Renoir, Seurat, Kathleen Petyarre, Clifford Possum, to name a few, use each stroke or dab of their brush, to put together the parts of a story, a powerful story. I've studied these artist, and many more in my decades as a designer, painter, artist. In my many years living in Australia I became a student of Aboriginal art and folklore and my current work is now heavily influence by this concept of using a brush stroke, a point of paint, to create the work in this exhibition. Perhaps a new take on pointillism. My inspiration comes from photos from space, the natural world around us and the graphic lines in our urban landscape."

Artist: Northern Colorado Artist
Exhibition Title: Northern Colorado Artist Fall Show
Photo Credit: "Cottonwoods in the Snow"
Gallery: Gallery B & C
Exhibition Reception: September 5, 2025, 4pm - 6pm, featuring a demonstration in pastel by the current President of the Pastel Society of Colorado, Jeannette Stutzmann of Evergreen, CO at 4pm
Exhibition Statement: "Northern Colorado Artists are presenting a show of local art, much of it from Plein Air painting in local areas. The show features 18 artists with a variety of media; pastel, oil, acrylic and watercolor of northern Colorado scenes.

Artists will be demonstrating their techniques on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Awards will be announced on Friday September 5, 2025 at 6pm.

Lisa Nevot is a seasoned member of the creative arts industry.

With a career spanning just shy of 4 decades Lisa has run a business fashioned to suit her lifestyle, craving for adventure, freedom in expression, and passion for art.

Lisa’s work varies in style and medium making her accessible to multiple clientele tastes and needs. Her mediums include watercolor, acrylic, pen and ink, graphite, canvas, and wood. Even painting on glass and brick. Her style is recognizable yet vastly different based on current inspiration and influences. Her artwork has won her awards, been published, licensed, auctioned, in galleries, in stores, and sold online. All through her own marketing and distribution channels.

Her love for the arts has brought her to speak on panels, speak to large audiences, paint live on stage with best selling authors. It has taken her work to Italy to tour for a year, to hang along side the likes of Diego Rivera and even Michaelangelo. She has been published in multiple magazines and it has led her to teach art history through the artists of the past as well as teaching beginners to bring out their love of creation.

Lisa is still creating and teaching to this day, continuing to live her way and loving the life she leads. “Success is in the ability to live the lifestyle you choose, not just the power of acquisition.” She creates from the soul for the soul.

When she is not locked up in her studio or spending time in the galleries, Lisa can be found wandering Old Town Fort Collins enjoying the local flavors or taking road trips and doing photography. She lives in Colorado with her old but sweet kitty Candy

Jane Kincaid (@thruthepaintbrush and @favoritethingsgalore) has been a local watercolor artist for more than 10 years. She primarily creates greeting cards and now sells them for just about every occasion. In addition to painting Jane also teaches art classes in her studio to students of all ages. Jane will be sharing a few of her favorite drawing and painting tips with you while painting some fall cards at Dandelions & Rust.

First Friday Art Walk at Edge Optics – September 5th, 6–9pm! ✨🎨

Join us for another fun-filled evening at Edge Optics as we celebrate local art, music, and community during the Fort Collins First Friday Art Walk! We will of course be featuring our very own Outer Eye Iris Photography along with the following:

🖼️ Featured Artists & Vendors:
• Lydia Cruz – Stunning fine line art
• Voulez Vous Bon Bons – Elegant & delicious confections
• JES Creations – Handwoven fiber arts
• Matt Murray - Nature & landscape photography

🚚 Food Truck: BURGER BUGGIE!
🎶 Music: We’ll have music setting the perfect vibe as you browse, snack, and connect!

✨ Don’t miss this free and family-friendly night full of art, culture, and community vibes. Plus, it’s a great chance to explore the space, check out our eyewear, and support some truly incredible local creatives.

This First Friday Art Walk in September you are welcome to descend our marble staircase and enter the 142bis gallerie. Follow your nose down the illuminated steps and be drawn in by the scents of smoked oud, burnt paper, leather, clove, & incense wafting from Beldamia’s (@beldamia) candle pots. Once within discover new charcoal drawings by Christina of Blossom Bird Studio and Ute of handarbeit’s Ephemera Collage Pacquets; all artisans works are available for purchase.

Lydia Tarleton (@lydiatarleton) is an imaginative, playful artist and graphic designer. With a knack for blending classic with a dash of whimsy, Lydia's work feels like a burst of confetti.

Whether she's painting murals or drafting contemporary logos, her aesthetic leaks through, making her a favorite in both the design and artistic spheres. Her work reflects a dedication to creativity, innovation, and the power of visual communication to inspire and connect.

When she’s not immersed in her latest project, you can find Lydia drinking coffee, baking bread, or trying to corral her dog, Pippin.

Hutch Home will be featuring her paintings!

Please join us 5-9 pm for an art exhibit at MorningStar Old Town!

We are working with Neuro Pong to show a display of Paddle Art pieces that illustrate the journey for those affected by and living with neurological conditions. The NeuroPong Group is a Colorado-based nonprofit organization that uses table tennis to provide a therapeutic and community-focused program for individuals with neurodegenerative conditions, such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, and Dementia. Founded by Dr. Antonio Barbera, who was diagnosed with MS, the program aims to improve physical motor skills, cognitive function, and social well-being in a safe and engaging environment for participants.

• Ellie Weakley is a celebrated painter whose work is rooted in plein air traditions, capturing the essence of landscapes, portraits, and still life's with a flowing, feminine quality. Holding a history degree from the University of Colorado, she began her artistic journey in the late 1960s, studying under renowned artists including Charles Reid, Lowell Ellsworth Smith, and Richard Schmid. Her evocative oil and watercolor pieces - such as Wisdom of Ages and Connor Creek Ranch - reflect personal experiences, travels, and a deep connection to rural life. Weakley’s career includes solo shows at Smith Klein Gallery (Boulder), Driscoll Gallery (Denver), Jean Wilson Gallery (Fort Collins), and exhibitions nationwide, including the Smithsonian Benefit for the American Indian and the Colorado Governor’s Art Exhibition, where she has been a featured artist since 1993. Beyond her art, Weakley has been a guiding force for women in the arts, co-founding the Rotary Art Show in Loveland, Colorado, which later evolved into the Annual Governor’s Show. Her work has reached audiences internationally through plein air workshops in France, Italy, Ireland, Mexico, and Hawaii. Ellie Weakley’s art, in her own words, “embraces the commingling of my past with the present trends of fresh, vibrant world palette colors and textures,” reflecting her lifelong devotion to capturing the spirit of the moment.
• Jerry Shapins is a versatile artist whose expressive watercolors and mixed-media works document the vibrant spirit of urban life and natural landscapes. Through his Sketch & Place series, he captures intimate city scenes, hill towns, and wildlife - often alongside themes of walkability and creative public spaces - inviting viewers to experience the character of place through art. Holding a background in fine arts from Penn State and a Master’s in Landscape Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania (1973), Shapins brings a thoughtful, design-informed eye to his paintings. His art not only reflects aesthetic beauty but also engages with the ways people inhabit and interpret communal spaces. Informed by his dual interests in art and urbanism, his work often serves as visual storytelling - revealing the interplay between nature, architecture, and daily life. Viewers are drawn into scenes that buzz with quiet observation or the quiet pulse of a city square, rendered sensitively in watercolor and ink. Whether through sketches of Boulder’s Flatirons, Piazza delle Erbe in Italy, or coastal vistas, Shapins brings a grounded yet imaginative perspective to each locale. His work encourages viewers to notice the subtle poetry in everyday environments and the overlooked beauty of public spaces.
  

Live music from local musician DW Doucet (@dw_doucet) and 3 vintage art/clothing sellers will be vending inside of Mugs Old Town! Our bar will be fully open along with food specials in the kitchen. Doors open at 6pm!

North Denver-born muralist Ramon Trujillo (@ramjillio) brings bold color and surreal, nature-inspired art to Fort Collins this month. A 2019 BFA grad from MSU Denver, his work blends music, culture and storytelling into vibrant murals and canvas pieces seen across Colorado.

Catch his latest at First Friday Art Walk in Old Town and see why Ramjillo's art leaves a mark that lasts.

First Friday Art Storm 2025 - On Old Town Square!

This First Friday Petrichor is taking it to the streets! Old Town Square will transform into a massive outdoor gallery with live music, community energy, and the best Artists showing all together in one night. This is the biggest Petrichor Collective First Friday of the year, and we cannot wait to fill the streets with creativity once again.

At a glance:
50+ Artists
Live Music
- 6:00p - 7:30p Djembe Orchestra
- 7:30p - 9:00p Delilah West Band
Art Activities
Make-and-take Art
+More

From the Artists, for the Collective.

This First Friday, The Masonic Event Center is is excited to host 4 artist/vendors offering a diverse selection across multiple mediums!

• Karen Boehme (@karenboehmeartist) experiments with found objects to make splendid 3d works of art that look lovely in any home.
• Dick Reznik captures intimate moments in time through digital photography.
• Chelsey Greenwood (@chelseybutt) is showing off handmade mementos and curiosities created through resin casting.
• Aparna Vaishampayan (@colorandcanvaslinkworks) with acrylic and mixed media to evoke colorful displays that highlight traditional Indian spirituality and folk forms.

As always, we will conclude the First Friday Art Walk with a tour of our 100 year old building. So come celebrate with us and make this First Friday Art Walk historic at The Masonic Event Center!

The featured show for September is "In the Studio" by Wishbone Pottery. Based in Colorado, potter Laura Poe (@wishbonepottery) specializes in creating natural, simple, and timeless ceramics with a minimalist aesthetic that integrates effortlessly into daily life. Drawing on inspiration from clean lines and mountain landscapes, her handcrafted pieces are designed to enhance living environments, serve as thoughtful gifts, and add comfort and warmth to everyday experiences.

Femininity exhibition and fundraiser. Figurative work by local artist Linda Roth (@rothworks). Join us for art gazing, snacks and shopping while you support over 60 local artisan shops located inside Walnut Creek FoCo. Free admission located at 222 Walnut St in Downtown Fort Collins.

We are honored to host Randy Van Winkle (@rvanwinkle1), a Fort Collins native who has been part of the local arts community since the mid-1990s. For the past 20 years, he has focused on nature photography, sharing his work in galleries, showrooms, breweries, and eateries around Fort Collins and the Front Range.

His photography highlights the beauty of alpine environments in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Wyoming, and beyond. Randy is especially drawn to the quiet calm of high mountain lakes, the wide-open sweep of mountain vistas, and the ever-changing drama of weather in high places. 

More recently, he has expanded his creative work into digital and traditional painting. Many of his compositions begin in the field with a camera and are later reimagined, stroke by stroke, on a digital canvas. From there, his pieces are printed in different formats and media, offering new ways to experience the landscapes he loves.