First Friday receptions

December is an off month for First Friday receptions, with the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri forgoing its usual First Friday reception (the gallery will remain open for the Old Town Cape shopping spree), while university students and faculty show off the creations they've made in their end-of-year shows.

Here are the First Friday receptions tonight in Cape Girardeau:

Garden Gallery, 833 Broadway

The Garden Gallery will play host to two First Friday receptions on its two floors.

Upstairs, the gallery will present a solo art exhibition by Jennifer Catron from 5 to 10:30 p.m. Catron will show paintings and sculptures that use such materials as egg membranes, fish skin and bones. Catron's show is her Bachelor of Fine Arts show and is titled "A Memory of Becoming."

For more information, call Catron at (618) 214-4725.

Downstairs, the gallery will play host to a Holiday Trunk Show with designer Halli Bronner of Bezalel Jewelry from 7 to 9 p.m. For more information, call 332-7123.

Buckner Brewing Co., 132 N. Main St.

Buckner Brewing Co., will play host to a First Friday reception from 6 to 10 p.m. featuring the wood sculptures of Matt Miller and the mixed media portraits of Chrissy McMullin. The show is the conclusion of a Master of Arts in Secondary Education degree for both artists.

For more information, call Miller at 335-3126 or (573) 275-1665.

Fountain Street Gallery, 34 N. Fountain St.

The Fountain Street Gallery will hold a First Friday opening reception from 5 to 9 p.m. featuring the work of regular gallery members along with work from Dr. Zenon Duda and recent Southeast Missouri State University art graduate Rachel Martin.

For more information, call (573) 275-3194.

Southeast Missouri Regional Museum, Memorial Hall

The Southeast Missouri Regional Museum on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University will present the Department of Art's annual Faculty Exhibition, beginning with a First Friday opening reception from 4 to 6 p.m. The exhibition will feature works from 12 Southeast faculty members in a variety of styles and media.

For more information, call 651-2260.

Christ Episcopal Church, 101 N. Fountain St.

Christ Episcopal Church will present a First Friday reception from 5 to 9 p.m. featuring the fourth annual Bonney Bank Artisans Guild Holiday Gift Show and Sale. The guild will offer a variety of work, including fibers, pottery, jewelry and glass-bead jewelry, stained glass, soaps and origami.

The show also will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call Pam Duncan at (573) 225-6428.

Gallery 1.2.5, 125 N. Main St.

Gallery 1.2.5 will play host to a First Friday reception from 7 to 9 p.m. featuring the work of local portrait artist Catherine Camden. The event also will raise funds for Court Appointed Special Advocate, or CASA. Camden has donated a $1,200 painting to be raffled to raise funds for CASA.

For more information, call 335-2699.

The Artist Studio, 38A N. Main St.

The Artist Studio will hold a First Friday reception from 5 to 9 p.m. featuring new pieces created by studio owner Judy Barks-Westrich as part of Old Town Cape's Christmas Open House.

For more information, call 651-4464.

Edward Bernard Gallery, 107 West Drive

The Edward Bernard Gallery will present a First Friday reception from 5 to 9 p.m. featuring glass art from the Glass Eye Studio in Seattle, with live music by Jack Smoot and David Giles.

For more information, call 332-7733.

Cape Importers, 16 N. Spanish St.

The new Cape Importers Gallery will open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday featuring original oil paintings, charcoal drawings and stone and wood sculptures. For more information, call 339-1113.