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“Moonset, Death Valley,” by Dan Dow, on view at Addison Woolley Gallery.

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“Untitled,” by Christopher Keister, on view at Aucocisco Galleries.

IF YOU GO

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK

WHEN: 5 to 8 p.m. Friday

WHERE: Various locations, Portland

INFO: www.firstfridayartwalk.com

With the brisk bite of autumn in the air, we'll want to pick up the pace as we explore Portland's gallery scene during the First Friday Art Walk. This month, our selected walking tour heads to the Old Port, where more than a dozen creative venues will be open for the event.

We begin our trek at ADDISON WOOLLEY GALLERY (61 Pleasant St., Studio 203A). Those who are sticklers for neighborhood boundaries will know that we're actually in the Studio District, but for our purposes, we'll call it close enough to the Old Port. Here, we take a look at a photography show by Dan Dow called "Looking West: American Landscapes," which explores the unexpected subtleties and beauty of the Grand Canyon, Death Valley and other scenic landscapes.

Now we head next door to ART HOUSE PICTURE FRAMES (61 Pleasant St., #110), where a group show called "Empty the Fridge" is on view. The title of the show is derived from the Andy Warhol exhibition "Raid the Icebox," and in that vein, artists were asked to submit existing works from their storerooms. Organized by Drawing Room, the show features small works with a contemporary twist on illustration. For those of us already hunting for holiday gifts, be sure to take advantage of the fact that everything is priced under $100.

A few doors down, we duck into fashion boutique CHELLISWILSON (17 Pleasant St.) to see the "Come Darkness" show. This exhibit features a collection of works by 26 artists. It was curated and installed by Portland photographer and letterpress artist Maria Alexandra Vettese, known to many by her book "A Year of Mornings: 3191 Miles Apart."

Next, we make our way down Fore Street and then up Market Street, where we find the brand-new BAKERS GALLERY (40 Market St.). This space is run by artist and bread baker Stephen Lanzalotta, who wows the lunch crowd at Micucci's. Here, he shows his abstract paintings and serves up his coveted breads and pastries.

Once we've feasted our eyes (and possibly our stomachs), we continue up Market Street to CORDUROY SURF BOUTIQUE AND GALLERY (59 Market St.) and take in the "Andrew Jaspersohn: A New Allegory" show. The exhibit features the print work of this Maine artist, who is a member of the Peregrine Press cooperative. In this show, Jaspersohn looks at the concepts of time and place and offers his view of how to navigate both.

Finally, we walk through Post Office Park to Exchange Street, where we find AUCOCISCO GALLERIES (89 Exchange St.) with two shows on view. Tom Burckhardt presents "Book Covers," which features 13 acrylic and colored pencil pieces executed on the inside of reclaimed book covers. Sharing space with Burckhardt is Christopher Keister, who reacts to science-fiction literature with the colorful and visually delicious exhibit "Cosmic Lollipop."

And for those of us who can't survive on painted lollipops alone, we'll be glad to find numerous eateries just outside the gallery's doors.

Staff Writer Avery Yale Kamila can be contacted at 791-6297 or at:

akamila@pressherald.com