Steamboat’s First Friday Artwalk, which will will run from 5-8 p.m. on March 6, will feature a wide range of artists and stories based in abstract painting, nature-inspired ceramics and community history.

Pine Moon Fine Art will feature a solo exhibition that invites viewers to slow down and look closely at the natural world that surrounds them.

“Natural Habitat,” by ceramic artist Julie Anderson, opens at 5 p.m. at the gallery, which is located at 117 Ninth St. Anderson’s show contains ceramic wall installations and sculptural vessels inspired by Colorado’s birds and the ecosystems they live in.

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Anderson’s work celebrates organic shapes, layered textures and earthy tones that give form to feathers, nests and terrain. The exhibition also places a focus on the relationship between art and the environment while concurrently allowing viewers to reflect on the habitats shared by both humans and wildlife.

Anderson will donate 10 percent of all sales from the exhibition to The Nature Conservancy to support the protection of ecosystems in and beyond Colorado.

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More information can be found at PineMoonFineArt.com.

At the Zandee Gallery, 703 Lincoln Ave., Denise Bohart presents work that draws artistic and spiritual influence from the forests, rivers and peaks that surround her Colorado home. Her sculptural glass works feature flowing lines and a sense of movement that brings the viewer to a calm mountain stream or a place where the wind moves through trees.

TZImages.com features more information on the gallery and its artists.

At the Alley Gallery and Art Studios, located at 729 Lincoln Ave., First Friday Artwalk will introduce visitors to two artists who work with very different materials.

Ceramic artist Krystal Mackey, who uses clay produced locally by Rocky Mountain Clay in Denver, will share pieces that balance color with craftsmanship.

Her process also holds deep roots in sustainability, as she collects unused stoneware clay scraps, rehydrates them and wedges them back into workable forms before shaping them into finished pieces. The resulting ceramics feature a wide range of colors and hues.

Sharing the spotlight at the gallery is veterinarian Christine Hardy, whose art centers on beaded wildlife skulls. Hardy gathers skulls found in the wild, or ones that are donated by hunters and ranchers, and transforms them using a technique that is inspired by the Huichol artists of Mexico.

Brightly colored beads, as well as semi-precious stones, create a mosaic of patterns and symbols that reflects both cultural influence and Hardy’s own storytelling as she turns objects once tied to the natural cycle of life into intricate works of art.

Visitors will also find work from gallery artists Ann Feldman and Jill Bergman, along with small works and gifts from other local creators.

Visit AlleyGallerySteamboat.com for more information.

At Schoonover Gallery, 929 Lincoln Ave., visitors will encounter the work of sculptor Jeffie Brewer, whose path to art began in an unlikely setting.

Brewer grew up in a small rural town in East Texas. As the son of junkyard owners, he learned to see possibility in discarded objects and overlooked materials, which formed the foundation for his creative vision.

He eventually pursued formal training in the arts and earned degrees in sculpture and metals along with a master’s degree in sculpture and painting. His bachelor’s degree work focused on drawing, printmaking and jewelry making.

Instruction soon became part of Brewer’s drive as he taught undergraduate and graduate art courses across a wide range of disciplines including sculpture, typography and expressive drawing. His work has been exhibited in galleries and exhibitions throughout the world.

SchoonoverGallery.com features more information on Brewer, as well as the gallery’s other artists.

At the Depot Art Center, located inside Steamboat’s historic train depot at 1001 13th St., two exhibitions will open during FFAW.

Abstract painter Lawrence Michael Fagen will debut a new body of work titled “Imagination.” His acrylic paintings combine layered color, texture and experimental techniques to create vibrant abstract compositions.

Fagen’s journey into art began after he retired from a long career in tax law. A visit to the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver ignited his curiosity and led him to begin exploring abstract painting.

His process has since become increasingly experimental, as he works with brushes and palette knives in addition to unconventional tools, such as heavy shop paper towels, as he builds layers of texture.

“I’m still developing with every piece,” Fagen said. “I mix colors and shapes based on what works and what pleases the eye.”

While his earlier works reflected the influence of Still, Fagen has allowed his paintings to move in unexpected directions, which in turn allows viewers to engage their own sense of imagination and curiosity as they move through the exhibition.

The Riverwalk Collective spotlights for March’s FFAW will be on the Oak Creek-based artist Andrea Abrahamson. Drawing on inspiration from the lakes, rivers and mountains of Northwest Colorado, Abrahamson’s art reflects the wildlife and landscapes that shape daily life in the region.

As an active member of the Riverwalk Collective, she thrives in the collaborative atmosphere of Steamboat’s artist community, and her creative practice blends observation with experimentation.

Later in the month, Abrahamson will host a community painting workshop with live music, which will encourage participants to explore how sound and rhythm influence color and movement on canvas.

Visit SteamboatCreates.org/depot-art-center for more information on the gallery and Steamboat Creates, which operates the space and also coordinates Steamboat’s FFAW.

A new exhibition at the Tread of Pioneers Museum will offer visitors a chance to step into the stories that shaped Steamboat Springs.

The museum, located at 800 Oak St., recently opened the latest installment of its long-running series “Foundations of Steamboat.” The series honors families and individuals whose work helped define the Yampa Valley’s culture, economy and sense of community through ranching, business, civic leadership and preservation of local history.

Among the families featured are the Leckenbys, who played a major role in the Steamboat Pilot newspaper and whose influence ranged from journalism to public service. Charles H. Leckenby began working at the newspaper as a teenager before eventually purchasing the publication in 1927. His book “Tread of Pioneers” is a collection of regional history that helped inspire the museum’s name.

The exhibit also celebrates the Wither family, who were early merchants whose store once supplied everything from threshing machines to toothpicks across Northwest Colorado, as well as the Summer family, ranchers who maintained the same land for more than a century while contributing to conservation efforts.

There are also highlights of families such as the Temples, who helped launch the Steamboat Ski Area, and the Fetchers, whose work included ranching to engineering ski jumps at Howelsen Hill.

When viewed collectively, their stories reveal how generations of residents shaped the town’s identity and ensured its heritage would be remembered.

More information on the museum and its exhibitions can be found at TreadOfPioneers.org.

For more information on Steamboat’s First Friday Artwalk, and its participating galleries, visit SteamboatCreates.org/events/steamboat-creates-events/first-friday-artwalk.