First Thursday Art Walk highlights: Howard House, Vetri and Shift

First Thursday comes quickly this month, so don't forget to head to Pioneer Square and the downtown galleries.

There's an eclectic mix of work to see — from pieces inspired by a cat named Turtle to a 40-foot scarf.

Howard House

"C.A.T." and "The Prophet": The winner of Seattle Art Museum's 2009 Kayla Skinner Special Recognition Award, Matthew Offenbacher, showcases paintings inspired by his 13-year-old black tomcat named Turtle. His ink and oil pieces are painted on stain-resistant cotton, creating a vulnerable quality about them. Also on view: Black-and-white images based on "Moby-Dick" by noted Los Angeles artist Tony de los Reyes.

Reception: 6-8 p.m. tonight.

Address: 604 Second Ave., Seattle; (206-256-6399 or www.howardhouse.net)

Shift Collaborative Studio

"You Did Not Choose Me, I Chose You": Christen Mattix reflects on relationships — the hurt, the beauty and the entanglements they bring — in her quirky drawings. And in conjunction with her Shift show, at the SPAC Gallery at Seattle Pacific University, she shows off her installation "Knitting Meditation," a chair surrounded by a 40-foot scarf, made during a 10-day "knit-in," dedicated to peace in Iraq.

Reception: 5-9 p.m.

Address: Tashiro Kaplan Arts Complex, 306 S. Washington St. # 105, Seattle; www.shiftstudio.org

Vetri International Glass

"Gone Swimming": Seattle glass artist Karen Buhler celebrates the joy of Seattle's sun through her playful figurines. Her flame-worked glass pieces are swimmers, divers and poolside gossips, fit in yellow polka-dot bikinis, striped trunks and swim caps.

Reception: 5-8 p.m.

Address: 1404 First Ave., Seattle; (206-667-9608 or www.vetriglass.com)

Marian Liu: 206-464-3825 or mliu@seattletimes.com