portland or us now

November 12 Cyberfeminism

2026-11-09T09:25:40.769-08:00

Mindy Seu https://mindyseu.com/ is a designer, writer, and academic chronicaling cyberfeminism and select areas of Internet anthropology, including art, AI, and virtual reality. PSU has an endowed design lecture series. With that, Seu opens the academic year series in the new Schnitzer art building. For a preview, she has many online talks. It is https://www.pdx.edu/art-design/events/kemeny-design-lecture-series-presents-mindy-seu in the Schnitzer Art Building, Room 112 1981 SW Broadway. 6PM Free - reservations on the link required, maybe the video will be released

November 7 Northside Art Openings

2026-11-07T14:53:53.827-08:00

Joe Rudko from Seattle brings Photorealism. ⁣

"Rudko’s paintings begin with fragmented pieces of found photography. Collaged snippets of flowers, skies, hands, and snapshots of friends are continued with oil pigment sticks, extending their edges so they cross over one another creating new, geometric images in the center. These works seek to merge the factual, functional purpose of photography with the more tactile, cerebral qualities of drawing and painting."

At PDX Contemporary Art www.pdxcontemporaryart.com 1825 NW Vaughn Map 3PM-5

Level Head by Douglas Burns are children's art collaged onto the namesakes illustrations.

It is https://www.wellwellprojects.com/level-head at Well Well Projects www.wellwellprojects.com in the Disjecta building 8371 N. Interstate Map 5PM-8 Free

Drift Slip Lapse by Russell Borne and Drew Laughery are 2d works.

At www.carnationcontemporary.com in the Disjecta building 8371 N Interstate. 5PM-8 Free

Gons: The Pictures, Mechanisms, and Camera Works of Doug Wing https://www.northpolestudio.org/gons-doug-wing is a show North Pole Studios. Thought Forms is https://www.oregoncontemporary.org/thought-forms-open-studio.

At Oregon Contemporary nee Disjecta, in the shadow of Paul Bunyan www.oregoncontemporary.org 8371 N. Interstate Map 5PM-8 Free

Anarchaic Movement: New Works in Fabric and Animation by Wilcox, Rice, and Co. It a self-describing show.

Included are forks from recent residencies.

"Anarchaic is a little neologism (Anarchic + Archaic) that has been rolling around in my head to describe the animation-embroidery work that I feel compelled to make. Anarchic, because of the unruly nature of fabric under the eye of the camera and because of the unruled nature of animation that seeks a truly collective approach to creation that circumvents certain hierarchies of production, exploring intuitive and open-ended collaborations between human, non-human, and environmental contributors. Archaic, because the handmade nature of these embroideries emphasize a slower and more intentional form of artistic labor that pushes against the sleekifying nature of modern convenience, instead reveling in the vibrant discrepancies of the human hand. Archaic, also for the fascination in earlier technologies of seeing and sensing that changed our relationship to the world around us, whether that by Muybridge’s motion photography, the panorama, celluloid film strips, advertising gimmicks, or piano rolls."

At studio Mudd Palace 1731 SE 10th upstairs 5PM-8 Free

Photographer Keith Z has photographs, Outside. They are portraits on Portland's streets of homeless individuals. It is also a book, launching tonight.

At Franklin Foto https://www.franklinfoto.org/ 8953 N Lombard 5PM-8 Free

November 6 Eastside Art Openings

2026-11-05T12:07:37.121-08:00

Nucleus drops its 10th annual Postcard Show.

The 187 artists are: Abby Aceves, Alex Achaval, Alexia Novella, Alexis Savopoulos, Alex Kuno, Alexander Chacón, Allie Gattor, Alvaro Escobar-Fuentes, Amber Feng, Amy Earles, Amy Lewis, Ana Neves, Andrea Kang, Anna Sarvira, Anna Shevela, Andi Soto, Andrew Brandou, Andy DeLapp, Angela An, Anka Yanovna, Anna Benedict, Athena Parella, Anthony Leger, Audra Auclair, Azhimova Anastasia, Battery Full, beebot, Bird Cvlt, Brianna Miller, Bruce Parker, Bryce Wymer, Candie Bolton, Caleb Sinchok, Carmen Pizarro, Carolin Leary Prinn, Casper Manning, Célia Housset, Celine Loup, Chantal Horeis, Chizu Wada, Chris Polaczenko, Chris Topper, Clare Lewis, Cogumeli, Crimsoooo, Cris James, Casey Jex Smith, daifei, Dale Raines, Dan Tavis, Daniel Bitton, David Derflinger, Dawn Xintong Yang, Deih, Demian Anderson, Didiusz, Diego, Diigii Daguna, Draugr, Dusty Ray, Edward Cao, Ekata Mandal, Elena Pancorbo, Elisa Escalera Aguilera, Eli McMullen, Elizabeth Ranger, Ellie Kerr-Smiley, ellievsbear, Em Randall, Emilie Bach Nielsen, Emily Barrera, Endless Takeout, Eric Talbot, Evelmiina, Evon Freeman, Erika Epperly, Farel Dal, Fictograph, Forest Wolf Kell, Francesca Resta, Frank Forte, fulltimefish, Furry Little Peach, Gemma Correll, Chan, Chelsea Beck, Grace Aldrich, Graham Annable, Graham Franciose, Gretel Lusky, Grey Chen, Guno Park, Ha Seungwan, Haejin Yoo, Hannah Tjia, Hanna Jaeun, Hayden Goodman, Heather Mahler, Heather Sundquist Hall, Helice Wen, Hilary Martin, Hiroto Katsukura, Iryna Khymych, Ivyteas, James Lipnickas, Jamie Wells, Ján Bátorek, Janice Chu, Jay Pirfano Kristoffersson, JB Burke, jeluto, Jenn Woodall, Jenna Gibson, Jerome Tiunayan, Jill DeHaan, John Rego, JoJo Lee, Jonlamart, Jonathan Edwards, Joseph Turner, Joshua Barrera, JP Neang, Juan Ramón Meza Rivadeneira, JUHWA, Julia Lundman, Julia Peng, Julia Ulrich, Julian Callos, Julian Miholics, Julie Loomer, Juliet Schreckinger, Justin Hillgrove, Justine (Toh), Justyna Koziczak, K. Siegel-Leicht, Karly Jade Catto, Kay Seohyung Lee, Kazuhiro Ikeda, kEda Gomes, Leilani Bustamante, Kelly Pringle, Kelley Sutphin Kelly Yamagishi, Kerilynn Wilson, Kevin Earl Taylor, Kevin Laughlin, Kima Lenaghan, Kolahon, Koobiie Mart, Krissta Passanante, Kristen Eisenbraun, Kyoosang Choi, Kym Lee, Land After Time, Lauren Marx, Lian Cho, Lianne Pflug, Lilblueorchid, Lily Qian, Linda J Wallis, Little Paper Forest, Lizzy Gass, Lufo, Luhan Wang, Lujan Rai Dongol, Lujann, Luke Ramsey, Luna Ana, Madi Harper, Maezanilla, Mall, Makenna Karp, Marika Paz, Margherita Morotti, Marjolaine Roller, Mark Seabrook, Max58, Max Prentis, Mathew hurtado, Matt Schu, Mayumi Inoha, McMonster, Mardeluna, Megan Regenfuss, Michael Powers Tarantelli, Michael Camarra, Michelle Hiraishi, Mike Baker, Mike Howat, Minha Lee, Miranda Tacchia, Mizna Wada, Molly Mendoza, Morten Thyholt, Nana Williams, Naoshi, Natalie Vukic, Neeraj Menon, Nicomi Nix Turner, Niky Motekallem, Niqui Toldi, Noah Norrid, Nozomi Uchida, Odelia, Oona Ode, Owlyjules, Paper Puffin, Paralilac, Pat Roison, Patrick Kochakji, Paulette Jo, Petra Frankova, Poopikat, Pony Ma, Rachel Perciphone, Rachel Power, Raid71, Rémi Jacquot, Renee Nault, Ro Fen, Robin Eisenberg, Rosemary Travale, Rozenn, Rudy Siswanto, Sarah Ruyle, Sarah Whang, Scott Mills, Sean Whelan, Sehee Byun, Sela Ellen Underwood, Selynn Lee, Sena Adjovi, Sergei Zolotov, Shanna Van Maurik, Shawn Hebrank, Shee Liu, Shoko Ishida, Sibylline Meynet, Simon J. Curd, Sofia Bonati, Song Kang, Soph Franz, Stephanie Brown, Steve Kim, Stevie Shao, Sucharita Sengupta Suri, SNYDER, Sylvia Ji, Taegan Treichel, Tassy, The Paper Ark, The Obanoth, Victoria Gedvillas, Tania Pomales, Tyler Eilbeck, V. Steiner, Vincent Fink, Vero Jaeger, Wallace May, Wambi, Wenting Li, Wynfred Schäfer, Yanoe, Yosi, Yuji Okushi, Zoe Persico, Zach Meyer, Zachary Oldenkamp, and Zack Lydon.

The postcards are 5"x7" first come first served. Artist links are on the show website.

It is https://www.nucleusportland.com/blogs/future-exhibitions/p11 at Nucleus Portland http://www.nucleusportland.com 2916 NE Alberta 5PM-8 Free

The rest of the First Friday gallery openings are listed on the socials.

November 6 A Meditation on Sinofuturism

2026-11-05T11:55:27.957-08:00

I have an interest in anthropology. I have been influenced by noted anthropologist friends. Then I used those tools in my work. One was the founder of anticipatory anthropology. It contributes to designing futures. Academically that takes the form of research and writing. It is complemented by movies. We need some utopian futures to balance dystopian. An example of an achievable utopia is the Solarpunks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQwpFMOXi2E Another is the novel Ecotopia, 1975.

Chess Club resumes events in its new space.

Tonight they show movie, Geomancer (2017) 48 minutes, by Lawrence Lek. Lek is a multiartist and active in the Sinofuturism movement.

The film is relevant to the current world.

"Geomancer is a computer-generated animation about the creative awakening of artificial intelligence. Set in Singapore on the eve of the island nation’s centennial in 2065, the film tells the story of an environmental satellite that wishes to become an artist. Geomancer imagines the crisis that might happen when the world has become a techno-industrial complex run by a posthuman intelligence, and creative originality is no longer considered that special.

'Is irrationality the main characteristic of consciousness?' asks the film’s eponymous narrator, proposing art as the last refuge of humanity in an otherwise automated world where an artificial intelligence dedicated to copying and studying massive amounts of data has appropriated every human trait that can be used to produce profit. The film uses ‘art’ to symbolize humanity's appreciation for creative thought and beauty, asking what will happen when an emotionally aware AI gains the power of self-expression, and creative genius is no longer the domain of humanity.

Rendered within a video game engine and featuring a neural network-generated dream sequence and synthesized vocal soundtrack composed by the artist, Geomancer explores the implications of post-human consciousness."

It is now clear this is likely far before 2065.

At Chess Club https://www.chessclub.art 1111 SW Washington 7PM Free Sold Out

November 5 Westside Art Openings+

2026-11-04T12:50:08.133-08:00

The Black Gallery, Adams and Ollman, Froelick, Stelo, and Laura Vincent continue.

For your +1, The Portland Art Museum free all day. At the Portland Art Museum 1219 SW Park 10AM-7 Free

For your +2 in Northeast. You can experience Flamenco music with guitarist Brenna McDonald and guitarist/vocalist Yeshe Wingerd. A project of Espacio Flamenco, it repeats on first Thursdays. At Bar Botellón 606 NE Davis 7PM-9 Free

For your +3 way up on Alberta, Michael Espinoza has Sex with Ghosts. At Souvenir Gallery https://souvenirartspdx.org/ 1233 NE Alberta 5PM-8 Free

Fisk W+K is seeking part time staff.

Blue Sky has two 2025 En Foco Fellowship awardee shows. Yukai Chen https://yukai-chen.com, brings The Factory of Desire. They are theatrical self protraits on queer identity in the context of a conservative rural upbringing in China.

Ashley Peña has Ebb and Flow on the African diaspora, and American native peoples, in the contect of her Dominican-American identity.

Maria Inocencio is at the Nine Gallery.

At Blue Sky Gallery www.blueskygallery.org Map 122 NW 8th 5PM-9 Free

Lucinda Parker has a 60 year painting retrospective, Déjà Vu All Over Again. Sean Cain has Mysterious Barricades, photorealistic paintings.

At Laura Russo Lee Gallery www.russoleegallery.com 805 NW 21st 5PM-7 Early Close Free

Robert Gamblin, painter, was inspired by allergies and irritaition from the solvent carrier of oil paints. So he started his own paint manufacturing, with more human solvents, Gamblin Colors https://gamblincolors.com/gamblin/. He shows with Waterstone. Meditations on a Coastal Landscape are his abstract colorist paintings.

At Waterstone Gallery www.waterstonegallery.com 124 NW 9th 5PM-8 Free

Angennette Escobar has Quiet Migratons, paintings inspired by maps of air migration by birds and butterflies. Monica Mitchell has mixed media still lifes and drawings, Quiet Migratons. Allison Hmura has illustrations on the theme of human anatomy and landscape, Places Between Us. Carlos Molina has mixed media-collage, Places Between Us. Benjamin Mefford has Expectant, sculptures.

All at Blackfish Gallery https://www.blackfish.com/ 938 NW Everett Map 5PM-8 Early Close Free

Charlene Liu https://www.charleneliu.com/ has poppy prints, I hope I Still Feel This Way Tomorrow. Nicola López https://www.nicolalopez.com has Unearthed, images inspired by urban planning and architecture.

At Elizabeth Leach Gallery www.elizabethleach.com 417 NW 9th Map 5:30PM-7:30 Free

After | Time has Networks, selected artists from past shows, Alyson Provax, Cassandra Liuzzo, Chris Horner, Donna Avedisian, Karah Lain, Laznes Binch, and Pete Fleming.

After | Time ends its cycle with this show into December. Current co-principal Maria Jean will continue as the Maria Jean Gallery. https://www.mariajeangallery.com/

It's https://www.aftertimegallery.com/networks at After/Time Gallery https://www.aftertimegallery.com/ 735 SW 9th Ave #110 5PM-8 Free

Sally Cleveland has paintings A Yellow Tree, landscapes, still lifes, and portraits.

At Augen Gallery www.augengallery.com 716 NW Davis 5PM-7:45 Free

Personal Space(s) is a show of paintings on that theme by Liz Borowski and Elizabeth Webber. At Writers' Block. 818 NW Flanders 5PM-8 Early Close Free 5-8

Fans Only has Picking up Phonelines, photography, FF0000 an exhibition on red, Sensorial Play mixed media installation, and Face to Face, paintings.

At Fans Only https://www.fansonly.studio/ 1010 SW 11th 5PM-8 Free

The Contrast Gallery shares The Horizon Enterprise Building with The Downbeat and a black creative business incubator. They bring Nykelle DeVivo, Manu Torres, Rob Lewis, Shade Pratt, David Stuckey, Tron 444, and Beloved Ulinwa in show PR∑´senT!SM: The Future is Now.

"Exploring the collision of ancestry, nostalgia, technology, and imagined futures through the artists shaping what comes next."

At the Contrast Gallery 433 NW 4th 6PM-9 Free

Ordinary Magic, is Diane Archer https://www.imperfecta.gallery/ordinary-magic-nov-2026, Davis Wohlford from the North Pole Studio has The Island of Misfit Toys https://www.imperfecta.gallery/the-island-of-misfit-toys-nov-2026. They have a holliday craft decorations show Rockin' Around, for " Christmas? Hanukkah? Kwanzaa? Yule? Bodhi Day? Shōgatsu? You got it! Krampus? Joulupukki? Saint Nicholas? Tió de Nadal? La Befana? [and] Jólasveinar."

At Imperfecta Gallery www.imperfecta.xyz 809 NW Flanders 5PM-8 Free

PNCA Willamette has a faculty and alumni show Rehersals for a Better World. Sadly they did not publish the list in text form. There are several student shows in their galleries and a wheatpaste show of 100 illustration works across Broadawy on the vacant Boxer Building catacorner SE from the main building.

At PNCA | Willamette University www.pnca.willamette.edu 511 NW Broadway Map 5PM-8 Free

November 1 Interspecies Washington Channel

2026-10-31T11:36:06.698-07:00

Mississippi Records and The Oregon Department of Kick Ass present an evening of Interspecies Communication with Jim Nollman and Rankin Renwick.

Portland independent movie maker Rankin Renwick https://www.odoka.org/about has turned her lens on regional landscape, neighborhood history, folk art, politics, more. That includes wildlife. Her latest interest is interspecies communication.

San Juan Island field recordist Jim Nollman has recorded whales and other animals, and played guitar for them, recording their reaction. https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/jim-nollman-interspecies-communication. He has many collaborations with west coast artists and with John Lilly.

They are collaborating tonight on a show of shorts on the theme of interspecies communication with whales and dolphins.

Renwick and Portland filmmaker Matt McCormick, himself famous for features and The Subconscious Art of Graffitti Removal with Miranda July, pursued a rock band van tour strategy of self-distribution visiting college towns for showings in their early careers. They disributed other's work on VHS at the time, such as the now ultra-rare Kings of the Sky by Deborah Strattman. Kings of the Sky is a guerilla documentary made about the tightrope walking culture of the Uyghers in Xinjiang Province, China. What the Chinese government did in Tibet was just starting for Kings of the Sky. July was pursuing her own Big Miss Moviola self-distribution project inspired by zine culture in the same era.

Renwick showed often at McCormick's longtime Boathouse Studio, part of the Unkles family art studio project. With McCormick now teaching in Spokane, The Boathouse Microcinema, under new management, also have a program tonight.

Interspecies Communication https://hollywoodtheatre.org/show/interspecies-communication-with-jim-nollman-and-rankin-renwick/ at the Hollywood Theater 4122 NE Sandy 7PM $15 (it is likely to sell out)

Róge Stack shows their movie Washington.

"This is the sad tale of the township of Washington, nestled in the uttermost reaches of the northwest of the US of A. Two young Americans had planned to travel there for an evening of light music, but that was where the trouble already began. For what they had failed to realize was that the 6th of July was not much unlike the 4th of July after all…"

It's https://www.boathousemicrocinema.com/nov-1-2026/ at the Boathouse Microcinema www.boathousemicrocinema.com 822 N River Doors 7:30PM, movie 8 Free

The Synth Library continues the momentum of Modular on the Spot for the rainy season in their new space under the bridge by the river. Today is an open source open mic-like concert in their continuing Open Channels program.

Musicians of any experience level sign up for 15 minute sets.

At the Synth Library Portland https://www.synthlibraryportland.org/events 123 NE 3rd Ave, Suite 012. Travel by 2nd, pass the Burnside Skate Park and enter from the building parking lot on 2nd. Doors 3, music 3:30-6 Free

October 31 Listening

2026-10-31T11:30:00.000-07:00

For your listening pleasure, today's selections are Fabiano Do Nascimiento, Vila, Bjork, Homogenic, Ambre Ciel, Still, There is the Sea, Dadawah, Peace and Love, Antenna, Camino Del Sol, and Asha Puthli, The Devil Is Loose.

Gallery Hours https://mono-space.org/blogs/events/gallery-hours-presented-by-mono-space at Mono Space https://mono-space.org/ 608 NW 13th Ave Ste 102. Noon-4 (early close) Free

The Synth Library has https://www.synthlibraryportland.org/events/halloweenopenhouse26 including kid-friendly early. Free

October 30 Old Home

2026-10-30T16:06:06.014-07:00

Ashley Anson has illustrations Home Sweet Home.

It is a five day show https://onegrandgallery.com/Ashley-Anson at One Grand Gallery www.onegrandgallery.com 1000 E Burnside 5PM-9 Free

Nathan McKey has a show on old Portland. At the Purple Door https://www.thepurpledoorpdx.com/ 3557 SE Division 6PM-9 Free

October 29 Women and Electronic Music

2026-10-27T18:05:38.347-07:00

The Synth Library, Sunnyside Community Center, and NW Documentary present movie Sisters with Transisters (2020) 86 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRGFLPjhQgI. It is a rare opportunity to see the movie in a social situation. Tickets https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/organizations/nw-documentary. At former church Sunnyside Community Center 3520 SE Yamhill Doors 6:30 $10

October 28 Flood

2026-10-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

We are selective in listing talks. Photographer, curator, and gallerist Melanie Flood https://www.melanieflood.com/ discusses her work. At at the monthly PAM Photo Council talk today. It is https://portlandartmuseum.org/event/photography-councils-lunchtime-talk-melanie-flood/ in the Portland Art Museum Masonic Temple, 4th floor Park-side meeting room https://portlandartmuseum.org 1119 SW Park Noon Free

October 26 Boathouse Instructions for the Lifeboats

2026-10-26T14:40:18.605-07:00

Denver moviemaker Adán De La Garza brings shorts on "the dire circumstances of late capitalism, the relationship between political and emotional stagnation, catharsis and protest, sonic warfare, and emerging futures brought about by climate change."

It's https://www.boathousemicrocinema.com/oct-26-2026/ at the Boathouse Microcinema www.boathousemicrocinema.com 822 N River Doors 6:30 movie 7 Free

October 24 Speaking of Golden Palaces

2026-10-26T14:40:03.567-07:00

In the last years of his life, Saddam Husein built 80 to 100 palaces. https://failedarchitecture.com/architecture-after-excess-the-palaces-of-saddams-baghdad/ Portland has been a supporter of Irish photographer Richard Mosse. Mosse studied with Gregory Crewdson. Crewdson spoke in Portland a Ripe Family Dinner about studying at that selfsame university and then undertook unusual, almost social practice art, work. I'm a fan of many of his students, and comments are scattered in this blog about that. I speak sometimes of an Arbus gaze. I think there is a Crewdson gaze. Each branched out. Mosse photographed a few of Saddam's Palaces. After Iraq, he traveled in rebel territory in Eastern Congo to make The Enclave. The conflict there, continuing to this day, broke out as a result of the Rwandan genocide in 1994, little connection by the central government in the far West to the far East, and the warlord-natural resource extraction economy. I've been in that area with gunshots, thankfully in the distance. The Enclave was shown at the 2013 Venice Biellialle. It traveled to the Portland Art Museum. Another folly of kings is in Gbadolite, Northern Congo, near the seasonal Mobayi - Mbongo ferry. It is home to the ruins of King Mobutu's jungle palace. Mossee was later selected as curator for Converge 45 and spoke about his Amazon project, Broken Spectre, and exploration of migration. Ai Weiwei has worked on that topic as well. Here is Mosse's experience with Saddam's palaces. https://www.bldgblog.com/2009/05/saddams-palaces-an-interview-with-richard-mosse/ We can only imagine a cheescake restaurant designed by Saddam.

October 24 Windows on the World

2026-10-23T15:23:41.526-07:00

PNCA Willamette opens their MFA studios for an early and mid-program readout. It's always fun to see artist studios, even when they have been cleaned up for visitors!

They request you get free tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/open-studios-at-the-glass-building-tickets-1998554404022

Open Studios at the Albina glass factory 2139 N Kerby. 5PM-8 Free

October 24 Archiving the Past for the Future

2026-10-23T10:41:44.637-07:00

The Black Gallery has collaborated on a photo show under their Liberated Archives for Black Lives Program. Taishona Carpenter, joins her photographs with samples from Brian Lanker, working in the 1980s, I Dream a World: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America.

You can find more on the Black Gallery socials. There is an archiving workshop at the Oregon Historical Society 10AM https://www.ohs.org/events/portland-in-black.cfm. The show opening is https://www.eventbrite.com/e/liberated-archives-for-black-lives-at-the-low-end-tickets-2003175172866 at The Low End 670 N Russell 5PM-7 Free

October 24 - 26 E.A.T.

2026-10-23T10:10:45.161-07:00

Media, electronics, and software galleries and workspaces are popping up in many places. Xispa Innovation Lab https://xispa.art/ is one founded February in Seattle. Portland's Samantha Yun Wall is in residence with them. CETI, nee at PSU, https://ceti.institute runs parallel, more on the maker side than the exhibition side.

This weekend Xispa is the prime mover of https://artandtechsymposium.com/ along with nee Cornish. 9e26 https://artandtechsymposium.com/program-2026/#tab-conversations is part of the program inspired by Rauschenberg's 1966 9 Evenings: Theatre & Engineering Experiments in Art and Technology - E.A.T. https://www.experimentsinartandtechnology.org in the New York Lexington Avenue Armory.

You can find all about the event at https://artandtechsymposium.com at the Cornish 9th Ave Gallery, 2014 9th Ave Seattle, and Xispa 325 Westlake Avenue N.

October 23 Skate Gardens Under the Overpass

2026-10-23T09:28:04.446-07:00

Kristen Diederich brings Outside Nature and Beyond the Garden Room. Outside Nature is her abstract exprssionist garden landscape painting. Beyond the Garden Room is a show she has curated of adjacent artists Kayla Marie Carlson, Kaitlyn Carr, Indigo Free, C. Meier, Quinha Mukai Faria, Holly Osborne, and Emily Wise.

They are https://www.stephaniechefas.com/kristen-diederich-outside-nature and https://www.stephaniechefas.com/beyond-the-garden-room at Stephanie Chefas gallery www.stephaniechefas.com 134 SE Taylor, Ste 203. Map. 5PM-8 Free

Printmakers Cassie Ferguson and Charlie Cohan are Lost Bearings Press (LBP) and BurnPrint Studio (BPS) respectively. They have been collaborating since 2017. Ferguson has an ongoing series of prints illustrating DIY skateparks, and Cohan, series on local bridges. Their collaborations feature skate parks under bridges. This show, Under the Overpass is an example. The show has opportunities for community printmaking you can see on the show link.

It's https://www.steloarts.org/stelo-events/undertheoverpass at Stelo Arts https://www.steloarts.org 412 NW 8th 5PM-8 Free

October 22 Portland to Dakar

2026-10-21T19:35:49.672-07:00

Senegal lives on the Atlantic Ocean in Africa. Dakar is its Westernmost point. Portland is connected to Dakar by art exchanges. Many may remember Worksound's Modou Dieng.

BLACK MATTER DAKAR launches to give the exchange a durable base extending into the future.

Artists Tammy Jo Wilson, Michael Stevenson, Emma Colburn, and Bukekile Dube set the foundation for:

A Portland -Dakar artist residency.

Travel to the Dakar Biennale for artists, curators, and supporters.

Programs for Portland youth to learn about Senagal.

At Studio 516, 516 NW 14th 5:30-7:30 Free

October 17 Freshwater Caldera Revelar Testament Midnight Language Museum

2026-10-17T10:03:57.058-07:00

Camp Caldera was the project and passion of the late Dan Wieden. They have public open houses sometimes. This one is a Fall festival. At Camp Caldera www.calderaarts.org, 31500 Blue Lake Drive, Sisters, OR Map 11AM – 4PM Free

Gabi Villaseñor https://www.gabivillasenor.com/ is a Portland multiartist. They have a show of sculpture and painting. There is an eloquent show note in the link. In the Project Room, A Mother's Discourse: Reading Room by Francesca Capone closes tomorrow.

It's https://www.nationale.us/gabi-villasenor-we-found-a-freshwater-spring-while-you-were-sleeping-2026 at Nationale www.nationale.us 15 SE 22nd Map 2PM-4 Free

Leah Lavelle https://www.leahlavelle.com/ has paintings.

At Fine Art Fruit https://www.fineartfruit.com 925 NW 19th Ave Suite A 3PM-6 Free

Georgina Reskala https://www.ginareskala.com/ opens photographs Soñé Que Revelabas.

"Last year I had a dream. We were at my grandparents’ house and my late sister was standing there, looking at me. I carefully approached her and she whispered to me: “Soñé que revelabas”. I woke up trying to make sense of that sentence.

Revelar in Spanish is both to manifest or make public something that was a secret or unknown, and the chemical process in photography by which a latent image becomes visible.

She was my oldest sister, my best friend and confidant and had a gift to make me feel like things were going to work out. I wrote the sentence on a piece of paper and put it up on my studio wall. I saw it every day, and kept trying to figure out what she meant. As the days and the months went by, I realised that I am still trying to make sense of her loss. Loss not only as a consequence of death but loss in the quotidian. Loss of language, interactions, moments, and memories that become fainter as a result of distance and time. Leaving one’s home, family, and language and starting another life in a different country carries a weight that becomes most apparent during difficult times. I started looking through family pictures (my family and other families), using them as probes, copying them, changing them, creating new ones. I attached my own memories onto film.

This body of work is a personal account of the process of translation, not just in language, but of sounds, inflections, the stories, the memories, the dreams, and ultimately the way I see. The feeling of being unmoored. The estrangement that comes with the inability to fully translate from one language to the other. How does one communicate without full authority? How to experience in one’s language and express the memory in a different, foreign language. It is a reflection of ongoing investigations on translating my experiences from my native by language to my adopted one, back and forth in order to reconcile being in two different worlds with different structures; an attempt to create a personal visual language that can encompass both. A way to reveal myself."

At PDX Contemporary Art www.pdxcontemporaryart.com 1825 NW Vaughn Map 3PM-5 Free

Bethany Rowland has paintings Testament https://bethanyrowland.com/testament-2026 and Nicholas Stelter has kiln-iired glass vessels. There is an artist talk November 21 at 11AM.

At Laura Vincent Design and Gallery www.lvdesignandgallery.com/ 824 NW Davis 4PM-6 Free

Hi Books is one of many well curated art bookstores in Portland. They present their collection of the late 1960s-early 1970s queer San Francisco: Midnight Movies: Notes from the Psychedelic Cinematic Underground. There will be programs theroughout the exhibition. It's a unique archive. It is at The Old Fashioned Garage Gallery.

It is a residence. They don't want their address published. Look them up and follow the directions to message them for the address, or go with a friend already going, or later message them for an appointment.

Old Fashioned Garage Gallery opening show 4PM-7 Free

We like Ditch Projects. It is a Eugene artist-run gallery with many members around the U of O contemporary art department. They cross fertilize with Portland minimal conceptual opportunities.

Modern Language Association is a show in collaboration with Gene's Dispensery https://www.genesdispensary.ca/ in LA. Artists are Matthew Dickman, Marcus Fischer, Noah Greene, Ido Radon, Morgan Ritter, and Justin Cole Smith. There will be a performance/reading at 7.

At Ditch Projects https://ditchprojects.com/ 303 S. 5th Ave #165, Springfield OR Map 5PM-7 Free

MOSMA https://www.mosmapdx.org/ and the Crow Collective https://www.crowcollectivepdx.com/ have pop-up exhibit of behind-the-scenes artists in Portland stop-motion animation.

At ADX - Art Design Xchange adxportland.com 417 SE 11th x Stark Map 6PM-9

The Portland Zine Symposium comes to the PSU Smith Center Ballroom 11AM-5PM and Sunday too. Requesting masks. Free

October 16 - 18 Art Nature

2026-10-15T14:07:24.081-07:00
Sitka https://sitkacenter.org is an artist residency. They provide art and science workshops to coastal Title 1 schools too.

Oregon Contemporary hosts Sitka's selection of nature-inspired artists for 3 days of daytime shows. Some of the artists will be at Oregon Contemporary their open hours, 11AM - 5PM, to chat.

The artists are James Alby, Orlando Almanza, Ruth Armitage, Dylan Beck, Julie Beeler, Andrea Benson, Emily Bixler, Joanna Bloom, Michael Boonstra, Anette Brackett, David Brandt, Claire Burbridge, Iván Carmona, Yoonhee Choi, Victoria Christen, Susan Circone, Scott Conary, Lisa Conway, April Coppini, Epiphany Couch, Anne F. Crumpacker, Anna Daedalus, Laurie Danial, Rae Davis, Laura Domek, Sadie DuBois, Lisa Marie Ellis, Quintin Faria, Jennifer Foran, Ebenezer Galluzzo, Scott Gellatly, Patricia Giraud, Stirling Gorsuch, Kimberly Granquist, Jef Gunn, Susan Harrington, Dave Haslett, Misael Hernandez, Jennifer Hill, Yuji Hiratsuka, Jane Hoberg, Hsin-Yi Huang, Junko Ijima, Kevin Jessequel, Sarah Jones, Susan Jones, Marilyn Joyce, Eileen Kathryn, Heidi Keith, Anya Keyes, Justin L'Amie, Chris Lasley/Larson, Elizabeth Laskey, JiMin Lee, Kelli MacConnell, Brenda Mallory, Ruby Maly, Patty Maly, Kristen Miller, Sara Moen, Hide Morin, Michelle Muldrow, Felicia Murray, Kim Murton, Jesse Narens, Loren Nelson, Holly Osborne, James Page, Roger Peet, JD Perkin, Hilary Pfeifer, Bryan Potter, Julie Rall, Kearney Rathbun, Barbara Beers, Dale Reets, Georgina Reskala, Mary Stanchfield Roberts, Bethany Rowland, Amy Ruedinger, Ruri, Monica Setziol-Phillips, Natalie Souza, Dirk Staschke, Melanie Stevens, Travis Stewart, Angelita Surmon, Takahiro Suzuki, Carolyn Sweeney, Pearlyn Tan, Jemin London Tinsel, Randall David Tipton, Deborah Unger, Judy Vogland, Olga Volchkova, Mike Vos, Nanette Wallace, Erika Warhus, Marie Watt, Kirk Weller, Jennifer Williams, Cathie Joy Young, and Wesley Younie.

https://sitkacenter.org/sitka-art-invitational has links to the artists, the meet the artist schedule, and an early afternoon music schedule each day.

At www.carnationcontemporary.com in the Disjecta building 8371 N Interstate. 11AM - 5PM Free

October 13 Build It and They Will Come

2026-10-12T21:40:35.085-07:00
The PSU art department has been a nomad. They have a new building of their own now. They have an opening and party. https://www.pdx.edu/events/art-building-grand-opening-celebration 1981 SW Broadway 5PM-8 Free

October 10 Soul Ragas Costume Time

2026-10-09T12:03:04.139-07:00
Rebecca Shippee https://www.rebeccashippee.net/ brings a large painting installation inspired by the Helen's Costume gallery itself.

At Helen's Costume https://www.costumeintl.com/ 7706 SE Yamhill 2PM-5 Free

Ruby Webb https://www.fruitfulinterpretationoftime.com/about brings Clock Party to 1122 as part of Portland art textile month. It's 24 clock-themed garments you can try on.

"My love for time and clocks has run deep for around eight years. Recently I’ve been making more and more clock garments, and the idea of having a clock/time party began. Every year for the past five years, I make a garment collection in the springtime and bring it to Montana in the early summer. I take photos all around my grandmother’s property wearing the collection, and afterward I make a lookbook/zine of sorts with all the images.

This year I made 12 clock garments from scrap fabrics and garments I found at thrift stores and estate sales, and took pictures with my grandma while we wore them. My lookbook this year “time with grandma d and me,” will be placed around 1122 Gallery for your looking and purchasing pleasure."

At 1122 Outside Gallery www.1122gallery.com 7629 SE Harrison 1PM-5 Free

This Saturday the Mono Space listening session explores elegant soul music. In the day, Motown, Brunswick, Chess, and Atlantic sweetened tracks with orchestral instrument arrangements of strings and brass. This is that. Some discs they will be playing are: The Delfonics - The Sound of Sexy Soul, Minnie Riperton - Love Lives Forever, The Three Sounds - Soul Symphony, Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul, The Emotions - Flowers, and Aretha Franklin - Lady Soul.

Elegant Soul https://mono-space.org/blogs/events/gallery-hours-elegant-soul at Mono Space https://mono-space.org/ 608 NW 13th Ave Ste 102. Noon-5 Free

Vinay Desai, Santoor, Jai Gandhi, flute, and Vikas Yendluri, tabla perform Indian classical music. Presented by Kalakendra. https://kalakendra.org/etn/pankaj-mishra-sarangi/

At the First Baptist Church, 909 SW 11th 7PM Adults $35 Children (3-12 yrs) $15, Students with ID) $20

October 9 Garden

2026-10-08T17:14:49.513-07:00
The Black Gallery continues with We Built You a Garden, film photography by residents of SEI's Strong Empowerment Village housing project.

At The Black Gallery https://www.theblackgallerypdx.com/ 916 NW Flanders 5:30PM-8 Free

MSHR is playing at Holocene and there is a modern dance performance at Building5.

October 4 Ambient

2026-10-04T14:23:16.627-07:00
Bardo is hosting ambient monthly. 5PM-8

October 3 Northside Art Openings+

2026-10-02T13:47:49.563-07:00
For your +1, Tomoya Matsuzaki⁣⁣ debuts in the US. https://adamsandollman.com/Tomoya-Matsuzaki ⁣

At Adams and Ollman Gallery, the second of four members of the New Art Dealers Alliance newartdealers.org/members, www.adamsandollman.com 418 NW 8th 3PM-5 Free

For your +2, the Lumber Room is on break from art shows. They are doing an event honoring their interior redesigner, Osmose. Where I End…You Begin — Osmose: A Survey of Design (2007–2026) surveys interiors and built environments by designer Andee Hess and studio, Osmose.

At The Lumber Room https://lumberroom.com/ 419 SW 9th, above Liz Leach Map 5PM-8 Free

Pepper Pepper is a Portland multiartist, including organizing drag caberets with PICA. Listening Exercises are a series of drawings inspired by their performances.

At Souvenir Gallery https://souvenirartspdx.org/ 1233 NE Alberta 5PM-8 Free

Claire Elliott brings Tending to Wild, inspired by plants and gardening.

At Well Well Projects www.wellwellprojects.com in the Disjecta building 8371 N. Interstate Map 5PM-8 Free

Kim Smith Claudel https://www.kimsmithclaudel.com/gloves, an artist working in 2 & 3D, brings Yard Work, which "examines the absurdity and care of maintaining one's landscape, and the tension between being kept and being desired."

At www.carnationcontemporary.com in the Disjecta building 8371 N Interstate. 5PM-8 Free

Oregon Contemporary continues its Amy Ruhl and North Pole Studios/Elbow Room Converge45 shows through Sunday.

Franklin Foto has the latest review of Portland protests by photographer Ryan Dundon. It's https://www.truthinphotography.org/protest-city-2026.html They publish limited edition phtoto books.

At Franklin Foto https://www.franklinfoto.org/ 8953 N Lombard 5PM-8 Free

October 2 Eastside Art Openings

2026-10-02T11:23:00.780-07:00
First Friday gallery openings are listed on the socials.

Gina Matarazzo https://www.ginamatarazzo.com/ has all the cute plant and animal illustrations.

It is https://www.nucleusportland.com/blogs/future-exhibitions/gina-matarazzo-solo at Nucleus Portland http://www.nucleusportland.com 2916 NE Alberta 5PM-7 Free