April 13 Pedal Pedal Medium Mother Parentheses Wonder

A good first stop today is the 7th first annual Ladd's 500. It's like a non-competitive alley cat in a circle. Form a team, 500 laps acound Ladd Circle is 100 miles, a century. In the planted part of the circle is a party and a place for your other team members to recharge. Costumes are A-OK. https://www.shift2bikes.org/pages/ladds-500/ 10AM all day Free


Today and tomorrow is the Synth and Pedal demo-show. Portland is the smallest town for this show. You can audition and experiment with all the sound makers and modifiers through headphones. It is the https://delicious-audio.com/upcoming-synth-pedal-expos/ at https://briq.studio/ 209 NW 4th Noon Free tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-portland-synthmodular-expo-2024-tickets-858414539997


Ricky Bearghost, Gemma Browne, Mike Paré open their show Mediums. "These three artists are mediums, conduits of “what’s trying to force its way through”. Not hiding. Reverberating agents attuned to the spheres and what’s oozing out. Intoxicated by the material as much as the subject “I am merely the instrument”, the fuzzy pumper barber shop, an apparatus ignited by color. This show will feature new weavings by Bearghost and works on paper by Browne and Paré." Meow!

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


Francesca Capone brings A Mother’s Discourse. She is a RISD & Brown-minted writer and textile artist. Writer Dave Hickey opined on beauty as an ingredient in art. To me, some materials take over the work. Textiles, and highly finished glass, wood, even electronic arts, we're looking at you, teamLab, can fall into this trap. Capone's words on textile bring possibilities of more contemporary experience. Francesca Capone https://www.francescacapone.com.

At Nationale www.nationale.us 15 SE 22nd Map 3PM-5 Free


Math Pearl Bass brings Full Body Parentheses. It is painting and murals in a graphic art style, alomg with sculpture. Elizabeth Cole Sonenberg performs as Pure O at 6.

At The Lumber Room https://lumberroom.com/exhibitions/2023/em-nona-faustine-em 419 SW 9th, above Liz Leach Map  4PM-7 Free


I expereinced some of the earliest pop surealist / lowbrow art at La Luz de Jesus, then much later at Roq La Rue. It's a broad field and my interests in it are very narrow. So I have never vibed with Brassworks, though they deserve respect for their show schedule. That said, I have followed the work of Jesse Reno and Melissa Monroe. Their paintings, to me, are more outsider impressionism. Monroe has added a new ingredient, tufted tapestry. They bring their whole family of works in show Automatic Wonder. Also showing is Legendary Stature by Oronde Kairi and Jeanne Steffan with Shranimals. At Brassworks Gallery 3022 NE Glisan Ave 5PM-9 Free

April 9 If we had 9.1 ears ATMOS(TM) would make sense

Music never sleeps. In a hall or a bar, multiple insruments fill the space with echoes, our head+ear transfer function allows us to localize and construct a soundstage, and we enjoy the music.

L&C College has art and music programs. They have created an outdoor 16 channel listening environment, the Experimental Art Research Forest - EAR Forest. https://college.lclark.edu/departments/art/ear-forest/

Annie Sprinkle + Beth Stephens https://sprinklestephens.ucsc.edu/ have been doing a Spring arts residency at the school. This evening they are reading out their 16 channel composition in the woods.

The EAR Forest is seeking artists, so listen up sound healers, ambient composers, hardware synthers, and sound artists.

EAR Forest installation at Lewis and Clark College https://college.lclark.edu/departments/art/ear-forest/directions/ (and parking) 615 S Palatine Hill 5PM-6:30 Free

April 6 Northside and Westside Openings+

Most of the shows on the Westside which opened Thursday are open today.


The Circus and the Beach is a show of the work of intellectually disabled artists Tess Bidelspach, Elmeater Morton, and Mohamed Omar, working at the Elbow Room. It is curated by Kristan Kennedy. Omar will perform at 2:30.

At I Love You 2 - ILY2 https://ily2online.com/ 925 NW Flanders 2PM-4 Free


A&O opens landscape paintings by Joan Nelson https://adamsandollman.com/Joan-Nelson-New-Works and schematic botanical illustrations by Kinke Kooi https://adamsandollman.com/Kinke-Kooi-The-Male-Part-of-the-Flower.

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


Arthur Pierson https://www.arthurpierson.net/ died in Portland at age 76, 6 years ago. He lived in the Alberta neighborhood. So Masks: A Retrospective is at Souvenir Arts https://souvenirartspdx.org 1233 NE Alberta 4PM-8 Free


Bill Rebholz has Earthly Offers. At Nucleus Portland http://www.nucleusportland.com 2916 NE Alberta 4PM-6 Free


Outer Voice closes Kinds of Time. At 6 they have performances. One involves you walking in mismatched shoes.

At Outer Voice www.outervoicepdx.com/ in the Disjecta building 8371 N Interstate Map . 5PM-8 Free


Intergalactic/ Planetary/ Planetary/ Intergalactic is a show by Andrea Alonge, Brian Knowles. "Alonge’s textile works evoke portals, wormholes, spirals, microcosms, and spiritual symbols, while Knowles’ work plays on the geological forms of space, molecular structures, chemical reactions, and topographical maps."

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


Atras do Pensamento / Behind Thought are paintings on plywood by Quinha Faria with collaboration by Tatiana Godoy-Betancur and Ryan Windus. The Carnation website explains it all.

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


For your +1, classical Indian music vocalist Michael Stirling and Joss Jaffe, tabla perform ragas. Stirling is a disciple of the late Pandit Pran Nath (1918 – 1996) and a student of Nathji’s senior disciple Terry Riley. At intimate temple setting Nritya Mandala Mahavihara - Dance Mandal. 1405 SE 40th 7:30PM $15


For your +2 local electronic musicans Pigeon Milk perform their live score to Kubrick's 2001. At Kelly's Olympian 8PM $10 advance $12 door

April 5-6 Floor Lords

Breaking makes its Olympic debut August 9 in Paris. Here is one version of the story https://www.redbull.com/us-en/theredbulletin/genesis-of-competitive-breaking.

Hip Hop dance had its day in Portland but it's fading. It seems like the Melbourne shuffle, easier, is rising. Seattle tho, has a more solid situation with the long-running Zulu 206.

This weekend they represent their crews to a Red Bull-sponsored competition bringing world crews in Lords of the Floor, 2 on 2.

Friday is the prelims and workshops. Saturday has workshops, the finals, and an afterparty. It appears Saturday's main event streams https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-i3HcA_olU; sold out in person now.

Lords of the Floor https://www.redbull.com/us-en/events/lords-of-the-floor/event-info-2024 at W Hotel, Washington Hall, and WAMU Hall. Seattle

April 5 Friday Garden Mushroom Stomp

Portland's Butoh connection rode off into the New Mexico sunset. But there are still butoh players here. Tonight they do a sprawling event in a small place. Paige Starling Sorvillo from Oakland, Alexander Freilich, Nicole Walters, and Carl Annala perform with music by Eric Jordan, Jason Hovatter, & The Ice Queen. Tickets and more at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/portland-butoh-festival-tickets-864030627867. At Portland Arts Collective 120 SW Harvey Milk 7PM $20


Cluster 2 is the mushroom show. Have we reached peak mushroom? Not yet. Artists in the Nucleus stable have painted and modded 5" tall wood mushrooms. Artists are Adam Alaniz, Andrew DeGraff, Bill Mayer, Briana Hertzog, Bryce Wymer, Caleb Sinchok, Cheyenne Barton, Claire Merchlinsky, Dusty Ray, Edward Kinsella III, Ego, Eli McMullen, Ellen Surrey, Faunwood, Gina Matarazzo, Graham Franciose, Helice Wen, Jamie Green, Jim Houser, Josh Keyes, Julian Callos, Kamryn Tulare, Kelly Malka, Kevan Hom, Kim Slate, Kimera Wachna, Krissta Passanante, Kyler Martz, Lachlan Herrick, Meadow & Fawn, Makoto Chi, Marisa Aragón Ware, Matt Schu, Michael Camarra, Nicole Gustafsson, Nicomi Nix Turner, Otiswoods, Paper Puffin, Parakid, Patrick Mathews, Rachel Bensimon, Shoko Ishida, Stephanie Brown, Stevie Shao, T. Dylan Moore, Taryn Knight, Teagan White, Vasilisa Romanenko, Veronica Steiner, Tegan Bellitta, The Creeping Moon, The Obanoth, and Willie Real.

At Nucleus House Gallery 1137 NE Alberta 5PM-7 Free


Ori has been consumed with buying their building, rehab plans, and operating the late Headwaters Theater. Tonight they resume public programming with a show and talk by artist Lucky Frances. At Ori Gallery, little with a big vision, www.oriartgallery.com 4038 N Mississippi 5PM Free


Holly Osbrne has Gardens, paintings. www.stephaniechefas.com 134 SE Taylor, Ste 203. Map. 5PM-8 Free


More at http://firstfridaypdx.org/ and their socials list many shows and their times.

April 4 Westside Art Openings +

First Thursday also includes the Saturday following in the afternoon.


Leach, Froelick, The Black Gallery, continue. No idea on Landdd, or the Everett Lofts.


For your +1, Grapefruits Gallery opens a group show, The Old Art Show. In the Mother Foucalt's Bookstore 523 SE Morrison 5PM-8 Free


It must be trying to be Spring, so for your +2 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


The Portland Art Museum, through a private grant, is open free first Thursdays. They are free the whole day 10AM-8PM.


Kayla Marie Carlson has Natural Coundations, large color blocks on a brown background. Brown is back everywhere! At Fine Art Fruit https://fine-art-fruit.square.site/ 925 NW 19th Ave Suite A 5PM-8 Free


In the Nine Gallery has Observations, by Trude Parkinson. It relates well with the last month moon show. It's paintings based on photographs made at the Goldendale Observatory.

Toni Pepe has Mothercraft, fround photos, rephotographed.

The Critical Mass show this year is André Ramos-Woodard, with Black Snaf.

Seeing Time is a group show by PNCA students.

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


They Said No Dancing is a show by artist and poet Kristen Diederich. At After/time Gallery 730 SW 10th (enter on 9th) 5PM-8


Margot Voorhies Thompson has Letters from a Remote Landscape and Gabe Fernandez has Liminal Space. At Laura Russo Lee Gallery www.russoleegallery.com 805 NW 21st 5PM-7 Early Close Free


PNCA/Willamette has First Thursday this month. There are too many shows to list inside, there are outdoor projections, and DJ Anjali and The Incredible Kid spin.

At PNCA www.pnca.edu 511 NW Broadway Map 5-9 Free


Ekphraestivalpdx is a group show of visual word art at Writers Block. 818 NW Flanders 5PM-8


Waterstone has Ruth Armitage with Blame It on the Moon: Abstract Nocturnes. At Waterstone Gallery www.waterstonegallery.com 124 NW 9th 5PM-78 Free


Blackfish has Gilding the Lily by Alice Christine Walker, photography and media on women's bodies. Philip Stork has Reimagining, pastel and ink. Ekphraestival, word art is at Balckfish too. At Blackfish Gallery https://www.blackfish.com/ 938 NW Everett Map 5PM-8 Free


Roger Kukes has Hanford and the American West. At Augen Gallery www.augengallery.com 716 NW Davis 5PM-7:45 Free


RACC has an open house with works from the substantial public collection they manage. At RACC.org 411 NW Park. 5PM-7 Free


William Park has Retrospective Hiccup. At Laura Vincent Design and Gallery www.lvdesignandgallery.com/ 824 NW Davis 5PM-8 Free


States of Being ia a group show by Rita Alves, Sam Case, Melissa Jones, Raven Lloyd, Matt Seavers, Cassie Tompkins, and Gia Whitlock. At Erickson Gallery 9 SW 2nd 5PM-8


The Urban Art Network is back with their sprawling carfts and art show on 13th.

March 30 Poetics of Sun

B. Wurtz has Organic Yogurt and the Poetics of a Sock. They will perform their music from Under the Sky along with Ann Bobco. The artist from NY is in their late career and has used discarded material for their art.

At at SE Cooper Contemprary https://www.secoopercontemporary.com/ 6901 SE 110th 1PM-5 Free

March 23 - 24 Sextet Closes

Sextet is a show of queer artists, Daniel Peabody, Molly Alloy, David Eckard, Andrzej Jank, Michael Espinoza, and Pepper Pepper. 608 NW 13th, #102 Noon-4 Free