Friday, February 28, 2014

March 1 Notice to Selfies: Steer Country to Peace Corps Planet Christmas

Alicia Eler is curator, writer and artist. Yes, today, you can have it all. Her show Self(ie) Portraits closes today. She speaks in person on her work exploring the edges between social media selfies and artist self portraits. At UpFor Gallery www.upforgallery.com 929 NW Flanders 11:30AM



Many people have given up on politics. That plan is a tactic by some of the most cynical: make politics so dirty that supporters of your opposition give up in disgust. Then you can eat the whole cake and get all the properties on the monopoly board. Unfortunately that tactic is working. If you let it. Portland, Oregon and the Northwest has an increasingly powerful congressional delegation. One is Senator Ron Wyden. He hosts one of the periodic town halls he holds throughout the state today. The Senator and staff are here to listen to you. Which is how it's supposed to work. Cool. Arrive early. Oregon Senator Ron Wyden town hall at the Multnomah Arts Center 7688 SW Capitol Highway 2PM Free



We have visited Peace Corps volunteers on station, worked with NGO staffers who are former Peace Corps, met UN officials who were influenced to follow world changing careers because they observed Peace Corps volunteers in their home town in Zaire and we knew the gentleman who designed the Peace Corps at its founding using an ethnographic approach.

So we think the Peace Corps is A-OK, in fact, it is the best it can be. It is one of our country's greatest accomplishments.

If you are interested in possibly joining the Peace Corps they are having an in-person event today. You can meet returned volunteers with their stories.

There are significant student loan benefits involved and the Peace Corps is a great spot between undergrad and graduate school in a variety of fields, for international business, NGO's and State.

You can gather some first-hand information today beyond this introduction www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxR8XZOeV, on the Peace Corps, www.peacecorps.gov at Hip Bone Studio 1847 E Burnside St., #104 4PM-5:30 Free



Not sure what to make of this one. Artist Kathryn Andrews presents a performance For Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (Continuous Roll). The plan is audience participation. Should be might be fun! At Disjecta, in the shadow of Paul Bunyan www.disjecta.org 8371 N. Interstate Map Doors 7:30PM, performance 8 Free



And today, all day, is Dynamic Range Day! 8dB may not sound like a large thing, but in the music world, it is. dynamicrangeday.co.uk/challenge/

Thursday, February 27, 2014

February 28 China Art Close

This show opened on our snow day. It is closing tonight with a reception 6PM-8.

Changjiang River waves behind drive the waves ahead. China. It is big. It is changing fast. It has all the communication overlays of, say the United States. Internet usage is higher and social media, mobile everything are thriving. The country is largely optimistic. The family structure is strong. Even so, it is hard to follow China from afar, and on the ground, the view is limited by the geographic extent and shear numbers. And I have to say I find lecturing China as immature.

University of Oregon professor of Contemporary Art History and Theory, Jenny Lin, has gathered a sample of contemporary art across media and geography. They are presented in a deep dive in her courses. And for you they are on display in Portland.

Artists include John Alexander, Chang He, Patty Chang, Chen Fei, Chen Xiaofeng, Chen Yina, Chen Yuan, Gu Zheng, Hai Liang, He Pei, Hu Chengwei, Huang Shizun, Huang Xiaoliang, Ji Tao, Jin Xu, Jing Yi, David Kelley, Liu Jiajia, Liu Jianhua, Liu Jie, Liu Kai, Liu Tao, Liu Wanyi, Liu Yanpeng, Liu Yuanyuan, Luo Dan, Ning Zhouhao, Tong Dazhuang, Wang Wenlong, Wang Peibei, Wu Pengfei, Xie Ying, Xu Yang, Jay Yan, Yan Yibo, Yang Ming, Ye Baoliang, Zhang Wenfeng, Zhang Xiao, Zhang Yujiao and Zi Bai.

The Chinese art world is unimaginatively vast and China is minting large numbers of MFA's per year.

By Whitebox Gallery at the University of Oregon White Stag Building, http://whitebox.uoregon.edu/ 70 NW Couch Closing reception 6PM-8.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

February 22 Edge the Crater

Caldera is the region's Djerassi residency with better facilities. Today they open to you to see. Details: www.calderaarts.org/caldera/arts-in-residence/current-roster/ At Camp Caldera www.calderaarts.org, 31500 Blue Lake Drive, Sisters, OR 1PM-3 Free


Know the Ledge is a long running b-boy/b-girl Portland battle. Dets: http://www.facebook.com/events/473081629470480. At Conduit PDX 918 SW Yamhill # 401. Small space, may be fully subscribed. Doors 5PM, battles 6. $12

Friday, February 14, 2014

February 15 Self(ish) Expression(ism)

I think we have mentioned artist, musician, skater Chris Johanson once or twice before. I think we have mentioned the Portland Museum of Modern Art - PMOMA - before. And if you have seen the shows at PMOMA, you might come to the conclusion that Johanson is an influence on the Museum's aesthetics. And you might be right.

Mr Johanson opens his new show Self(ish) Expression(ism) at PMOMA tonight. Musicians Gift Horse accompany. There will be interesting people there. It will be fun.

At the Portland Museum of Modern Art inside Mississippi Records www.portlandmuseumofmodernart.com 5202 N Albina Map 8PM-10 Free





Robert E. Gilpin reopens The Black Back Door. At Nationale www.nationale.us 811 E Burnside Map 6PM-8 Free

Several other 811 building galleries are holding reopening receptions.

February 14 Thawing

Fourteen30 opens a new post snow show by Perry Doane, Michael Dopp, Rachel Foullon, Evan La Londe, Andrea Longacre-White, Israel Lund, Niall Macdonald, Brian Sharp, Josh Tonsfeldt and Bobbi Woods. Group shows are rare for this venue, so it is a perfect chance to see how the curator weaves aesthetics. At Portland's only member of the New Art Dealers Alliance www.newartdealers.org, Fourteen30 Gallery www.fourteen30.com 1501 SW Market Street Map 6PM-8

Several galleries have rescheduled openings from last Friday's biblical snowstorm. You can refer to the opening listings for details, and we encourage readers to do so throughout the month every month.

Blue Sky reopens its February show.

Glyph reopens its February show. Piano music 6:30PM-9:30 art reception 7.

Monday, February 10, 2014

February 10 Meadows Edition

Curator and photographer Sarah Meadows has selected Mack McFarland, Drew Scott Swenhaugen and Matt Carlson for Getting to Know You(Tube). At Getting to Know You(Tube) www.gettingtoknowyoutube.com at the Hollywood Theater www.hollywoodtheatre.org 4122 NE Sandy Boulevard. 7PM $5

Friday, February 07, 2014

February 7 Poetics

Reed is a hidden gem which has a penchant for staying hidden. And often they have stellar visitors. I would be happier if some gems had remained hidden.

Poetry is a vast and obscure realm we leave to experts. But here is one that crossed my path.

Gary Snyder studied at Reed. He is a polymath. Cool dude.

He reads some of his poems this evening, including some of his translation, first published in 1959,
of Cold Mountain 寒山 Poems.

Reed is more self-sufficient transportation-wise than most, so check the school website for updates on cancellations.

Gary Snyder reads poems events.reed.edu/posts/2013-14/eliot-award-gary-snyder.html at Reed College Vollum Lecture Hall, www.reed.edu 3203 SE Woodstock Blvd Map 5:15PM Free

Thursday, February 06, 2014

February 6 Westside Art Openings

Almost all the galleries are closed tonight because of snow, but the shows are up all month.



Changjiang River waves behind drive the waves ahead. China. It is big. It is changing fast. It has all the communication overlays of, say the United States. Internet usage is higher and social media, mobile everything are thriving. The country is largely optimistic. The family structure is strong. Even so, it is hard to follow China from afar, and on the ground, the view is limited by the geographic extent and shear numbers. And I have to say I find lecturing China as immature.

University of Oregon professor of Contemporary Art History and Theory, Jenny Lin, has gathered a sample of contemporary art across media and geography. They are presented in a deep dive in her courses. And for you they are on display in Portland.

Artists include John Alexander, Chang He, Patty Chang, Chen Fei, Chen Xiaofeng, Chen Yina, Chen Yuan, Gu Zheng, Hai Liang, He Pei, Hu Chengwei, Huang Shizun, Huang Xiaoliang, Ji Tao, Jin Xu, Jing Yi, David Kelley, Liu Jiajia, Liu Jianhua, Liu Jie, Liu Kai, Liu Tao, Liu Wanyi, Liu Yanpeng, Liu Yuanyuan, Luo Dan, Ning Zhouhao, Tong Dazhuang, Wang Wenlong, Wang Peibei, Wu Pengfei, Xie Ying, Xu Yang, Jay Yan, Yan Yibo, Yang Ming, Ye Baoliang, Zhang Wenfeng, Zhang Xiao, Zhang Yujiao and Zi Bai.

The Chinese art world is unimaginatively vast and China is minting large numbers of MFA's per year.

By Whitebox Gallery at the University of Oregon White Stag Building, http://whitebox.uoregon.edu/ 70 NW Couch



Reverse Engineered is a group show by AJ Fosik, Jshea, Souther Salazar, Troy Coulterman, Michael Alm and Yosakay Yamamoto. Tonight the sculpture instance opens. On February 27th, each artist presents 2D companion work at Antler. At Hellion Gallery www.helliongallery.com through the lobby of the arched brick entry, up the stairs and to the back. Very upper floor Japan-style. 19 NW 5th Suite 208. Map 7PM-10 Free


Unless you have been snowed in for some time you know the word selfie. It is the venerable Oxford English Dictionary 2013 Word of the Year. It is also the inspiration for show Self(IE) by artists Lorna Barnshaw, Ian Ingram, TJ Norris, Julie Perini, Jordan Rathus, Samantha Wall and Tyler Wallace. Alicia Eler provides a closing talk for the show March 1. At UpFor Gallery www.upforgallery.com 929 NW Flanders 6PM-9 Free



PNCA has a previously opened An Exhibition That Might Exist, Bean Gilsdorf, recent CCA grad. At PNCA www.pnca.edu 1241 NW Johnson Map



Unveiled Nudes by Robert Hanson, Stephen Hayes, Malia Jensen, Gaston Lachaise, Henri Matisse, Joseph Park, John Sloan, David Smith opens tonight. It accompanies a very interesting project by photographer Chris Rauschenberg of artist studios. At Elizabeth Leach Gallery www.elizabethleach.com 417 NW 9th Map 6PM-9



The late photographer and curator Terry Toedtemeier is noted for his pictures of rocks. But he often included in the image rock's yang to yin, skies. That is the theme of this show of his work, Skies. At PDX Contemporary Art www.pdxcontemporaryart.com 925 NW Flanders Map early close 8PM



We are actively selective and passively selective covering cafe shows. To many moar arts. But we have great hopes for this cafe in a dorm, Glyph. They open their visual shows with Drawing a Blank, paintings by Theodore Holdt and an exhibition in shadow boxes that are the cafe tables Sea of Hooks – Writing Process Ephemera & Broadsides by Lindsay Hill. Both are have a lot of detail worth an extended visit. The new cafe has food items, beer and wine for your everyday pleasures. At Glyph Cafe & Arts Space www.glyphpdx.com 804 NW Couch 7PM-9



Laura Ross-Paul has Urban Forest this month. Ross-Paul is known for strong use of color, yet not overpoweringly so, in oil and water color. Along with Pecker Tracks by Nat Meade. At Froelick Gallery www.froelickgallery.com 714 NW Davis



Augen has a large group show by by Mark Andres, Phil Bard, Bill Brewer, Sharon Bronzan, Laurel Bustamante, Sally Cleveland, Matt Cosby, Jonnel Covault, Ron Cronin, John Dempcy, Karen Esler, James Florshutz, Trish Grantham, Jef Gunn, Yoko Hara, Mary Chomenko Hinckley, Yuji Hiratsuka, Chris Kelly, Stu Levy, Wendy Franklund Miller, Cynthia Mosser, Jim Neidhardt, Trude Parkinson, Gerald Purdy, Jim Riswold, Rita Robillard, Naomi Shigeta, Sara Siestreem, Dharma Strasser MacColl, Morgan Walker, Mary Wells, Mark Wilson and Thomas Wood. At Augen Gallery www.augengallery.com 716 NW Davis early close 8



Longtime Portland artists Henk Pander and Mel Katz have a show this month. At Laura Russo Gallery www.laurarusso.com 805 NW 21st 5PM-8



Compound has Parallel Worlds by Andrea Wan, Betsy Walton and Sandra Dieckmann. At Compound Gallery www.compoundgallery.com 107 NW 5th 6PM-10



Everett Lofts are recommended as always. It's easier for you to see them all than for me to write suggestions. Some close as early as 9PM. At the Everett Lofts 625 NW Everett. Bounded by NW Everett, Broadway, Flanders and 6th Map closing ranges from 9PM-10:30ish

Saturday, February 01, 2014

February 1 Get Down Forest

Portland has music and Portland has forests. In fact, for a large city, we have outstanding forests. We love, Portlanders love, and Portlander's Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis love, forest parks.

Between the two they have penned childrens' fantasy books with a forest focus. They read from newest, Wildwood Imperium.

Recommended and recommended for small ones and their companion parents.

Reading by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis at Powell's books Beaverton. 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd 2PM Free



When we talk about hip hop dance we say b-boy/b-girl. And when we think builders we think man builders and female builders. And when we think humanity. Identity includes all.

Habitat for Humanity and Women Build throw down a b-boy/b-girl/b-person competition, fundraiser and Bhangra dance party.

It's tonight. Details http://www.facebook.com/events/586405948080364/. At the Village Ballroom 700 NE Dekum 8PM-11 $12


And covers and blankets.