November

Portlandorusnow is on vacation with limited Internet connectivity, regularly scheduled programming will resume next week. Have fun First Thursday and First Friday!

October 29 Fritz Haeg Placemaking

Fritz Haeg creates experimental places for creative interaction. He may do one next year at Reed. He operates at the nexus of academic and experimental art in LA. It is very mysterious there is not a collective doing similar art-action here.

At the 5th Ave Cinemas 510 SW Hall Room 92 7:30PM Free

October 26 Please Listen I Have Something to Tell You About What Is

Sage artist Chris Johanson lives here. Before that he was a humble key figure among a small group of artists dubbed "the Mission school" post ipso facto. Humble in a good way. At one time the Mission 'hood in San Francisco was an affordable place to live and that fermented an arts community. The real diversity of the communities living there too was a key ingredient.

The Mission school vectors were picked up much later in the Brooklyn drawing style about the same time it was discovered by museums. Chris' work continues to evolve in his new Portland home where he has been super supportive of emerging art entities.

Tonight is his special night - the release of a book "Please Listen I Have Something to Tell You About What Is" on his work. His gallerist, Jack Hanley, contributed text to the bookalong with Aaron Rose and Sean Kennerly. The book release is at Reading Frenzy, 921 SW Oak, starting at 7PM Free

October 25 Slideshow Potluck

I had come across this at a distance in NY. Complaints about no venues to show your art? Bring it here. Kind of like the schoolage book report. More fun though, with the opportunity to meet other artists. All info at http://www.slideluckpotshow.com/portland.php At the Ace Hotel, SW 10th and Stark 7PM Free

October 22 Steve Badanes Architecture as Art

UW prof Badanes makes community architecture, often scaled down, participatory, in the community. So applied art. Perhaps in the tradition of Hassan Fathy, the Egyptian participatory architect. His take on the City Repair Project would be interesting.

At the PSU 5th Ave Cinemas 510 SW Hall Room 92 7:30PM Free

October 21 Art&War: Commentary in Ceramic

Richard Notkin makes maddeningly refined ceramic sculpture. Those finely detailed miniature YiXing Chinese teapots from Jiangsu province are his inspiration.

I believe craft is characterized by an overwelming emphasis on technique passed between individuals. Contemporary art places heavy focus on the idea behind the piece. Notkin gravitates more toward the idea pole but with work that reminds fine craft. Thus, he is perfect for a slide lecture sponsored by the Museum of Contemporary Craft. It is "Art&War Four Decades of Social Commentary in Clay".

No matter your political persuasion, it is hard to disagree with Notkin's thesis, expressed in his work: "We have stumbled into the 21st Century with the technologies of 'Star Wars' and the emotional maturity of cavemen... Ultimately, my current works are about lessons heard, but not heeded, during the 20th Century, and how these ignored lessons will affect this new century and the human species' ability (or inability) to survive the next 100 years. My work is a visual plea for sanity. It's really quite simple."

Notkin speaks at PNCA NW Johnson x 13th. Reception 3, talk 4PM Free

October 20 Bitch Magazine Party

Bitch Magazine moved from San Francisco to Portland. They are independent and reader supported, not part of the world publishing media plex. So sometimes they throw a gettogether to recharge the battery. Tonight they invite you and some artists to an art auction party - sm[art]. Evolutionary thinking and art go together. Consider the artists gathered - Hannah Stouffer, Eva Lake, Shannon Wheeler, Amy Ruppel, Nikki McClure, and the Guerilla Girls. A tarot card reading with Michelle Tea(!), some Queen Bee creations and other things you might want are up for auction too. The Sprockettes will perform and Anjali will DJ for your mad dancing pleasure. 21+ Tickets are on a sliding scale $15-45 at www.brownpapertickets.com. Details: www.bitchmagazine.com Event is at the Ace Hotel Cleaners 7-11PM

October 20 North Indian Ragas

Brij Narayan sarod, joined by Abhijeet Banerjee, tabla, play for you evening ragas. In the perfect place to see this, the old wood church downtown. The vibrations of the low tabla notes carry through the building corpus. You will feel them. Presented by Kalakendra. Cosponsored by Lewis and Clark. Advance- Tickets West. At the First Congregational Church 1126 SW Park. $25/20 or members free. 7:30PM.

October 19-24 Portland Fashion Week

Fashion has sometimes a bad rap. It stands in for economic-class issues, celebrity culture, junior high in-ies vs out-ies carried on into life. On the other hand, it is a form of communication at a distance which can be used to fight evil. And make people smile. In Portland I think it is a force for good. Independent creative artists started by reconstructing previously made pieces and then added new sustainable materials to the mix. It is supporting people economically in Portland and we are even exporting beautiful things to other cities. That's economically sustainable.

Portland Fashion Week is a distillation of all of those creative vectors. If you are going, consider what one of a kind or small local label item you will wear to communicate your values at a distance. Maybe you made it yourself.

Much more informed information than I can provide on all the events can be found at ultrapdx.com. The venue is the always surreal Portland Shipyard. Leave plenty of time to find and arrive. Depending on what space they are using at the shipyard, tickets may be limited.

Details on all of the events at Portland Fashion Week. Tickets are also available in person at Dragonlily, Souchi, Visage, Dana Lynn, Greenloop and IDOM

October 18-20 10 Or Less Film Festival (shorts)

I met the organizers of this and they are cool, non-short attention span people. But if the stress and strife of the modern world is getting you down, or you are just curious about the art of short story telling on the wide screen, then maybe this is the perfect diversion. They have parties and panels, so you may find the festival pass useful. There is plenty of info on their website: http://www.10orlessfest.com/ At the Hollywood Theater and various locations.

October 15 Alan McCollum on Population and Art

Alan McCollum is working on a large project to create a unique 2D profile for every person on the planet, up to, and including, the anticipated peak of over 9 billion in about 2050. This work continues a long series of unique multiples begun in 1969. On its surface, McCollum's obsession seems odd. Consider though the art world's obsession with rarity and singular uniqueness. The one Van Gogh oil. McCollum's exponentially scaled output is a direct challenge to the idea. With his Shapes project, the scale of billions is such that he cannot complete the project in his lifetime. It is designed as an Adobe Illustrator algorithm which others can carry forward. It is also a meditative touch point for our species' sustainability on lifeship earth.

At the PSU 5th Ave Cinemas 510 SW Hall Room 92 7:30PM Free

October 11-14 Tahni Holt endless ocean endless sky

endless ocean endless sky is an experimental performance for an audience of 10 told in 100 instants. This intimate exchange unfolds in architectural space at PNCA. Reservations required. 7:30pm, 9pm, 10:30pm. Corner NW Johnson x 13th. $15

October 11, 13 Interactive Installation @ 911 Seattle

This is hard to describe, much less imagine, thus it must be seen. We all know of Marco Polo's travels to the East. Imagine the reverse journey, of a fictional Japanese woman, West. Artist Tamiko Thiel has done so in “The Travels of Mariko Horo”.

It is a 3d virtual world in which you, the viewer, experience the journey from Mariko's point of view. The story takes place between the 12th and 22nd centuries, enabled by time travel.

Tamiko Thiel's piece opens this evening with a reception, contact the center for details on the show's run.

On Saturday see a video of "In the Land of Babari-an". For this piece, the artist controlled the narrative path of the "The Travels of Mariko Horo" VR offstage, while dancers Shinichi Iova-Koga (inkBoat, San Francisco) and Ishide Takuya (Tokyo) performed in front of the screen.

Thank you Brenda Laurel.

At 911 Media Arts Center, 402 9th Ave N, Seattle.

Opening reception Oct 11, 6-9PM
Dance-installation video Oct 13, 4:30PM
Both Free.

October 11 m.o.n.o. Collective

I am all for collectives. When they are really clicking the result is beautiful. I hope more form up in Portland and make an impression internationally.

The m.o.n.o. Collective is sort of a tighter place-based Born Magazine. Writers and visual artists work together to realize something greater in whole than in parts. A collective.

Realizations therein include "I know you" by Kristie Louderbough/ images by Miranda Lehman; "Women of Sand, Men of Salt" by Tiffany Edwards/ images by Jaclyn Campanaro. "Cedar Rapids, The Coming of Derrick Dean" by Lisa Wells/ images by Sarah Meadows and Melanie Brown; /Nicholas Bindeman and Rasheeda Lalsingh music for all.

At the Portland Art Center
32 NW 5th Ave $2/free PAC members 8PM

October 5-8 HP Lovecraft Film Festival

I don't like horror films much. Really at all. I have been lucky to have been only on the periphery of a few real politically motivated horrors. Comparatively, celluloid horror is thin. So for me this is just one of those Portland oddities: the annual H.P. Lovecraft film festival. Lovecraft was a brilliant sad writer - look back through my old posts for history. This festival pairs John Carpenter's "The Thing" with a new, filmed in Astoria, "Cthulhu". I don't know if Cthulhu actually appears in the film. The details are at http://www.hplfilmfestival.com as well as all the times and admission prices.

October 5 Eastside Art Openings

At the Grass Hut, Shawn Wolfe shows "ponderous, playful, pointless and panicky" graphic work crafted with "heartfelt ambivalence". Sounds very post post ironic. Mike and Michelle Kelly, Le Merde make painting, sculpture and figures. See all of the above at the Grass Hut

Moshi moshi is vibin'on halloween too with a show by Brett Superstar, Tripper, Nicolai Dornstauder, Dung Ho, RITS, Nomearts, Geneva Smith and Justin Scrappers Morrison. Moshi-Moshi

Redux shows collage works by Jason Dietz. Some are glossy magazine snips or made from paint chips. Some are fantastic landscapes, others cityscapes. At reduce reuse redux

all 811 E Burnside



Painter Rose McCormick shows "Americana", paintings at the New American Art Union. McCormick's paintings are bright, made with egg tempura which works well with her style. Here is a link good for this month of her paintings. At New American Art Union 922 SE Ankeny



Newspace shows work by Todd Stewart, Paul Yurkovich & Rishi Singhal. Newspace is no longer new, it's 5. So later in the evening, they are celebrating their birthday at Holocene with music by Cicada Omega and Bark, Hide and Horn $8 Holocene:1001 SE Morrison. Newspace Gallery:1632 SE 10



The 23 Sandy photospace shows Photo+Construct. It's a group show in which artists incorporate photomaterial into sculptural and flatter mixed media work. This gallery is a welcome addition to Portland's photography ecosystem. 623 NE 23rd Avenue three doors north of Sandy Boulevard. http://www.23sandy.com/Location.html



The Eastside artshop guide has been updated, so there is much more cool stuff than I could possible know there: http://www.firstfridayart.com/

October 4 Westside Art Openings

Shows are up all month, generally Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 5 or 6. So rainy Saturdays are a good time to see art without opening crowds.

Just Be Toys/ Compound duals Japanese illustration shows and small sculpture reliefs. Illustrators include Sayka, Makiko Sugawa, Yuka Yamaguchi and Micca.

The beautiful strange polymer clay reliefs are "The Evolution of Psychepolymereganics" by Meredith Dittmar.

Prolific Portland creative Merideth Dittmar had a great show a while back at Stumptown. Now her work is at Compound, a good suggested match. Her description wins the copywriting award of the month:

"Meredith Dittmar is an artist living and playing in Portland OR. Born near Boston Mass, she grew up in a world of pet pigs, horses, hay-forts and spy games. Follow this with an education in computer science, a career in interactive design, a compulsive need to create, and a drive to seek and you get the major elements of her person and work.

Dittmar's human-animal-plant-energy amalgams contain threads of common elements and colors to express deep levels of union across themes of biology, technology, and consciousness. Her characters are frequently involved in quiet expressive moments, or lounge facing their audience so they can share their inner space. Dittmar believes it is this space we recognize in ourselves, and through convening in that space, the interconnectedness of all things is revealed. She sees the act of spontaneous artistic creation as part of a larger practice of being present, and a way to better understand herself and reality."

At Compound/ Just Be Toys www.justbedesign.com 107 NW 5th



Reading Frenzy has been a reliable art outpost for self taught artists since its inception. More than a few have blossomed into showing their creative work at galleries in and outside Portland. The 'Frenzy has always concentrated on small very affordable work - that means you can buy it. Repeat "you can buy it". This month see "Forget Me Not", a show themed on the Day of the Dead, holiday of remembrance. Take a look at the list of artists: Alicia Justus, Carye Bye, Cathy Pitters, Cynthia Lahti, Dan Ness, Donal Mosher, Edith Abeyta, Julianna Bright, Justin "Scrappers" Morrison, Nicole Georges, Philip Iosca, Tara Jane O'Neil, Theo Ellsworth. We each, and the artists too, have lost. Loved ones, the land, companion animals, places, the past and longed for futures. If you are so inspired, bring a small photo or drawing to add to an altar of remembrance. If you like, wear your Sunday-best to the opening. At Reading Frenzy 921 SW Oak



Busy-ness ontogulates efficiency. So I say see the Everett Lofts, the Portland Art Center and the Daisy Kingdom art megaplexes. It won't take much time to find things you like and I don't need to write about everything. The intent is for you to see a lot and craft your own quality. The Everett Lofts and cotravelers are bounded by NW Broadway, Everett, Flanders and 6th. The Daisy Kingdom houses very quality commercial and non commercial galleries. It is at the corner of NW Broadway and Davis. The Portland Art Center is at the corner of NW 5th and Couch and has multiple shows each month. Artist studios in the same building are often open first Thursday.



Mathew Picton is an Oregon artist from Ashland who operates on a global geographic. In this case, geographic is the meme. Picton's sculptural theme has been to sample the world, from lifting peeling paint from decaying walls; casting Alvord desert playa fissures; sampling the subocean topography; tracing the fascinating patterns below our feet of cracked concrete. Look sometime, those beautiful patterns are hidden around us all. For this show, Picton has sampled street grids and relayered them on the gallery walls. Especially fascinating is Baghdad's street grid, drawing us against our will into a sad maelstrom. Generations will know that map. Cartography is a more subtle art than appreciated, repurposing it for art maybe brings back the mystique. At Pulliam Deffenbaugh 929 NW Flanders early opening close - 8PM



We are a place. Unimaginably beautiful forests of fifteen foot diameter firs were cut to pieces to craft loving homes and a myriad of supporting structures. With them we realize now all the lost salmon and more. A great romantic swath for some, for others the loss of Rousseau's Eden. That is Karin Weiner's start point. Her schematic paintings depict stumps, lost bears, the houses made from all the long grown wood. At Elizabeth Leach 417 NW 9th



Particiation breeds inspiration. That was the inspiration behind Zoom Uganda. Twelve girls were given cameras to document their lives over 24 hours. When I was there, the country had one of the highest HIV infection rates. I met the [UN] WHO AIDS research director. He was exactly the deep philosopical person needed for the job. It opened my eyes. He had a unique perspective on conflict and loss. What AIDS there means is orphans. In the village there are elders and children. All else is missing, which, when considered, tears society, ripling generations. Imagine no, or only one, parent from childhood on. Think about it. So when you hear a Bono or a Bush mention it, don't discount the message for the messenger. The photos of these young women/next generation are at W+K 224 NW 13th



The Mark Woolley Gallery, now downtown, opens a themed show "Blue". Color and blue sky. At Mark Woolley Gallery
817 S.W. 2nd



Oregon (Salem?) quiet artist D. E, May shows minimal weathered work of paper. May has niched a spot that might be difficult for an emerging artist to enter now. Nonetheless, the work has a quiet Zen appeal which could play worldwide. At PDX Contemporary Art 925 NW Flanders early opening close 8PM



PNCA graduate Tom Cramer is known for bright geometric paintings on building walls, and painting vehicles from old school bugs to scooters. He is a sculptor, imprinting the same aesthetic on carved wood totem poles. His work of recent are low relief carved wood panels. Cramer carves wandering quiet patterns and colors them with rich finishes. At the start of this body of work, he collaborated with a lost friend, Cassie Wright, traveler and artist, to find the surface finishes which complete the work. The combination draws you in. Now at Laura Russo Gellery 805 NW 21st

October 1 PSU Lecture Series: Corin Hewett

Corin Hewett is known for making sculpture of site specific material. For example he made a sculpture from street detritus. Sometimes his gathering touches media and events of the day. He worked in the Small A Projects constructing and deconstructing sculptures in September. Tonight he discusses his work in the first regular Monday talk at PSU. At the 5th Ave Cinemas 510 SW Hall Room 92 7:30PM Free