Brenden Clenaghen shows "We Became", schematic paintings. Many Clenaghen paintings remind landscape in a mysterious modern fairy tale way. Some of the paintings have cool titles like "Curing Astral Woe" - I'll vote for that! With Laurie Reid's watercolors in a show titled "Landscapes/Lifescapes". At Pulliam Deffenbaugh www.pulliamdeffenbaugh.com 929 NW Flanders early close 8PM
The PDX Window Project shows "Weather" wood burn patterned panels. This is a new direction for the artist known for small polymer sculptures. In the main gallery are book art works from Nazraeli Press. At PDX www.pdxcontemporaryart.com 925 NW Flanders
Portland is a printmaking town. Sarah Horowitz is the printmaker's printmaker. Her exploration of handmade papers has led to new pen and brush original drawings on Japanese handmade papers using inks from natural materials such as persimmon, oak, iron and soot. Her subjects are plants too, in a botanical illustration style.
At Froelick Gallery www.froelickgallery.com 714 NW Davis
Mark R Smith creates sculptures and collage from found fabric. Early work comprised every hue imaginable in clothing left in arenas after sports events or concerts. He sewed them into relief sculptures in the pattern of the seating charts, with the lost clothing sealed in clear plastic corresponding to the area in which it was found. Later clear plastic sculptures stuffed with fabric took on different shapes. Smith has added 2d work of bright fabric to the mix. Christine Bourdette shows drawings complementary to her retrospective at the Marylhurst Art Gym. At Elizabeth Leach www.elizabethleach.com 417 NW 9th
Blue Sky shows two artists' meditations on our society's relationship to mental illness. "Library of Dust" are David Maisel's photographs of 3489 canisters of ashes, the remains of people in Oregon's last mental institution, the Oregon State Hospital. The poignant sad story is a deep metaphor. We certainly haven't gotten it right yet.
Claudio Cricca shows "Faceless", photographs of men in Italy's last remaining mental hospitals. Forsaken by family, they live out lives measured by the mind's endless time. The work recalls Ward No 7 (The Psychiatry, 1984) by Alfonsas Budvytis photographed in crumbling Soviet mental institutions. Budvytis reportedly suffered post traumatic stress syndrome himself from wartime photography experiences.
Maisel speaks at the gallery Wednesday October 1 at 6PM and Cricca Saturday October 4 at 3PM. Free
At Blue Sky Gallery www.blueskygallery.org in the Desoto Building, 122 NW 8th. Opening 6PM-9
The Independent Publishing Resource Center, IPRC, shows small prints by Shannon Buck and Carye Bye. Known for zines and now electronic publishing, the IPRC also has ancient iron presses. Buck and Bye met at those presses, formed a friendship and then each started their own presses! Buck founded Loaded Hips Press while making folk art style whirlygigs and performing tarot readings. Bye operates Red Bat Press, organizes the Bunny on a Bike ride every Easter and operates the Bathtub Museum collection of bathtub themed art. Bye and Buck tell the story of the ideosyncracies of each of the presses they have worked on by example works in lino-cut, woodblock and letterpress.
At The Independent Publishing Resource Center www.iprc.org
917 SW Oak St 6PM-9
As always the varied work at the Everett Station Lofts and the current show a the contemporary Craft Museum are recommended for your viewing pleasure.
