Samantha Wall is one of Portland's most gifted illustrators. She has worked in charcoal and pencil in portraits and figures, adding watercolor.
She steps off the conceptual risk cliff, and flies, with See Me See You, her imagined, impressionistic portraits of women of color. Identity complexity is represented in texture complexity mapped on the body. It goes deeper. Beauty and idea are all there in this work.
Brad Atkins shows Baby, simple phrases and metaphors repurposed. At Laura Russo Gallery www.laurarusso.com 805 NW 21st early close 5PM-8
The curator role is implicitly revered while being attacked from every side. In the universe of art, the curatorial function is essential - it cannot be debated.
Upper hosts a collector-curated show from collectors John Goodwin and Michael-Jay Robinson.
Artists Romare Beraten, Marian Carrasquero, Ralph Chess, Kris Graves, Zig Jackson, Zum Lee, Glenn Ligen, Marion, Post-Walcott, Michael-Jay Robinson, Devan Shimoyama, Gary Simmons, Arvie Smith, Andy Warhol and Damon Winter participate.
At UpFor Gallery www.upforgallery.com 929 NW Flanders early close 6PM-8 Free
Two Seattle artists open this evening. Claire Cowie snaps stills bicycling in Seattle, the abstracts them in painting. Many definitely read Northwest landscape. Jaq Chartier is a longtime favorite. Her abstract paintings remind the patterns of sequencing DNA on electrophoresis gels. There is a narrative layer for you. At Elizabeth Leach Gallery www.elizabethleach.com 417 NW 9th Map 6PM-9 Free
Painter Megan Murphy makes blurred minimal monochrome landscapes. Her new work is at PDX. At PDX Contemporary Art www.pdxcontemporaryart.com 925 NW Flanders Map early close 8PM Free
Hartman has a Summer landscape show by Corey Arnold, Jeffrey Conley, Rachel Davis, Anna Fidler, Daniel Robinson and Mark Steinmetz. Take a look. At Charles Hartman Fine Art www.hartmanfineart.net 134 NW 8th early close 8PM Free
Ryan Molenkamp has geology-inspired paintings. At Duplex Collective www.duplexcollective.com 219 NW Couch 6PM-9 Free
Danila Tkachenko has Escape, portraits of modern hermits in the Ukraine and Russian wilderness. Wonder what the photographer would find in the Northwest? José Diniz has photographs from Brazil's maritime worlds. At Blue Sky Gallery www.blueskygallery.org Map 122 NW 8th 6PM-9 Free
PNCA is recommended to stop in. They have long time cycle shows and pop ups distributed throughout the building. PNCA www.pnca.edu 511 NW Broadway Map 6PM-9 Free
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-10ish
