August 27 Garage Convergence

Favorite garage galleries Helen's Costume and SE Cooper have openings today under the Converge45 umbrella.

August 25 Sixth Sculptures

The independent Biomass pop-up curated by Jeff Jahn hosts its sixth artist talk with participating artists Erik Geschke, Brian Borrello and Gabriel Liston. Biomass at 608 NW 13th, #102 3:30PM talk Free


Jennifer Wilkinson has ‘Depo(t)asis’!, ceramic sculptures. At Fisk Projects 3613 NE MLK Jr. Blvd. 6PM-9 Free

August 24 - Social Forms

Converge45 is a successor to PICA as PICA was successor to Art on the Edge. It mixes local and international with an out-of-town currator.

It spans venues. It opens this weekend. The component exhibitions start closing in October and persist through December. Almost all of it is free.

It is more efficient to refer you to the Converge45 website and socials than to catalog it here. I doubt anyone would be disappointed by any of the program. Personally I'm excited about Richard Mosse's work.

https://www.converge45.org/opening-weekend covers events Thursday August 24 - Sunday August 27.

https://www.converge45.org/ is the whole program and links to socials.

August 20 Floating Sank

Feels Like Floating is a multi-city presenter of ambient and slow music. In LA they present Laraj. In Portland they send out music through the Leach Botanical Garden trees.

This afternoon you can tap the deep vibes of Carley Barton. Bring a blanket or lawnchair and a picnic if you like.

Unfortunately Leach Botanical Garden is closed today and the event canceled because of wildfire smoke.

August 19 Fifth Mass

The independent Biomass pop-up curated by Jeff Jahn hosts its fifth artist talk with participating artists V. Maldonado, Buq Corvidae-Schulte and Jeffry Mitchell. Biomass at 608 NW 13th, #102 3:30PM talk Free

August 19, 20, 26, 27 Sticks and Stones

Land art is a thing with a history, even before recorded history. Some residencies emphasize it like the Djerassi Foundation. Light artists James Turrell is a man with a plan in Roden Crater. The Seattle Horsehead weekend ran for a few years. Scott Wayne Indiana did an art on land at Mt Scott Park.

A new group is doing ticketed shows on private land. They did one last year with bus service. This one is in Troutdale with DIY transportation and limited street parking. More https://variablewest.com/event/other-terra-incognita/.

Terra Incognita at the Verdency Project https://www.verdancyproject.com/terra-incognita 10AM-4PM $10-25

August 17 Moon Obscura

Blue Moon Camera presents employee images they processed, selected for what they like. It is a unique and social show. This year they add an about 15 minute documentary, Blue Moon - Your First Last Camera Store. It was shot on 16mm to promote a Blue Moon.

Blue Moon documentary at St. Johns Twin Cinemas, 8704 N Lombard. 7PM, 7:30, 8, 8:30 Free

Show 45th Parallel Wines, 8527 N Lombard. 7PM-9 Free

August 12 Massive Love Pipes

The independent Biomass pop-up curated by Jeff Jahn hosts its fourth artist talk with participating artists Malia Jensen, Ralph Pugay and Bruce Conkle. Biomass at 608 NW 13th, #102 3:30PM talk Free


Rigmarole Elizabeth Arzani, Ahuva Zaslavsk opens.

"Pipes deliver and receive as conductors; they flow all sorts of materials to both of their ends. But what happens when the pipe clogs?

In this exhibition, Portland based artists Elizabeth Arzani and ahuva s. zaslavsky meet in a rambling garden to conduct a dialogue about the concept of ends and the spaces in between, discussing the role of pipes and tubes as mechanisms for transporting materials and connecting contrasting spaces.

The tunnels connect the functional and metaphorical: the inside and outside, the pleasant and repulsive and the vulgar and refined. These unseen intermediate spaces act as mediators between senders and recipients but can also cause disruptions and misunderstandings, similar to language and communication channels.

The audience is encouraged to wander through the forking paths of the garden, engaging in a dialogue about the visible and hidden, artificial and natural elements, in order to untie dysfunctional knots and foster new connection. "

At 1122 Outside Gallery www.1122gallery.com 7629 SE Harrison 4PM-8 Free


ILY2 Too closes their women annimation show with a party. It is part of the DARPA residency. At I Love You 2 Too - ILY2 https://ily2online.com/ In the Lloyd Mall, lower level far East down the hall by the abandoned Marshalls. 6PM-9 Free

August 11 Cutewood

Faunwood https://www.faunwood.com/ travels the stream of Northwest illustrators inspired by Northwest flora and fauna. Based in Eugene, Miranda Zimmerman is a professional illustrator, in her art she touches on the surreal while maintaining some kawaii. She has a stable print difusion arrangement with Nucleus. This show includes illustration outlines set slightly out from the wall, a small carpet in creature shape, and small, under 6 inch creature sculptures. At Nucleus House Gallery 1137 NE Alberta 5PM-7 Free

August 6 Synthetic Biomass

The independent Biomass pop-up curated by Jeff Jahn hosts its second artist talk with participating artists talk with Susan Seubert, Justin L'Amie and Laura Fritz. Biomass at 608 NW 13th, #102 3:30PM talk Free


Modular on the Spot #3 for 2023 occupies Kelley Point. It is one of informal series of modular synth concerts outdoors en plein air.

Synthers are Hemadaxis, Loner [with EMA], Abraham Ingle, Everything is Circles, Blaix, and Transients [sryforthe_delaney + Heather Knopf].

At Kelley Point Park, N Kelley Point Park Road 6PM sharp Free

August 5 Northside Art Openings+

Many of the Pearl galleries are favoring the Saturday after first Thursday.


Cross Quarters Merry Meet by Paul Swenbeck from Boston is an installation with cactus-like shapes, abstract animals, flower motifs, and relief blocks. All fantastical. It is much more eloquently explained on the gallery website. At Adams and Ollman Gallery, the second of two members of the New Art Dealers Alliance www.newartdealers.org, www.adamsandollman.com 418 NW 8th 1PM-4 Free


You can get your soft cute with Cat Rabbit all the way from Melbourne or Naarm in the Woiworung language. At Nucleus Portland http://www.nucleusportland.com 2916 NE Alberta 4PM-6 Free


Lull is Sarah Umles from LA and and Jenn Sova from here. The "exhibition explores themes of loss, grief, and the weight of expectations. With overlapping interests in the materiality of death and the emotionality of life, Umles and Sova carve out moments of pause and provocation, wherein rituals of resistance and healing can take place. Their respective works strike a delicate balance between overwhelm and absence, the corporal and the cerebral, the ceremonial and the everyday." At 1122 Outside Gallery www.1122gallery.com 7629 SE Harrison 4PM-8 Artist talk 5 Free


Oregon Contemporary has an art picnic on their lawn, so bring it. The rest of the space has some loan works. At Oregon Contemporary nee Disjecta, in the shadow of Paul Bunyan www.oregoncontemporary.org 8371 N. Interstate Map Books 2PM-8 Free


Tyler Stoll has Greased explained on the website. At Well Well Projects www.wellwellprojects.com in the Disjecta building 8371 N. Interstate Map  5PM-8 Free


Michael Espinoza has self-referental imagry and Allan Pichardo has something to do with media & tech. Their website explains it. At Carnation Contemporary www.carnationcontemporary.com in the Disjecta building 8371 N Interstate. 5PM-8 Free

August 4 Friday Enchantment

Pushdot has Erinn Kathryn, Lands of Enchantment. At Pushdot Studio www.pushdotstudio.com 2505 SE 11th Avenue Suite 104 6PM-8 Free



ADX Has their colaboration show, works by 2 or more artists. At adxportland.com 417 SE 11th x Stark Map 4PM-8 Free


More at 1FPDX FB, their FirstFridayPDX Insta and individual space socials.


The interesting event is a variety show at the Republic. Great DJ too on 34th by Stumptown for an outdoor with admission.

August 3 Westside Art Openings+

The art world in The City and here usually closes for the dog days of August. Not here now though. And at the end of the month, Converge 45 starts.


Storm Tharp has Ensemble / Variable, prints. At W+K www.wk.com 224 NW 13th Map 5PM-9 Free


Blanchard House provides homleless services with private money, not Multnomah County or Metro money. They have an art show this evening at the Honey Late Cafe, a low key cultural mecca. Artists include Ali Yacina, Julie Lopez, Amy Howard, Olivia Serril, Beth Kerschen, Daren Todd, Eric Gendron, Charles Moody, Preston Gravitt, Cole Lyons, Katie Reim, Keelan Booth, Carola Penn, Madeline Ford, Tamara Lion, Ryan Bubnis, Maho Garner, ZoB, Bryan Aptekar, Jeremy Okai Davis, Elaine Daggett Aye, Neeraj Narayan, Latoya Lovely, Susan Seubert, and Sarah Landwehr. https://www.bhontheledge.com/exhibitions-2023 at Honey Late Cafe 1033 SE Main 6PM-8 Free


ILY2, usually on their own opening cycle, continues And Down Below The Earth Shown Bright by Rae Davis, Sara Greenberger Rafferty, Eve Fowler, Sidony O’Neal, Nicole Ondre, Paige Powell, Ido Radon, Sara Rahmanian and Davina Semo. At I Love You 2 - ILY2 https://ily2online.com/ 925 NW Flanders 11AM-7 Free


Painter Terrell James is at Froelick Gallery www.froelickgallery.com 714 NW Davis early close 5PM-8 Free


George Johanson (1928-2022) has paintings and works on paper includinghis last. At Augen Gallery www.augengallery.com 716 NW Davis 5PM-7:30 Free


Peter Gronquist brings Manifest and Ed Bereal, Wanted: Ed Bereal for Still Disturbing the Peace. At Elizabeth Leach Gallery www.elizabethleach.com 417 NW 9th Map 5PM-7 Free


Continuing is Rebecca Marimutu from Baltimore brings Portraits, Adhered, multi-image portraits and Erik Östensson all the way from Norway, brings surreal framings, Tjärnen. Later in the month, Blue Sky brings Richard Mosse as part of Converge 45.

Pour the Water as I Leave: Installation, Vol II: Film in Progress by Daniela Repas and Simone Fischer is at the Nine Gallery inside Blue Sky Gallery)

At Blue Sky Gallery www.blueskygallery.org Map 122 NW 8th 5PM-7:30 Early Close Free


PNCA has closes their low residency in visual studies show. At PNCA www.pnca.edu 511 NW Broadway Map 5PM-8 Free


Ghosts in the Machine by Modoc artist Ka’Ila Farrell-Smith, monochromatic abstracts including pigmants made from Southern Oregon soil. Willie Little has moved to Russo-Lee for his first show, I Do Not Want What I Have Not Got, with them. At Laura Russo Lee Gallery www.russoleegallery.com 805 NW 21st 5PM-7 Early Close Free


Ash Stone and Tom Manzanarez collaborated to make Home as a Hole. At After / Time gallery, located at 735 SW 9th #110 6:30PM-8 Free


Blackfish has Aaron Johanson Points of Interest, exposed between 1980 and 2007, the show is monochrome photographic prints modified in the darktoom. Sphere of Influence from The Artist Union, ia a group photo show. Merridawn Duckler has Object/Text inspired by AI. She has long been active in book and word art. At Blackfish Gallery https://www.blackfish.com/ 938 NW Everett Map 5PM-8 Free


Susan Harrington has botanical paintings, Our Attention Creates The World, at Waterstone Gallery www.waterstonegallery.com 124 NW 9th 5PM-8 Free


Coworking space the Writers' Block has Francisca Lauren Carrera 3d, oil and encaustic. At Writers Block Studio curatingthewriterblock.studio 818 NW Flanders 5PM-8 Free


In their Mind's Eye by Molly Mendoza and Matty Newton is way up on Alberta. At Walk-In Gallery 4946 NE 13th #104 5PM-8 Free

August 3-9 Sneaks

Portland Sneaker Week is a week of ticketed events. You can get it all at https://www.sneakerweekpdx.com/.