Monthly Art Walks in Portland

The first comprehensive retrospective of one of America’s most compelling and controversial artists, Art and Race Matters traces the work of Robert Colescott (1925-2009), who established his career in Portland with the support of gallery owner and philanthropist Arlene Schnitzer, then made his mark in the 1970s with a series of deconstructed art-historical masterpieces that…

“Portland has gotten a lot of attention in recent years for its thriving arts scene, but few people know about the organization that originally put the city on the art-world map: Portland Center for the Visual Arts (PCVA). PCVA was an artist-run contemporary art organization that brought innovative artists and performers from around the country…

Retiring Curator of Asian Art Maribeth Graybill presents her personal favorites from among more than 600 Japanese prints acquired during her tenure at the Museum. The exhibition includes works by leading masters of the 18th and 19th centuries, chosen for their exceptional condition; warrior prints, a genre previously neglected in the collection; and prints by…

“Flax was once touted as a cash crop in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, but for various reasons the plant never lived up to its potential. It wasn’t for lack of trying though — in the 1930s, Portland Public Schools produced a series of hand-tinted glass lantern slides depicting scenes from the flax industry, from planting to…

“Portland Art Museum honors a local legend with its presentation of Isaka Shamsud-Din’s vivid narrative paintings, including the recent acquisition that gives this exhibit its title. Shamsud-Din uses his painterly brushstrokes and glowing colors to depict his own personal experiences and scenes of local culture and history, and his murals (also featured in the show)…

In the rich tradition of portraiture reflected in Northwest art, there is an exemplary range of individuals and styles of depiction. For this exhibition, the artist Storm Tharp was invited to help select works from the collection through his keen eyes as a fellow portraitist. As he combed through the collection, some themes in portraiture…

“Reading may be falling out of fashion in these times of increasingly short attention spans, but books were once a big business, and publishers employed gifted artists to promote their newest titles. The Art of Reading presents gems from the golden age of poster advertising, with color lithographs from some of the most famous names…

During the early 20th century, Pictorialist photographer Anne Brigman regularly hiked and camped in California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range, photographing the rugged landscape with her 4×5-inch view camera. She later recalled, “I slowly found my power with the camera among the junipers and tamarack pines of the high, storm-swept altitudes.” Toughened to Wind and Sun…

Marking the 40th anniversary of the eruption of Mount Saint Helens, this exhibition explores the overwhelming power of nature and the epic cycles of volcanic destruction and regeneration with stunning photographs, paintings and drawings of the mountain from 1845 to the present day. Curated by Dawson Carr, Ph.D., The Janet and Richard Geary Curator of…

The exhibition will include a selection of the internationally acclaimed photographer’s monumental ひろしま / Hiroshima series, documenting cherished items and clothing left behind by victims of the atomic bomb detonated in Hiroshima at the close of World War II that are now housed at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. The subjects are captured in her…

“New York-based photographer Natan Dvir brings a bit of the big city to Portland’s Blue Sky Gallery with his series of subway portraits, “Platforms.” The pictures capture New Yorkers in between places, waiting for the next train to arrive and whisk them to their destination. Some read books, some scroll through social media, some engage…

In theory, Japan was a “closed” country to foreign contact from the 1630s until the 1850s, by shogunal edict. In reality, trade prospered through authorized channels. As commerce flourished, so too did cultural exchanges with not only East and Southeast Asia, but also the West. Motivated by the demands of patrons, the availability of new…

Ed Bereal never shies away from political issues, like biting commentary about race relations and the follies of nationalistic greed. Born in Los Angeles in 1937 as a war baby and having studied at Chouinard Art Institute, Bereal has created work that carries a breadth of visual range, from assemblage sculptures to expertly drafted illustrations…

Bury the Hatchet is artist John Hitchcock’s mixed-media, cross-disciplinary, multisensory installation. Hitchcock combines his interests in printmaking, rock ’n’ roll, and Kiowa and Comanche history into one visual expression that offers a retelling of the narrative of the American frontier. Bury the Hatchet explores issues of assimilation, acculturation, and indoctrination through oral history and music….

In 1942, Portland-born photographer Victor Jorgensen enlisted in the Navy. Edward Steichen, the renowned modernist photographer and lieutenant commander who oversaw Naval photography during World War II, selected Jorgensen—a Reed College attendee and editor at The Oregonian newspaper—to serve with his elite Naval Aviation Photographic Unit. Between 1943 and 1945, Jorgensen photographed on board the…

Fade to Light aims to not just be a fashion show, but to be an experience that leaves the viewer with a solid understanding of each designer and the collections being shown. Fade to Light* routinely showcases the work of both established and emerging designers within the Portland fashion community, including Project Runway winners and…

Come out and get tattooed (or just admire tattoo artwork) at Portland’s annual Oregon Tattoo Expo. There will be daily contests, food, music and – of course – plenty of tattooing opportunities.

At the Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival, you will find a wide variety of sewing, quilting, needle-art and craft supply exhibits from many quality companies, along with make ‘n’ takes, free demos, daily door prize drawings and more.

This annual springtime festival showcases Portland’s creative community, with a week full of lectures, design events and open houses.

Experience Bloom Runway, a powerful, fashion-forward event with ready-to-wear brands and designers. This is a curated mix-and-mingle experience for cultured individuals celebrating fashion, style and live music. This annual fashion show showcases Portland’s most creative fashion talent and entrepreneurs from all different backgrounds and nationalities, while giving back to the community by mentoring peers and…

Portland’s biannual art and craft fair boasts unique handmade wares from 225+ local vendors.

In October 1956, a vibrant group of contemporary etchings, relief prints, and lithographs went on display in a Tokyo gallery. This was the debut exhibition of Japan’s first printmaking society for women artists, the Joryū Hanga Kyōkai, or the Women’s Print Association. It provided a crucial vehicle for talented female printmakers working in a crowded…

The Mt. Tabor Art Walk is a Portland tradition. This juried show and sale is a great opportunity to see quality visual art and meet artists in their studios and homes. Diverse media are represented including photography, painting, ceramics, sculpture, prints, metal arts, photography, glass, jewelry, book arts and mosaics.

Take a closer look at this year’s Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade floats at the Grand Floral Float Showcase on Southwest Naito Parkway, adjacent to CityFair. These unique floats are meticulously decorated with natural materials like seeds and coconut flakes in addition to live flowers.

Internationally beloved artists Frida Kahlo (1907–1954) and Diego Rivera (1886–1957) played a crucial role in defining and establishing the Avant-Garde cultural movement in Mexico in the early 20th century. Their famously stormy marriage reflected their diverging artistic styles: While Rivera’s art projected itself outward, often in vast murals and concerned itself with the construction of…

GeekCraft Expo is a curated craft market specializing in handmade, “geek”-themed crafts of all kinds; clothing, accessories, toys, home decoration, furniture, art . . . if it’s geeky and made by hand, it can be found at a GeekCraft Expo. Cosplay is highly encouraged and admission is free (you just need to pre-register).

For more than 50 years, the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts has proudly presented unique art exhibits including more than 600 local, national, and international artists. Visitors can also experience live music on two stages, performances, kids activities, artist demos, and a variety of food. It’s free to the public (donations encouraged) and attracts…

Sneaker Week offers fun events for sneaker addicts and footwear newbies alike.

The Art in the Pearl annual Fine Arts & Crafts Festival occurs every year on Labor Day weekend in the Pearl District’s North Park Blocks. The Festival is free and requires no tickets for entry. Art In The Pearl has been named one of the top 10 Arts and Crafts Festivals in the country and…

Portland’s premier pop-culture event, Rose City Comic Con is produced locally with a focus on creating a fun and friendly event for everyone. While its primary focus is that of comics, comic creators and the creative process, Rose City Comic Con also provides its attendees with access to gaming, sci-fi, cosplay, anime, fantasy and everything…

Portland’s original sewing and quilting festival returns every fall, providing attendees with creative inspiration and all the tools and classes to expand your quilting skills. There are hundreds of juried quilts to see, and thousands of dollars in award prizes.

To Bear Witness – Extraordinary Lives will capture, share and preserve the stories of 10 to 12 people from varied backgrounds who left their homelands for safe haven in the United States. Although these refugees had survival on their minds when they first arrived, they jump-started their lives with remarkable determination, finding their way in…

Oct 17, 2020 – Jan 24, 2021 Ansel Adams in Our Time celebrates the visual legacy of the acclaimed American photographer and includes some of his most iconic images, from a symphonic view of snow-dusted peaks in The Tetons and Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming (1942) to the sublime Moon and Half Dome,…

OryCon is Oregon’s premier, fan-run, annual science fiction/fantasy convention held in Portland since 1979. OryCon is a 100% volunteer-based production of Oregon Science Fiction Conventions, Inc. (OSFCI), which is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)3 corporation.

Join Renegade Craft for a festive holiday weekend celebration in Portland featuring the country’s foremost voices in craft and design. Get your holiday shopping done while supporting emerging and established makers, all while enjoying rarities and remixes from local DJs, workshops, exceptional food trucks and cocktails.

The relationship Rembrandt had with the Jews of Amsterdam is a remarkable story. Most were Sephardic Jews – refugees from the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal. For many generations these Jews had been forced to deny their religious legacy, but in Amsterdam they were free to reclaim traditions and return to their Judaism. Rembrandt lived…

Paintings, drawings and sculpture by Stephen Real. This exhibition is composed of artwork that explores a personal relationship to the “event horizon” surrounding a metaphysical “black hole” where things might fall into darkness, or live in light on the edge of it. The artist asks: How can we use darkness, evil, confusion and even death…

Enjoy a rotating exhibit in the MJCC lobby all month. Members of ORA: Northwest Jewish Artists will answer questions, accept commissions and sell their art. A portion of the proceeds benefits the MJCC.

In Southern Rites, American photographer Gillian Laub (b. 1975) engages her skills as a photographer, storyteller and visual activist to examine the realities of racism and raise questions that are simultaneously painful and essential to understanding the American consciousness. Through her lens and the voices of her subjects we encounter that which we do not…

This House of Mine is a collaborative zine about reproductive health funded in part by the Regional Arts and Culture Council. Submissions for are open until April 1. Learn more about the zine and how to submit at the event website.

OJMCHE’s front window will be part of the City’s Winter Light Festival with a piece by Portland artist Sara Harwin that will be activated in the evenings throughout the month of February. Illuminated Letters is an artistic lens into the journey of creation. Light is represented in the form of ancient Hebrew letters within the…

Through playful exploration of the emotional, mythical, morbid and psychedelic, Deep Down invites viewers to delve into the waters of the subconscious. We often attach a negative morality with the concept of being “down.” Deep Down aims to embrace the dark and mysterious beneath the palpable. Jonathan Steele of Steele Tea Studios will be providing…

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the great eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980, the Portland Art Museum is proud to present an exhibition that examines artists’ responses to the awesome beauty and power of the volcano. From pre-contact Native American objects to contemporary paintings, drawings, and photographs, the show will trace the mountain’s…

The twenty-one women photographed by Sara Bennett in The Bedroom Project were all convicted of serious crimes— mostly homicide—and spent fourteen to thirty-seven years in a maximum-security prison. By the time they came up for parole they were all profoundly changed, yet most of them were repeatedly denied release because of the crimes they had…

Come learn to draw portraits from a live model at a studio in Southeast Portland.

Looptworks uses only what already exists to create new functional products (including upcycled bags, apparel and accessories). Looptworks is committed to upcycling and closed loop solutions. Its intent is to reduce and eliminate waste in its industry headed to the landfill. Participate and witness the Looptworks upcycling production and circular economy firsthand. Tour Schedule &…

Paragon Arts Gallery at PCC Cascade presents two parallel exhibitions: Elemental Meditations by Meghan Hedley in our West Gallery and Brighter Worlds by Matthew Sproul in our East Gallery. Visual and interactive, the exhibitions offer paintings and drawings in eye-popping bright colors with shapes, symbols, and marks to delight the psyche. Please join us for…

Blind Insect Gallery presents “Where the Wild Things Grow”, featuring artwork by Portland based artist Shannon Amidon. Opening reception February 27th, 5:30-9:00pm as part of Last Thursday Art Walk in the Alberta Arts District. Exhibit runs until March 21st. Luminescent, richly layered and detailed encaustic (molten beeswax) paintings honor untamed landscapes and strive to bring…

Fuller Rosen Gallery presents American Hex, a two-person show featuring new work by Portland based artists Christine Miller and Brittany Vega. Miller and Vega’s varied practices center on the artist as collector, and use their personal archives to shed light on the ills of contemporary American culture. American Hex points to the problematic and charged…

Explore the Museum with a docent skilled in bringing art to life. Public tours depart from the Park Avenue entrance. Museum Admission: Free for Members, $20 Adults, $17 Seniors 62+ & College Students, Free for Children 17 and under.