Ryan Pierce has a show up at Elizabeth Leach called Written from Exile. The work addresses a post-industrial world.

Stephen O'Donnell has a show at Froelick Gallery in the Desoto BLDG called Dix Huit. The paintings, for the most part, are historical gender-bending self portraits.

Victor Maldonado has a beautiful exhibition up at Froelick, all green paintings. This installation is comprised of panels in size of all the TV screens he has ever lived with. Maldonado addresses cross cultural identity and traffic via the monochrome.

Leiv Fagereng talks about his show at Froelick Gallery, Bittersweetsweet.

This month brings Judy Cooke to the Elizabeth Leach Gallery. Many artists these days say they are exploring the space between sculpture and painting, but Cooke has been doing that for years. This particular show, called In Touch, examines the ideas of the Russian Constructivists.

Wid Chambers has a show at Chambers @ 916. It is an installation of both painting and sculpture in one. the shapes are organic and colorful and are based on drawings then taken through a computer program.

Diane Jacobs talks about her installation called Bowing to Paradox, which is at 23 Sandy.

I am back from a hiatus for pledge drive this week - and the October show at Blackfish of Michael Knutson. What a great and easy way to return! My own enthusiasm for his remarkable paintings is evident in this video we made together a couple of years ago. In the video, he makes references to Albers, Held and Monet as he explains his process and the results. Maybe that sounds kind of dry and it isn't - he's got a sense of humor too. His new show opens this coming First Thursday.

12 x 16 Gallery is a collective now located in Sellwood. They have been open for five years and are celebrating by showing nearly every artist that has exhibited with them. that means over 70 artists. Founding members Cary Doucette, Luke Dolkas and Eunice Parsons were our guests. They will have a big party this coming First Friday.

Disjecta founder Bryan Suereth and Ryan Burghard of the board of directors join us to talk about the fab auction. AC Dickson and Dave Allen will hold court and get artworks to the highest bidder. Stephanie Snyder curated and selected works into the live auction.

Artists are taking over shuttered storefronts, transforming them into exhibition spaces. The top floor of Pioneer Place, once a hopeful shopping mall, was empty. Now we have Place, a group of galleries featuring installation and work from PNCA students. Gabe Flores and Gary Wiseman are curators behind the project and they will be my guests this Tuesday on Art Focus.

Ben Pink is the director of Launchpad Gallery - Launchpad right now is hosting a collaborative exhibition of Chris Haberman with Scott Chase called The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (see image).

 

Our guests here include Ray Boyle, who curated Coffee with Cardamom at Place II at the Settlement in Pioneer Square. This show includes the solo exhibition Can You See Me Now? (Part One): Reflections on Palestine by Sarah Farahat, who was also our guest. Coffee with Cardamom also includes the group Exhibit Mirrors: A Middle Eastern/ American Collaboration.

Lynda Ater has a show at Blackfish right now called Inside Out: Embelling Albers' Square. She talks about Joseph Albers, Hommage to the Square, color, patterns she made from cancer cell shapes and past exhibitions in which she investigates color.

Portland Art Collective hosts "Open Doors" at the Multnomah Art Center on December 2nd and 3rd. Robin Olsen and Lorraine Jones of the collective were our guests.

Molly Vidor talks about her show Honeydrippers, still life paintings at PDX.

Local homeless youth are collaborating with artists and businesses to beautify our town, via New Avenues for Youth.

Billions and Billions of People collaborative art Installation is transforming a construction site into a work of art. With the vision and support from a premier real estate development company, TMT Development, thirty local homeless youth served by New Avenues for Youth had the unique opportunity to work alongside an internationally famed artist, earn a paycheck and feel connected to the city they call home.


That artist would be Chris Johanson.

 Todd Tubutis of the Director of Blue Sky Gallery was our guest on Art Focus.

 Brenda Mallory talks about her big installation at the Portland International Airport. The piece is called The Mechanics of Hither and Yon.