Katherine Bovee & Philippe Blanc at Fresh Trouble
Portland’s newest contemporary arts presenter, Organism, shows integrity and heart-in-the-right-place by hosting a different kind of fundraising evening. Reacting to a trend in arts organization fundraising that depends on artists to donate their work (when the donations should perhaps be flowing in the opposite direction) , Organism instead is inviting you to “toast” (and get a great meal in the bargain at Screendoor, with chefs formerly of clarklewis and Paley’s) ten artists Organism director Jeff Jahn calls our “cultural ambassadors,” well-traveled artists who are showing around the world and in the process, putting Portland on the map.
It’s a great diverse group Organism has assembled with some of ultra’s favorites including video artist and filmmaker Matt McCormick (it’s not too late to see his show at Elizabeth Leach), Carson Ellis who does melancholy, vaguely narrative work in pen and wash, Brenden Clenaghen, whose reliefs are among our favorite pieces of art one can hang on a wall, and Katherine Bovee & Philippe Blanc, whose computer-age-referencing conceptual work is brilliant. And you definitely want to sit at a table with art-instigator Nat Andreini of Sincerely John Head.
The Organism Toast Gala is April 2 at 7 PM at Screendoor (2337 E Burnside). $75 tickets can be purchased on the Organism website. You are invited to dress for the occasion.
POSTED: March 15th, 2007 | AUTHOR: lisa | FILED UNDER: art | TAGS: art, event | No Comments »
Joe Futschik’s work illuminates spaces. The designer behind JEF Designs does modern lamps, wall graphics, and prints that subtly transform Portland spaces like clarklewis and Crema. We recently talked with Futschik making lamps on the floor upstairs at Hippo Hardware, art vs. craft, San Francisco, and JEF Designs.
What kind of difference did show2003 at Design Within Reach make for you? It was a launch point wasn’t it?
Well, for one thing, Michael Hebberoy was one of the judges on the panel. He said, “I love your lighting. I’m doing a new restaurant, and I’d like to use your lights.” On my card at the time there was an image that was similar to those on my wall panels. He asked if I did the piece in Opolis Design in the Gotham Building. I said, “Yes.” So then he wanted paintings too. Read the rest of this entry »
POSTED: March 15th, 2007 | AUTHOR: lisa | FILED UNDER: design | 2 Comments »
Sarah Fox
We who value visual culture in Portland are lucky that the next generations have options like DaVinci Arts Middle School, Northwest Academy, and Buckman Arts Magnet Elementary. They’re a hothouse for the PDX artists, designers, writers, and performers who may do Great Work in the next ten to twenty years. So whereas in other communities schools sell candy bars as fundraisers, in Portland, we have schools that sell art and craft (and for the most part it’s not “artsy” or “craftsy”).
Melissa Stiles, Stubborn WORKS
This weekend, March 16-17, Buckman Art Show & Sell returns for its 17th year, a two-day sale and celebration. We don’t imagine other schools can boast performances by Corin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney, extraordinary food from Navarre and Il Piatto, and art and craft that is otherwise found�like Melissa Stiles sleek architectural jewelry in aluminum and resin (buy your lover a set of cufflinks!) or Sarah Fox’s silver and felted wool jewelry�at places like the Museum of Contemporary Craft. Kurumi Conley’s cheerful glass dishes make great hostess gifts.
underscore 6. Shannon Tudyk
What we’re particularly interested in seeing more work by Shannon Tudyk whose graphic mixed-media pieces concerning and making use of repurposed office forms and ledgers collaged, painted, overstitched we’d seen at the Portland Art Center. She’s now making work with the paper from used teabags!
POSTED: March 15th, 2007 | AUTHOR: lisa | FILED UNDER: art | TAGS: art, event | No Comments »