Changes are underway in the North Park blocks, and it's not just another condo or restaurant. DK Row reports in Thursday's Oregonian on the transformation of the former Daisy Kingdom building, which is being developed by Jim Winkler in order to provide a place for several of Portland's prominent galleries to buy their own property in the Pearl. With the new 9th and Flanders hub created after Pulliam Deffenbaugh, PDX and Elizabeth Leach all secured new spaces around this corner, the Pearl District has been able to keep its claim as Portland's art hot spot. Winkler's new development on 8th & Davis will further expand the Pearl's eastern borders, creating a link between the Pearl District and younger Chinatown galleries like Everett Station Lofts, Motel, Compound Gallery and Portland Art Center. Contemporary Crafts Museum & Gallery, relocating from its current location on Corbett Avenue, will occupy the largest space in the new building. Others include photography gallery Blue Sky, a new Augen satellite space, Froelick gallery and a new gallery owned by Charles A. Hartman, who recently moved from San Francisco. Galleries are in the final stages of purchase agreements and the center is expected to open in spring 2007.

Nothing new here to many in the know, but it does point out one thing that was never mentioned. Portland absolutely has to start positioning itself as an art collecting/viewing destination with a serious marketing campaign promoting cultural tourism. Also, remember we dont have sales tax... we are like one big duty free art shop. Since the high quality of local artists are one one the big draws this change in the pearl isnt just some elitist pandering (the international market is hot but strong artists are actually still rare, even in Chelsea, Portland has some good stuff that more than holds up).

The PDC should get behind this sort of marketing, I know some politicians have already heard this too. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Beauty first, of course, but any collector spending serious money will look at the resume of the artist. Do they have a track record and the capability to continue to make notable work throughout a career of many years?

For Portland artists who want to join the collections of cultural tourists that still means the basics: good work, a history of shows, out of town shows, representation, reviews and presence in strategic collections.

Someone recently described that as a pedigree, derisively. Maybe it's just a Myspace profile. Call it what you will, everyone's got one, for artists who want to make a living making art, it's gota be good, seriously good.

I agree 100%

quality speaks for itself and pedigree absolutely matters... there are games to be played, you can only break the rules if you know what they are.... otherwise youre just a yutz who needs lots of luck.

The quality is here and its not as adolescent as SF or as staid as a lot of Seattle and Vancouver stuff (all have worthy bits but portland has more undiscovered top notch stuff)... the city has a certain experimental vigor because Portland is still defining itself... what other major city offers that? There's a lot of talk about Portland being the 21st century city as a rejection of the 20th century.

Yes some of these young artists have got to consolidate gains. Some are doing so already and it's just the beginnings of a dam break. A lot of very educated and connected artists (who travel and show all over the place) are strategically moving here these days.

pay very close attention:

Vladmaster at the Walker last week
Red 76 at Yerba Buena
Susuan Seubert currently in France
Laura Fritz's critically acclaimed show in Seattle last June
Bruce Conkle in Iceland
Peter Burr in reseidencies here and there
Edie Tsong at the mattress Factory
Patrick Rock recently in germany
Chandra bocci in san Fran
Matthew Picton at the new De Young
Red shoe in Melbourne
Ellen George went over great in Miami at Aqua
etc.

and you know Sean Healy and Jacqueline Ehlis are individually up to something bigger and badder than ever.

just watch.. and yes Im getting lots of feedback from elsewhere, Portland has a fresh sensibility that others are noticing.

Of course I wanted these sorts of things to happen, but I never expected it would take the direction it seems to be heading in.