Sean Healy: Test Protector, cast pencils at Elizabeth Leach

Sean Healy identifies with the social studies of high school bullies and the "bullied" in his new work at the Elizabeth Leach Gallery. Supernormal involves castings of rubber bands, pencils, and an extensive use of chewing gum.
Opening September 7, 6 to 9p • Through Sept 30
Elizabeth Leach Gallery 417 NW 9th Ave • 503.224.0521

With City In A Box, Tad Savinar documents the small challenges that make up the complexities of our cities. Savinar uses bronze, digital prints, etched glass and other media to explore aspects of city life.
Opening September 5, from 6 to 8p •Through Sept 30
PDX Gallery 925 NW Flanders St • 503.222.0063

Brenden Clenaghen is showing a new series of paintings at Pulliam Deffenbaugh Gallery called Endless Parade. Clenaghen says, " these are paintings of ghosts traversing hybrid haunted house/utopian landscape spaces. It is a metaphor for memories, desires and sublime experience and their oozing through our unconscious."
Preview Reception Wednesday, September 6th, from 5:30 to 7:30p
Opening September 6, from 5:30 to 7:30p • Through Sept 30
Pulliam Defenbaugh 929 NW Flanders St • 503.228.6665

Motel presents a solo exhibition by Chris Duncan. Dark Times features a site-specific installation, mixed media paintings and sculpture focusing on abstracted narratives using light, shadow, shape and color. The hallway show "Orientation" invites viewer participation by the conceptual art team Amanda Eicher, Chris Nagler and Jen Smith of Oakland, California.
Opening September 7, from 6:30 to 9:30p •Through Sept 30
Motel http://www.motelgallery.com 19 NW 5th Ave, Suite C • 503.222.6699



Jesse Hayward: Rocking Adds Comfort, metal ware, wood, canvas, acrylic paint and ink at Chambers Gallery

Current Oregon Biennial artist Jesse Hayward is showing his sculpture and painting cobinations Window Box Collective at Chambers Gallery. In addition, Alice Wheeler's dynamic photographs entitled The Influence of Flowers on a Melancholy Day will be on display in the small gallery and are a nice compliment to Hayward's colorful work. Wheeler is known for documenting the punk scene in Seattle (including Kurt Cobain and Nirvana).
Opening September 7, from 5:30 to 8:30p • Through October 14
Chambers Gallery 207 SW Pine St •503.227.9398

The Everett Station Lofts has been having some strong shows lately. This month Tilt Gallery and Project Space features three dimensional landscape-based work by Ali Schmeltz. Genuine Imitation is exhibiting Rise and Fall, geometrical paintings by Michael Hernandez that reflect the development of structures and cities throughout time.
Opening September 7, from 6p to 9ish
Tilt Gallery and Project Space 625 NW Everett St, # 106 • 908.616.5477
Genuine Imitation 625 NW Everett, #110 • 503.241.3189

In collaboration with PICA, PNCA presents Illegal Art: Freedom of Expression in the Corporate Age. The traveling show conveys the plight of visual artists, filmmakers, and muscicians who have encountered legal problems over copyright.
Opening September 1 • Through October 21
Feldman Gallery and Project Space, PNCA • 1241 NW Johnson St • 503.226.4391

A group photography show is on display at Valentine's this month featuring some nice compositions by Mike Powser of Brooklyn and some interesting images of a Rock N' Roll camp for girls by Shayla Hanson of Portland. Other artists include Oriana Lewton, Mikael Kennedy, Brian Slaughter, and Sarah Meadows.
Opening September 7, 6 to 9p • Through Sept. 30
Valentine's • 232 SW Ankeny • 503.248.1600

Not to play favorites but PORT's own Melia Donovan has some gorgeous work in the PDX window gallery too. I think the title says all you need to know for now: "Items of Information ? The reinterpretation of Ansel Adam?s Zone System into dimension utilizing digital technologies."

I really like it when translation is addressed in contemporary art and from what Ive seen this is really well done.

Once again the PDX window gallery proves why it is the single best space for contemporary art in Portland. no space has been so consistently good for years on end.

That assessment disturbs me a little though.

Oh and dont forget about the art criticism seminar PORT's own Isaac Peterson is putting on at 2:00 for PICA's TBA festival on thursday at the ecotrust building. One of the nicest things about PORT is getting to talk talk with our writers on a regular basis and now you can get a little dose of "Ike".

Unfortunately, I won't be able to go to Isaac's talk/workshop/chaos. Oh, the horrible plight of being a student.

With TBA starting its pretty impossible to see everything today. Healy's show is one of the most fully realized solo shows in Portland history, outclassing nearly every group show extravaganza Ive seen over the years here: Ruscha meets Kippenberger but with a more civic tone than either ever focused on? Ive pretty much had it with group shows, they seem so dissipated here, and maybe that is the way it should be.

Same goes for Brendan Clenaghen's solo show, what Anna Fiedler was trying to do earlier this year Clenhagen achieves. Similarly, Hayward and Wheeler at Chambers are also eye openers that shouldnt be missed.

The Biswas show at Liz Leach is really fine too, Hayward was pointing out some really interesting painter-observations about the difference between the birds and the women giving birth.

I want to see David Eckard's TBA "Float" at dusk tonight as well... 7:45 down by the Hawthorne Bridge.

With so many meaty solo shows this probably goes down as the strongest september Ive seen in the city. I thin the everett station lofts are going to be extra nice too, so swing through.

Just a small correction r.e. the photo show at Valentine's- Shayla Hason is not showing pictures from the Rock Camp, though you may have seen them on her blog. Most of our photo blog sites don't have our "work", but rather our daily dialogue and tussle with the camera... so it is worthwhile to come down!
It is a crazy busy night, but we will be at the show until 10 pm, and have made a point of never ever being dissipated. Ever.

Thanks S. it still sounds great....

I think Valentines does salon shows in a valid, lively way. It's a cosy place with work often hung high on the walls, very Montmartre. I think the dissipated shows are the ones where there are 30 arists in a much larger gallery space (but still not large enough to show more than 1 or to 2 drawings or paintings each). In those cases it is a pure whitman's sampler and I guess Id prefer someting with a true curatorial touch so everone can shine in the larger space. The dissipated shows just seem like a procession or cattle call.

That said I'm impressed with what I think might be at Valentines tonight. You are doing good things, one of the best venues to see new work in the city. Maybe Ill try the food sometime!

This is just going to be a crazy month in general. And to top it off the Affair at the Jupiter is at the end of the month. Too much is going on for my small and meager brain.