Stephen Scott Smith, "Bunnysmith"

The Mark Woolley Gallery is celebrating their 15th anniversary this month with Stephen Scott Smith's Selections from ME9. Smith's provocative work explores identity, competitive art world marketing and artist branding, narcissism, modernity vs. nature and more through photography, video, installation, performance and painting.

Opening reception • 6-9pm • December 4
Mark Woolley Gallery • 817 SW 2nd Ave • 503.224.5475



Stuart Hawkins, from "The Naturalist"

The final installation of Quality Pictures' Video Trifecta Series will be up this month. Stuart Hawkins' The Naturalist examines the uneasy intersections of luxury, nature, tourism, and loss. Hawkins work was featured in QPCA's inaugural 2006 exhibition.

Opening reception • 6-9pm • December 4
Quality Pictures Contemporary Art • 916 NW Hoyt • 503.227.5060



Corey Arnold, "Matt and Halibut"

Corey Arnold's Fish-Work will be on view at Charles Hartman this month. Arnold's photographs capture vivid (and even sea-sickness-inducing) moments from his grueling annual retreats to the Bering Sea and arctic Norway. The series illuminates the beautiful moments in the "rare" and dangerous lifestyle of the fisherman.

Opening reception • 5:30-8:30pm • December 4
Charles A. Hartman Fine Art • 134 NW 8th Ave • 503.287.3886



Adam Sorensen, "Buddies"

Adam Sorensen's new paintings, False Fjords will be at PDX Contemporary this month. Sorensen seeks a "contemporary romanticism," uniting the century-old Romantic movement's love of the dramatic landscape with the abstraction and awkwardness of modern life. Don't miss PORT's review of his 2007 show with Elizabeth Leach.

Opening reception • 6-8pm • December 4
PDX Contemporary Art • 925 NW Flanders • 503.222.0063



Calvin Ross Carl

The Tractor Gallery is featuring Calvin Ross Carl's Split Shift. Carl's work "combines materials of the American work environment with subtle gestures, in order to assess and transcend their original cultural purpose and worth through formal aesthetics."

Opening receptiom • 6-10pm • December 4
Tractor Gallery • 328 NW Broadway • charles@tractorpdx.com




The Oregon Painting Society collective is bringing multimedia works, handmade masks, musical instruments, installation, and performance to Fontanelle. Heavily influenced by life in the Northwest, the OPS' collaborations "delve into the world of witchery, neopagan ritual, and psychedelic transcension." The opening will include a performance at 8pm where the members will don handmade masks and cloak-like costumes while playing amplified broom guitars that depict the emblems of their Society. This should be quite the neo-pagan alternative to traditional holiday season ritual.

Opening reception • 6-9pm • December 4
Fontanelle Gallery • 205 SW Pine St. • 503.274.7668



Allen Maertz, "National Defense"

Don't miss the continuation of Allen Maertz's Encyclopedia at Chambers. This month, he'll be presenting works from M-Z.

Opening reception • 6-9pm • December 4
Chambers @ 916 • 916 NW Flanders • 503.227.9398

*removed by moderator

JD the rule here is no personal attacks on PORT writers or other site commenters. Also, don't hold your breath for a 3rd grade reading level on PORT, 2 and 3 syllable words sometimes are the most precise and appropriate language for visual art.

Hey, personal attacks, productive!

Let's contemplate the difference between a review and a calendar post. I freely admit to summarizing press releases for the calendar posts, because I'm setting out to alert you to potentially interesting events in the art world, not write a pre-review of every event in town. Criticism and reviews are different animals.

JDavid needs to learn to use the "Compliment Sandwich." You compliment, then insult, then compliment. That is a much more effective way of critiquing something or someone.

Thanks for posting about my show Megan.