Drake Deknatel, "Watch the Night," 2003

Elizabeth Leach presents Berlin Portraits, an exhibition celebrating the life and work of Drake Deknatel (1943-2005). Deknatel began this series after discovering a photograph of himself as a child, dressed in his father's flight jacket. The paintings explore childhood memory and experience, repeating the forms of child and adult until representational figures begin to blur back into abstraction, recounting the greater narrative of the image. Deknatel lived and worked in Seattle for over 20 years, but continued to maintain a studio in Berlin, where he exhibited widely.

Opening reception • 6-9pm • January 8
Elizabeth Leach Gallery • 417 NW 9th • 503.224.0521



Wayne F. Miller, "Pacific Theater, WWII (Admiral Mountbatten addresses crew of USS Saratoga)," 1942-45

The photographs of Wayne F. Miller will be on view this month at Charles Hartman, concurrent with the release of the book Wayne F. Miller: Photographs 1942-1958. During this most prolific stage of his career, Miller exposed his lens to the "events and socio-cultural developments that were shaping the ethos of mid-century America." Miller served as a lieutenant and combat photographer in WWII, part of the naval unit led by Edward Steichen. Upon his return home, he turned his camera on the postwar South Side of Chicago, and later shot for magazines such as Life, Fortune, and Collier's.

Opening reception • 5:30-8:30pm • January 8
Charles A. Hartman Fine Art • 134 NW 8th AVE • 503.287.3886



Alexis Pike, "City Bus - Jackson Hole Wyoming"

Four emerging Northwest photographers are coming to Quality Pictures this month. NW x 4: New Northwest Photography features the diverse works of Liz Haley, Andrew O'Brien, Alexis Pike, and Mark Searcy. Working from abstraction to collage, from careful photographic illusion to 35mm film manipulation, the four photographers all bring unique and interesting bodies of work to the show.

Opening reception • 6-9pm • January 8
Quality Pictures Contemporary Art • 916 NW Hoyt • 503.227.5060



Artist unknown, found in Japan

Web journal Néojapanisme is bringing its first traveling exhibition to Portland. Meeting Modernity presents a series of Japanese photographs recently discovered outside of the city of Sano in Tochigi-ken. These found images, primarily portraits, document Japan as it engaged with modernization and commercial photography in the Meiji and Taisho Periods.

Opening reception • 6-9pm • January 8
Reading Frenzy • 921 SW Oak • 503.274.1449



Robert Hanson, "Acorn"

PNCA faculty emeritus Robert Hanson presents Beauties. This exhibition of recent drawings explore his ongoing fascination with the human head. Using specific lines, marks, and subjective color, Hanson's images are not portraits, but a reinvention of his subjects.

Opening • 6:30pm • January 8
PNCA Feldman Gallery • 1241 NW Johnson • 503.226.4391


Also: If you missed the Oregon Painting Society's Fontanelle performance last month, be sure to stop by Fontanelle this First Thursday for a brand new performance.

OPS performance • 8-8:15pm ̺ January 8
Fontanelle Gallery • 205 SW Pine St. • 503.274.7668

Another show worth checking out this month is from Chicago photographer Brad Temkin at Blue Sky Gallery (122 NW 8th Ave). I first saw his work at in 2006 at Houston. His work is getting lots of attention lately.

Right now his work appears in the permanent collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, Milwaukee Art Museum, Corcoran Gallery Washington DC, Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and the MCP in Chicago.