July 2025 Portland Art to See
Some art lurking to kick off the summer
It’s finally summer in Oregon, which means it’s time to see art in between spending time in nature. I’ve been going to shows with this specific article in mind. Where shouldn’t people skip if you only have time for a certain amount of lingering? Where can you see art and have an ice cream? Read below for the spots.
“Last Call at the Rainbow Cafe” by Pace Taylor at Nationale. Nine new soft pastel drawings and the adjacent room with twelve monoprints adorn the walls of the gallery bookstore. The striking tones of the pastel was a topic of conversation when I got to meet the artist. They specifically source their materials from people who specialize in pastels and use layering to result in work with such saturated colors without using an excess amount of product. The way Pace depicts the figure really stood out to me, and made me stop and think of the romance of some of the settings. A crowded table at a bar, a pool table, in a car, someone drinking a beer. What if we were all encouraged to slow down and render our own version of these settings? This show is enough to fuel the imagination and “what ifs” for some time.
“Gardener’s Palette” by Renée Zangara at Portland Arts Collective. Seeing this show was my first time at this gallery, and seeing a room full of paintings for a first impression was magical. The paintings are inspired by the process and beauty of gardening, and are meant to reflect back that intangible part of the process of growing something. The colors were soft and reminiscent of spring time, and the patterned painting on an armchair and stack of books particularly caught my eye. This is a show where you should wear your favorite flower print and see how well you match.
“Well Well Well” group show at Well Well Projects. Grab your sunglasses and book it to North Portland to see this show curated by the Well Well members. I’m partial to the sculptural elements being my favorite, but there were also prints, drawings, and an audio visual element. Seeing each piece in relation to the others brought an air of specificity- much like how the artists’ interpersonal relationships to each other must be nuanced to them. I instantly had a favorite piece in the show, and I encourage you to go find yours.
“Heart and Mind, Blood and Nerves” by Maria Lux at Carnation Contemporary. Animal lovers, this show and artist’s practice go out to you. I was fortunate and got to meet the artist at the opening, and we talked about how her work being about animals has been her focal point for years. Snakes are the theme of this show, with bottles labeled with venom facts and collages that tell stories. The giant snake in the house was inspired by a researcher who purposefully let himself be bitten by venomous snakes for years, hoping to build natural immunity. This exhibit has plenty to read, and I think you will enjoy it. It’s also a bonus that it’s right behind Well Well Projects, so you can see double the art at once.
Collages by Jack Campbell at Daydreamer Bar. This was actually my second time going to Daydreamer to see an art show. I didn’t even grab a glass of wine, which I might’ve if it hadn’t of been full of people sitting by the art. I found the collages to be very meaningful; each detail offering a reflection of the mundane. I love the rephrasing of something surface value into an object of beauty. Viewing these collages was one of my favorite experiences on this list.
“Odds and Ends” by Nathan McKee at Better Days Cafe. This is the show I happened upon while in the pursuit of ice cream- they have a Kate’s ice cream pop up going on this summer. I had seen McKee’s work only once previously at Chefas Projects, and it was so fun to stumble into its orbit again. I’m not sure how the artists does such specific renderings only using paper, but I’m glad that they share their craft.
Let me know your picks for July, or if you’re excited about something else that’s coming up!