First Thursdays in July are often my favorites. Partially because the openings are so low key and the hometown vibe with all the group shows and recent graduates makes for many unexpected surprises. This year July looks like it has some serious cultural firepower... it used to be mostly a month for group shows consisting of second and third stringers.

Shirley Tse at PNCA

My top pick has to be Quantum Shirley at PNCA's Feldman Gallery. Quantum Shirley is Shirley Tse's attempt to partially rebrand relational aesthetics with the relativism of physics as her jam but one can't blame her for trying. It promises to be the mixed media, genre bending melange that Tse originally became famous for before it was the art world's default mode of art production 5 years ago or so. For that alone it is worth checking out as artists are always trying to create implausible realities where their rules somehow gain traction.

Quantum Shirley | June 19 - August 10
Opening Reception: July 3, 6:30 - 7:15PM
PNCA | Feldman Gallery
1241 NW Johnson




Jesse Hayward at PNCA

Speaking of making and changing the rules, Portland's most experimental painter Jesse Hayward's Rough Patch attempts to fill PNCA's immense commons space with his relativistic brand of rule making and breaking... involving everything from traditional to audience a-compositional crowdsourced curating. PNCA is the place to hit tonight.

Rough Patch | June 20 - July 20
Opening Reception: July 3
PNCA | Commons
1241 NW Johnson





Kiana Isaelle Diaz Figueroa, Precious Things, Broken Things, 2014

One my favorite group shows each year is Blackfish's annual recent graduates exhibitions, culled from 15 of Oregon's art schools. This year includes 30 artists based on recommendations from their professors: Marco Ayala – Western Oregon University, Andrew Baer & Christian Reed – George Fox University, Jonathan Bagby – University of Oregon, Natalie Blaustone-Dye – Southern Oregon University , Miranda DeVore – George Fox University, Riley Etheridge – Pacific University, Kaila Rose Farrell-Smith – Portland State University, Kiana Isabelle Diaz Figueroa – Willamette University, Dallas Griffin Frederick – Willamette University, Lauren George – Oregon College of Art and Craft, Hannah Halpern – Pacific University, Solita Harder-Montoya – Pacific Northwest College of Art, Bethany McCamish – Marylhurst University, Joshua McDonald – Eastern Oregon University, Maria Maita-Keppeler – Reed College, Alice Marshall – Oregon State University, Addie O'Neal – Eastern Oregon University, Thomas Putman – Portland State University, Amy Rizo – Western Oregon University, Gillian Spencer – Reed College, Katherine Takaoka – Linfield College, Jeffrey Tapfer – Southern Oregon University , Holly Vader – Linfield College, Micah Weber – Pacific Northwest College of Art, Jordan Weintraub – Oregon College of Art and Craft, Kelsey Westergard – Lewis & Clark College, John Whitten – University of Oregon, Rachel Wolfson – Lewis & Clark College

19th Annual Recent Graduates Exhibition | July 1– August 2
Opening: July 3, 6 - 9PM
Blackfish Gallery
420 NW 9th Ave.