Well this First Thursday is a hot one, here are some of the coolest shows to check out. Here are my picks:


James Rosenquist at PNCA

James Rosenquist is a living legend... his pop art works took the melange of British pop artists like Richard Hamilton and gave it a cleaner, sleeker more muscle car meets slick advertising sheen that likely paved the way towards minimalism but it also reflected the state of advertising imagery at the time (Hamilton, Johns even Rauschenberg nearly always come off as more more nostalgic, whereas Rosenquist feels immediate). You absolutely must check out his Lifetime Achievement Award Exhibition: James Rosenquist at PNCA's 511 building, drawn from Jordan Schnitzer's collection. Lots of other interesting exhibitions happening at PNCA too so I'd hit 511 NW Broadway for sure.

Lifetime Achievement Award Exhibition: James Rosenquist | March 30 - ?
First Thursday: April 7, 6:00-8:00PM
PNCA (511 Gallery)
511 NW Broadway





I love the fact that on the hottest day of the year so far (is this a record?) Duplex Gallery does a show about a group of friends on the East Coast in a snowstorm... hilarious.


Guilty Pleasures | April 7 - 29
Duplex Gallery
219 NW Couch



Bonnie Bronson's Pattern Series (install)

At Elizabeth Leach Gallery the late Bonnie Bronson's Pattern Series of wall works have a tremendous zest to them and seeing them with the Mary Henry drawing show across town makes for the best 1 2 ladies kicking ass on a wall combo in years for Portland (Henry's show isn't open on 1st Thursday but if you are making the rounds another day visit both... also why has no curator done a decent exhibition with these two in it, sheesh... obvious stuff often gets missed institutionally around here).

Pattern Series | April 7 - 30
Elizabeth Leach Gallery
417 NW 9th