What do Blackfish Gallery, The Muppet Movie and the Walkman have in common?
They all dropped in 1979!
Since then, Blackfish Gallery has been home to over 300 artists including notable regional artists such as Paul Missal, Barbara Black, and Kanetaka Ikeda. Always located in Portland’s Pearl District, Blackfish Gallery has been a perennial presence in the city’s thriving art scene. We are celebrating these decades of community and creativity with a variety of special events throughout 2024.
Please join us!
Upcoming Events
Join us for a special evening of art, community, and good vibes. Since 1979, Blackfish Gallery has had its doors open to the Pearl, to Portland, and to the possibility of creating community through art. We will continue this fine tradition by throwing a fine party—our way of thanking you for being part of our success.
5-8pm (during First Thursday)
PANEL DISCUSSION
Places, Everyone: Life in the Pearl Arts District
June 17, 5:30pm
Delve into the artistic landscape of the Pearl during this panel, spotlighting Blackfish in the Otis Building and other notable historic structures housing vibrant arts organizations including PNCA, the Desoto Building, and Portland Center Stage. The discussion will be followed by a mini-walking tour led by the Architectural Heritage Center to view the featured sites.
PANELISTS: Norm Gholston, moderator & tour guide (Architectural Heritage Center); Isa Ramos (Pacific Northwest College of Art, 511 Federal Building); Chris Rauschenberg (Blue Sky Gallery, Desoto Building); Julie Vigeland (Portland Center Stage champion, the Armory); Alice Christine Walker (Blackfish member, Otis Elevator Building).
Norm Gholston
Isa Ramos
Chris Rauschenberg
Julie Vigeland
Alice Christine Walker
WITH GRATITUDE TO OUR COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS:
PANEL DISCUSSION
Works Well with Others: Cooperative Businesses in the City
September 19, 5pm
Dig into the rich history of collectives in PDX, spanning art, food, and wine, featuring insights from Marc D. Brown, the author of the People’s Food Co-op history.
SPEAKERS: Barbara Black (Blackfish co-founder), Raphael Arar & Marcelo Fontana (Carnation), Jon Gottshall & Jeff Leake (Gallery 114), Marc Brown (People's Food board member, historian and lawyer), Anne Hubatch (Helioterra Wines founder), Barbara Mason (Waterstone co-founder), Amanda Triplett (moderator and co-owner/member of Shift Gallery).
WITH GRATITUDE TO OUR COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS:
Past Events
Looking Back
Founders Group Show
March 6-30
Since 1979, our artist owned and operated gallery has been a hub of the Pearl District art community. The gallery has been home to dozens of artists working in a wide variety of genres, mediums, materials and motifs, "Looking Back" offers an opportunity to celebrate the wide-ranging work of some of Blackfish Gallery’s founding members including Barbara Black, Steve Soihl, Kanetaka Ikeda, and Paul Missal.
Paul Missal — Raven Speaks, 2023, charcoal, graphite, acrylic on paper, 19” x 24”
Robert R. Dozono — War is Not the Answer, oil, garbage/canvas, 60” x 96” x 4”
Kanetaka Ikeda — Parts of Cosmic Tree: Seeds, 2017, mix media assemblage, 10' x 5.5' x 1.5'
PANEL DISCUSSION
Movers, Shakers & Founders: Original Artists Who Made Blackfish Blackfish
March 8, 5-7pm
Join us as Blackfish celebrates 45 years in the Pearl! Come hear first-hand stories of the early days in the Pearl District as it transformed from gravel streets to galleries and eateries. You will learn what it was like for these early Pearl artists as they realized a new vision for an old neighborhood.
Our esteemed panelists include Judy Cooke (Blackfish co-founder), Bruce Guenther (art historian, independent curator and former chief curator of the Portland Art Museum), Paul Missal (Blackfish co-founder & current member), Eddie Reed (current member & moderator), Al Solheim (developer of the Pearl District), and Christy Wyckoff (Blackfish co-founder)
Judy Cooke
Paul Missal
Al Solheim
Bruce Guenther
Eddie Reed
Christy Wyckoff
