UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS
THIS MONTHS NEWS
Exhibition Preview
and
Artist Talk
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Christopher Shotola-Hardt
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Shotola-Hardt will discuss his current Blackfisht exhibition, Stanzas. Exhibition preview opens at 6 PM. Artist talk begins at 6:30 PM. ​
Sanctified Iranian Ground Jay, 2026 Gouache and acrylic on paper 9.5” x 7”
Designing a Painting:
in conversation with
Paula Bullwinkel
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October 24, 2pm at Blackfish Gallery
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Bullwinkel will discuss her current Blackfish exhibition with an emphasis on her design process. The artist talk is a collaborative event with ADX Fest 2026.​
The Gorgeous Nothings detail (bottom half), 2026
Oil on canvas 48" x 36"
In Concert
Olivia Awbrey and
Bug Toast​
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October 24, 7:30pm (doors open 7pm) at Blackfish Gallery $10
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OLIVIA AWBREY
An old-world songwriter with a penchant for a good story and modern interpretations of traditional folk. Olivia’s musical approach is both nostalgic and forward-looking, bringing history, the natural world, and the human experience to every listener’s doorstep. She has been supported by the Regional Arts & Culture Council in Portland, the Oregon Arts Commission, The GRAMMY Foundation, and more. Olivia tours throughout the Pacific Northwest and the UK. Her new EP will be released in 2027.
Olivia will be joined by MARGARET WEHR (she/her/they) is a Portland-based singer-songwriter, vocalist, bassist, violinist, and member of queer folk band, Lo Pony. Known for her love of harmonies and ability to blend with any voice, Margaret has worked with over 90 artists in the past two decades, including artists like Chris Pureka, Anna Tivel, Sleater-Kinney, Y La Bamba, MAITA, Jacob Miller, Alexis Mahler, Moorea Masa, Isabeau Waia’u Walker, EL VY, Haley Johnsen, and more.
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BUG TOAST
Forget musical labels—Bug Toast has happily misplaced them. This genre-defying chamber folk ensemble—formed by two musical families—blends the talents of Christopher Shotola-Hardt (Blackfish Gallery artist), Mark Andrews, Susanne Shotola-Hardt, Dave Andrews, Adrian Hardt, and Julian Andrews in an eclectic mix of bouzouki, accordion, guitars, bass, violin, and synthesizers. The result is an irresistible fusion of folk and world music, progressive rock, and art pop. Bug Toast's new album "Just Around the Bend" will be released in 2027.
Memorial for Stephan Soihl ​
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October 25, 2pm at Blackfish Gallery
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In Memoriam presents the creative breadth and ingenuity of Stephan Soihl (1942 - 2026) through an exhibition of the Blackfish Gallery founding member’s most critically significant work. Giving viewers a glimpse into Soihl’s immense artistic life, the exhibition presents a curated selection of his watercolor monoprints, kinetic sculptures, and cast resin pieces. ​
Glacier Lily and Shooting Star, 2003 Etching, and watercolor monoprint 18” x 14.25”
Book Signing:
The Hallie Ford Museum of Art: A History
By John Olbrantz
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John Olbranz, former Director of the Hallie Ford Museum of Art
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October 31, 2pm at Blackfish Gallery
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Although the Hallie Ford Museum of Art is among the youngest academic museums of art on the West Coast, its history can be traced back to the founding of Willamette University in 1842. Over the past two centuries, a number of colorful characters have played important roles in its growth and development, from Methodist missionaries, early art teachers, German spies, French generals, and RAF pilots to gifted scholars, talented artists, eccentric collectors, visionary donors, and a dedicated, hardworking staff. For the first time, its history and story is told in a forthcoming book, The Hallie Ford Museum of Art: A History, by founding director John Olbrantz.​
OPEN CALL
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We invite greater Portland-based artists to submit to Queer Spirit, an in-person exhibition at Blackfish Gallery celebrating resilience, belonging, and radical imagination through work that engages queer identity, community, and lived experience. We welcome LGBTQIA+ artists, as well as artists of all backgrounds whose practice explores these themes.
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Instructions, important dates, and submission requirements can be found in the link below:
BLACKFISHERS
OUT AND ABOUT
See what Blackfish Artists
are up to this month...