Imagination is the doorway into mystery. In times of fascism the oppressive mind seeks to close creativity by conjuring fear. Once fear enters, the mind veers into nightmares. All things emerge from imagination. Story is one way to open the door of creativity – through story, we steer our imagination.

With this show entitled “Imaginary Friends” Pomegranate invites us to turn away from the oppression of fear and open to the power of our own imagination. The artist says “Using our imagination is one of the most powerful political actions we can make. Acts of inspiration defeat oppression.  The power of creativity invokes a just world.”

Mae Al-Jiboori presents new work in his exhibition "Settling In". Mae feels an internal shift as a painter, navigating the power of vulnerability, one’s purpose and the emotional dependency within his practice. A desire to challenge himself as an artist, Mae embraces hard hitting self dialogue that conveys his raw honest approach to his work while exploring his love of figurative and gestural works. He invites the viewer to confront the instability of being human.

Across a multitude of cultures and eras, the winter solstice stands out as a recurrent source of meaning. In the Northern Hemisphere, the shortest day of the year represents a turning point, where both astronomical and metaphorical darkness gives way to light. In many cultural traditions, the act of creating light during this period takes on important ritual significance. The concept of rebirth becomes more prominent when faced with the nadir, and the importance of creation is emphasized by these yearly rituals.

Following an annual holiday tradition, Blackfish Gallery is to proud to partner with a local nonprofit for our 3rd annual Holiday Benefit Exhibition. With all proceeds going to the Oregon Food Bank, the Holiday Benefit Exhibition is a way for Blackfish Gallery give back to our local community by helping feed Oregonians in need. Featuring a variety of affordably priced artwork by Blackfish artists, the Holiday Benefit Exhibition is a great way to give back when gift-giving.