PLACES TO GO, PEOPLE TO SEE – PORTLAND | FEBRUARY 2008 Edition

A quick word from the Curator: Happy February! If you’ve ever been to the gallery on a First Thursday, then you know that Sequential Art is operated by a large crew of dedicated (and brilliant) volunteers. I would’ve gone completely round the bend were it not for all of their efforts. Seriously. So, as we move forward in 2008, these volunteers are taking over the gallery, i.e. curating shows, working with artists, reviewing submissions, etc. Case in point, the Places To Go, People To See e-letter you’re reading now. I’ve asked Christina “Blue” Crow to take the reins, and I think she’s off to a smashing start. But don’t just take my word for it. Let her tell you what’s going on. Take it away, Blue.

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Blue here and oh, my are there some places to go and people to see for us lovely Portlanders this month! February has a few great events happening, not all to do with that icky thing called love either! Or at least, not unless you want them to. If you’re at all like me, you’ve been torn about love lately, so maybe one of these fun events will put that spark back into your dying relationship or help you start up a new flame.

NOTABLE MENTIONS

1. 100 Bones at Breeze Block @ Breeze Block Gallery, 1011 NE Alberta #BSorry if you didn’t hear about this show’s opening reception last night (January 31st), but don’t miss checking out the show, it’s up for most of February. Breeze has got 12 amazing artists and all the pieces in this show are under $100. Did you know that art is way better than chocolates? February 14th is just around the corner..See website for open hours, FREE, All Ages, www.breezeblockgallery.com
2. The 3rd Annual Love Show @ Launch Pad Gallery, 534 SE Oak St.From press release: “Work by over 100 artists, all responding to the ineffable force of love.. In our third annual salon-style open-call group show about love taking place this February we aim to create a visual dialogue about love in it’s many incarnations and interpretations, be it self love, sorrow, lust, confusion, hope, bitterness, gentleness, deception, romance, imagination, jealousy, true love, young love, love lost, parental, filial, adversarial love, the surrounding abundance of love or love as the unknown….” Show runs until February 29th. Basically, I feel like this show is a little therapy session for your heart and I’m sure we could all use a bit of that. Everett Station Loft residents Melissa Armstrong & Anna Todaro are in this show, so show your love by going to view theirs.6:00pm-10:00pm, FREE, All Ages, www.launchpadgallery.org
3. “Fellow Travelers” be Mark Thompson @ Q Center, 69 SE Taylor AveFrom press release: “A collection of 14 stunning black & white images of gay liberation pioneers taken by Mark Thompson, one of the foremost chroniclers of the movement. Thompson is best known for his influential trilogy of books dealing with gay spirituality: “Gay Spirit” (White Crane Books), “Gay Body”, and “Gay Soul”. This show has exhibited at the LA Gay &Lesbian Center, the NewYork Gay $ Lesbian Center, the Los Angeles Episcopal Cathedral, Philadelphia Gay & Lesbian Center, the San Francisco Public Library and ONE National Gay Archives.” Don’t miss your chance to catch Mark Thompson here in Portland.
   
   See website for open hours, FREE, www.pdxqcenter.org
4. SUPERTRASH @ Bagdad Theater, 3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd
   Presented by Night Gallery & Floating World Comics, Supertrash is an entire weekend of films! All ages welcome for shows before 6:00pm, but after 6pm, shows are 21 and over. From press release: “SUPERTRASH… wild, perverse, sexy, grotesque, beautiful, subversive, disturbing… Movies that combine the power of Art and Trash into a new hybrid of appreciation known as SUPERTRASH.” Films include: Mad Love, Buffalo 66, Big Trouble in Little China, Roadhouse, Return of the Living Dead, Psych Out, Return of the Dragon and more… Friday/Saturday/Sunday schedules..All day Friday, Saturday and Sunday, $5 per show / $15 day pass, www.floatingworldcomics.com

February 01-08

• 02/01 • Wild Wild West @ the Historic Ford Building, 2505 SE 11th Ave
  Group photography exhibition exploring what still fascinates people about the WWW.. First Friday reception, 6pm – 9pm, FREE, www.galleryhomeland.org
• 02/01 • Martin Ontiveros @ Grass Hut Gallery, 811 E Burnside
  New paintings by Martin Ontiveros (sharp, crisp and with golems!) and Ojo Rojo toy release by Gargamel and friends. First Friday reception, 6:00pm-9:00pm, FREE
• 02/01 • Quoting Napoleon @ White Eagle, 836 N. Russell St
  w/ Miriam’s Well; Starts 9:00pm, $6 Cover, www.quotingnapoleon.com
• 02/02 • Chocolatefest @ World Forestry Center, 4033 SW Canyon Rd
  A giant chocolate truffle (an attempt at the world’s largest!), lots of chocolate, free samples. 10:00am-5:00pm, $7 adults and members free, www.worldforestry.org
• 02/02 • Kimya Dawson @ Music Millennium, 3158 E Burnside St.
  Live performance to swell your soul, Kimya Dawson is basically every kind of amazing. I plan to show up early so as not to miss this. 3:00pm, FREE, www.kimyadawson.com
• 02/08 • Alex Steckly @ Local35, 3556 SE Hawthorne Blvd
  Local35 has a new location and Steckly is their first artist. 7:00pm-10:00pm, FREE, www.local35.com
• 02/08 • Professor Gall @ Dante’s, W. 3rd & Burnside
  “A Night of Fantaschtick Music!”, w/ Sterilize Stereo & My Fellow Traveler. 9:30pm, $6 Cover, www.myspace.com/professorgall
  
• 02/09 • World’s Greatest Ghosts @ Artistery, 4315 SE Division
  This is the band you wish you were listening to when you were in high school playing D&D (unless you’re like me and play D&D now, in which case you’ll really, really love this band) playing with Lake and The Online Romance. 8:00pm, FREE, www.myspace.com/worldsgreatestghosts

February 09-15

• 02/10 • Worst Day of the Year Ride @ Lucky Lab Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne
  An 18-mile, group ride through downtown with lots of treats along the way. I’m volunteering for cleanup along the route the next day so I don’t have to pay the steep registration fee, 10:00am-3:00pm, $35 (in store registrations are $30), www.worstdayride.com
• 02/14 • QDoc Movie Showing @ Q Center, 69 SE Taylor
  A screening of Brother Outsider (a must see film biography of Bayard Rustin) as part of the on-going documentary film series at Q Center, 7:30pm-9:30pm, Free, queerdocfest.org
• 02/15 • Persepolis @ Hollywood Theater, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd
  If you haven’t read Persepolis, go to your local comics provider (I prefer Bridge City Comics) or the library and pick up the two volumes (or the new Complete Persepolis) ASAP, then hit the opening night for the amazing film at the Hollywood Theater (I have so much love for the Hollywood Theater). Showtime TBA, $6, www.hollywoodtheatre.org

February 16-22

• 02/18 • Drawing Self-Published Comics @ IPRC, 917 SE Oak St. #218
  Dylan Williams instructs a workshop covering the basics of self-publishing comics, 6:30pm-9:30pm, $25 members / $40 non-members, www.iprc.org
• 02/20 • Memory Marches Fourth @ 23 Sandy Gallery, 623 NE 23rd Ave.
  A slide lecture by Motoya Nakamura, 7:00pm, www.23sandy.com
  

February 23-29

• 02/29 • Imagination @ Hollywood Theater, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd
  Screening of the the film Imagination, watch the ten minute preview on the website, it’s flat out haunting. 8:00pm, $6, albinofawn.com

Have a fantastic February everyone!

Portlandia Prevails… And will love you when it feels like no else does.

- Christina “Blue” Crow

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