Must-see art exhibitions in Portland this Jan & Feb 🌟

Everything you need to know about the Portland art scene this January and February

The Latest

Welcome to the January/February newsletter! It’s too late in the month for Happy New Year pleasantries, but too early to welcome the Year of the Fire Horse…let’s get into it.

This weekend is the Portland Fine Print Fair 2026 at the Portland Art Museum. The lineup is incredible, and admission is free on Jan 24 & 25.
Our editor, Ashley Gifford, blends Form & Flavor in a new mini column for the Willamette Week.
We have partnered with our friends at the Portland Art Dealers’ Association to share their member exhibitions.
The Portland Winter Light Festival is returning for its 11th year.
IF, at The Cooley Gallery at Reed College, a group exhibition featuring works by Kristan Kennedy, Sister Corita Kent, and Hilda Morris from the Reed College Art Collection.
Mapping Familiar Territories, Charting New Paths at JSMA at PSU, featuring Michael Boonstra, Enrique Chagoya, Epiphany Couch, Karen Hampton, Colin Ives, Brenda Mallory, Nathalie Miebach, Tatiana Parcero, Rick Silva, Rirkrit Tiravanija, and Clarissa Tossin.

The Center for Contemporary Art and Culture

We are thrilled to be partnering with The Center for Contemporary Art and Culture at the Pacific Northwest College of Art to share what they have upcoming throughout the Spring semester.

Feb 5, 5-8 pm - First Thursday: Astral Bodies, Emily Counts Exhibition Opening & Portland Winter Lights Festival event
Feb 6, 6-8 pm - Portland Winter Light Fest/PNCA Projection Project
Feb 10, 6:30 pm - Design Lecture Series: Olivia Johnson
Feb 18, 6 pm - Artist Lecture: Emily Counts

House of Art and Craft

Shout to our friends at the House of Art and Craft! H.A.C. offers fun and engaging art workshops, including enamel and beading classes. All materials included in the class fee, check out their offerings online.

Friendly reminder that we always accept submissions on a rolling basis. If you love what we do, consider supporting us on Patreon. Learn more about an exhibition by clicking on the photo thumbnail. If you get directed to our Instagram stay tuned for a future post.

This month’s song choice is Subterranean Desire · Oppenheimer Analysis

On View

Sculpted Light, Dan Flavin, Peter Gronquist, Fabiola Menchelli, Gregg Renfrow, Hap Tivey at Elizabeth Leach Gallery, until Feb 28. Opening reception First Thursday: Feb 5, 5:30-7 pm.

Elizabeth Knight, Give a Girl a Dog at PDX Contemporary Art, until Jan 31.

Wes Mills, Drift Fence at PDX Contemporary Art, until Jan 31.

What’s Not to Love: Portraits and Reflections at the Jordan Schnitzer Collection, until Feb 28.

Deer Diary, Lauren Grabelle at Blue Sky Gallery, until Jan 31.

Escaramuza, the Poetics of Home by Constance Jaeggi, Angelina Sáenz, and ire’ne lara silva at Blue Sky Gallery, until Jan 31.

Domestic Topographies, Colin Kippen at Well Well Projects, until Feb 1.

Holding Me, Holding You, Pamela Hadley at Carnation Contemporary, until Feb 1.

This-Worldly by Sharon Servilio at MHCC Visual Arts Gallery, until Jan 29.

Mapping Familiar Territories, Charting New Paths at Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at PSU, Jan 20 - April 25. Opening reception: Thursday, Jan 29, 5-7 pm.

Of Earth and Sky, a group exhibition at Waterstone Gallery, until Feb 1.

Thanatopsis: A Meditation on Grief, Death and Transition, Shelley Chamberlin, Marne Lucas & Dardinelle Troen at Paragon Arts Gallery, until Feb 15.

Third Angle will present an immersive performance of Steve Reich’s Counterpoint Series at experimental gallery Hopscotch. One night only on Jan 29 from 6-9 p.m. with timed entry every 15 min.

Pictures of You, a self-portrait group show guest curated by Ryan Bubnis, at The Purple Door Gallery, Jan 16 - Feb 15.

Color Coded, A Juried Exhibition at Gallery 114, until Jan 31.

Ten Parts, New work by Benjamin Terrell at Heiken Gallery at Word Virus Books until Feb 28.

Now What Remains: A Portland Collage Exhibition at Alberta Street Gallery, from Jan 29 - Feb 23. Opening reception Thursday, Jan 29, 6-9 pm.

Billboards, Charlie Salas-Humara at Nationale until Feb 15.

Alexandra Boyden, Treelines at Laura Vincent Design & Gallery, until Feb 28.

Upcoming

D.E. May, Notes, Notes, Notes, Feb 4-28.

Emily Counts, Astral Bodies, at The Center for Contemporary Art and Culture, Feb 5 - March 21. Opening reception: Feb 5, 5-8 pm.

Songs for the Synthetic Dawn, Hannah Newman at Mount Hood Community College Visual Arts Gallery, Feb 2-26. Opening reception: Thursday, February 6, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm.

Portland Winter Lights Festival, Feb 6-14.

Anchor Sites Open: February 6 & 7 and February 13 & 14 from 6-10 pm at Pioneer Courthouse Square, World Trade Center Plaza, and Electric Blocks.

Additional major installation sites include PSU, Director Park, Waterfront Park, Ankeny Alley, and Old Town.

Palimpsests: Layered Surfaces, at Waterstone Gallery, Feb 4- March 1.

LOST LAKE, Chris Lael Larson at Carnation Contemporary, Feb 7 – March 1. Opening reception: Saturday, Feb 7, 5–8 pm.

simple knots, Jeremy Le Grand at Well Well Projects, Feb 7 - March 1. Opening Reception: Saturday, Feb 7 from 5–8 pm

FIGURE | GROUND at Gallery X at ADX, Feb 6-28. Opening reception First Friday, Feb 6, 5-9 pm. Gallery hours with the artist include Feb 7, 13, 14, and 28 from 3-7 pm.

First Look: The New Artists of Gallery 114, at Gallery 114 from Feb 5–28. Opening Reception: First Thursday, Feb 5, 5–8 pm. Artist Meet & Greet + Q&A; Sat, Feb 21, 2-4 pm.

Help us do more of what you love!

Help us start off strong this year by becoming a Supporting Member! Members provide us with the sustainable support that we need.

Whether you are affiliated with an art space or just appreciate what we do, help us do what we do best: sharing must-see art exhibitions, events, and more in Portland & The Greater Pacific Northwest.

Prices are increasing in March 2026, so join with an annual memebership now + save 10%. New and existing members who renew annually will receive a free sticker and notebook this month!

Community - $7/month
Enthusiast - $25/month
Seeker - $50/month
Partner - $50/month

Want to make a one-time donation?! Show us some love, buy us a coffee, etc., on PayPal or Venmo!

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Work with Us

Alongside sharing our art experiences & editorial selections, we want to help promote your exhibitions, events, lectures, open studios, classes, et al! Contributions from your submission help us maintain our platform and share what’s actually happening, help us continue to be your on-the-ground, dependable, local art resource.

Learn more

Don’t miss out

Neural-Lithic Harvests, by Hannah Newman at North View Gallery, until Jan 28.

The Wandering Womb, Isabelle Albuquerque and Louise Bourgeois at lumber room, until Jan 31.

Measured, New work by Dan Gluibizzi, David Schell, and Benjamin Terrell at One Wall Gallery in Eugene, until Jan 31.

A Larger Reality: Ursula K. Le Guin at Oregon Contemporary, until Feb 8.

Cara Levin, Without End: Recent Work on Grief at OJMCHE until May 31.

Support Art & About

As always, we hope our Newsletter encourages you to explore the vibrant art scene here in Portland and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Thank you for reading! xo