On Display: What's happening this month in Portland's galleries

By M. Clarissa Fong

Paul Solevad – Universes Big and Small
Onda Gallery

The floating fractal symbols and shapes in Paul Solevad’s paintings offer small windows into our expansive reality this month at Onda Gallery. Through July 29, Solevad’s work explores the idea of universality and connection as it relates to the greater continuum.
The ongoing permanence of nature, humans and the universe is melded into surrealistic expressionism with Solevad’s most recent work delving into the exploration of nature and form. Series of “Radiolaria,” (single-celled organisms that express the fractal patterns seen on every level of our organic reality) are shaped into meditative mandalas, allowing for contemplation and reflection.
Solevad grew up in Northern California and obtained a BFA in painting from the California Lutheran University in 1992. Since moving to Portland, he has developed his fine art career by displaying and selling his paintings at First and Last Thursday art walk events. Solevad has also provided editorial illustrations for the Willamette Week, The Progressive and other publications.
Onda Gallery is located at 2215 NE Alberta St and is open Tuesday thru Saturday from 11am to 6pm and Sunday from noon to 4pm. For more information, visit ondagallery.com or call 493-1909.

Charmaine Shively – Sun Kissed
B. Rogers Gallery

Charmaine Shively continues to explore the sun kissed calm that resonates from within in hopes that viewers will also feel the same saturated warmth with her second exhibit at B. Rogers Gallery from July 2 to August 2.
Known for her luminous encaustic paintings, Shively brings the audience to a visual nirvana with her densely tinted new work. Colors are fused to the surface by the application of heat—much in the style of medieval earthenware tile—with thickly applied wax, heavy pigmentation and deep rich hues that suggest atmospheres on some distant planet. With aggressive gouges and jabs, Shively evokes emerging horizons to create surreal landscapes.
The artist approaches the canvas without a plan in order to achieve a meditative state of subconscious that expresses itself in paint. Shively’s uncommon approach to encaustic painting helps expose surprise elements that provide beautiful nuances that one might find in nature. Fusing the influences of Georgia O’Keeffe and Mark Rothko, the artist has developed her own unique style with iridescent pigments that have added a new dimension to the work, emitting a subtle glow.
B. Rogers Gallery, located at 734 NE 19th Ave, is open Thursday to Saturday from 11am to 6pm and Sundays from 11am to 5pm. For more information, visit brogersgallery.com or call 225-0210.

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July Gallery Calendar

Feldman Gallery+Project Space (PNCA): Marina Zurkow – Elixir. I & IV (layered video treatments) and Jessica Mein – Cegueira/Deleveled (animated works). July 2–31. 1241 NW Johnson St, 226-4391, pnca.edu/exposure/feldman.

PDX Contemporary Art: Wes Mills – Mondrian’s Forest (new drawings). June 30–August 1. 925 NW Flanders St, 222-0063, pdxcontemporaryart.com.

Beppu-Wiarda Gallery: Lorna Nakell – Flying at Night (multi-media paintings). July 1–31. 319 NW 9th Ave, 241-6460, beppugallery.com.

Gallerie Rene: On The Scene (group show). July 2–31. 207 SW Pine St, 223-1022, gallerierene.com.

Butters Gallery: Jiro Yonezawa (Japanese basket weaving). July 2–August 1. 520 NW Davis St, 544-9171, buttersgallery.org.

Guardino Gallery: Kelly Neidig (paintings) and Shalene Valenzuela (ceramic). May 28–June 23. 2939 NE Alberta St, 281-9048, guardinogallery.com.

23 Sandy Gallery: Chris Haberman – Wonderland. July 3–August 1. 623 NE 23rd Ave, 927-4409, 23sandy.com.

Laura Russo Gallery: Michael Brophy (recent paintings). June 4–27. 805 NW 21st Ave, 226-2754, laurarusso.com.

Museum of Contemporary Craft: Call+Response (group show). Thru October 31. 724 NW Davis St, 223-2654, museumofcontemporarycraft.org.

Bullseye Gallery: Klaus Moje (kiln glass). Thru August 22. 300 NW 13th Ave, 227-0222, bullseyegallery.com.

Studio 2507: Brin Levinson (new paintings). July 3–31. 2507 SE Clinton St, 957-6800, studio2507.com.

Newspace Center for Photography: Dawn Roe and Catharine Stebbins. July 3–August 2. 1632 SE 10th Ave, 963-1935, newspacephoto.org.

Froelick Gallery: Lli Wilburn, Kelly Kievit and Gabriel Manca. July 13–August 29. 714 NW Davis St, 222-1142, froelickgallery.com.

Elizabeth Leach Gallery: Quilts from Gee’s Bend. July 2–August 1. 417 NW 9th Ave, 224-0521, elizabethleach.com.

Talisman Gallery: Noel Barnett and Mary Volm. July 1–30. 1476 NE Alberta St, 284-8800, talismangallery.com.

Augen Gallery: Allen Cox – Small Spaces. July 1–August 1. 716 NW Davis St, 546-5056, augengallery.com.