Studio Art Direct Goes Pop Up in Portland

Portland, OR, July 29, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The first art event, called Interpretative Landscapes (Oregon’s 150th) will encompass a city block in Portland’s trendy Pearl District. The art exhibition will feature six of Studio Art Direct’s best selling landscape painters. The event is in celebration of Oregon’s 150th birthday and will showcase the State’s natural beauty through abstract paintings. With help of curator and show organizer, Janelle Fendall Baglien, president of Studio Art Direct, each artist will transform four empty ground-level storefronts into their own temporary art gallery. The impromptu galleries will remain in business for 5 days. An evening art reception party on August 6th will include all of the surrounding Pearl Design Center businesses serving up complimentary food and beverages.

The storefronts have been empty since the downturn. While the recession has brought out the creativity in curators and artists, the pop-up art gallery concept benefits commercial brokers and the community. "We transform a dark and foreboding commercial retail space into an art gallery and swing open the doors for a party. We get to use the space for free. The landlord and surrounding businesses enjoy an evening full of creativity and foot-traffic and the artists make some sales,” says Baglien.

Baglien says that the economic downturn was the reason behind the "pop-up" show idea. “We are a rapidly growing regional online art gallery based in Portland, Oregon. The recession has shuttered traditional galleries and opportunities for show venues are shrinking. Many gallery artists are coming our way. We needed physical space for exhibitions and the pop-up gallery is the perfect platform,” says Baglien.

Interpretative Landscapes – Oregon’s 150th
Reception Party: August 6th (First Thursday in the Pearl District)
5:00pm – 9:00pm
Pearl Design Center - NW Savier St. & NW15th (1427 N.W. Raleigh Ave)

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