October 2005

The Oregonian cannot continue to ignore or hold out-of-state accolades against Oregon artists like Matthew Picton, Amanda Wojick, David Eckard, Bruce Conkle, Ellen George, Laura Fritz, Jacqueline Ehlis, Sean Healy, Brendan Clenaghen, TJ Norris and M.K. Guth - all of whom are showing outside the state, often to rave reviews. Look, if the O wants to play the backwards-looking curmudgeon they can, but good luck defending it.

The "we like to fetish our remoteness" shtick only rings true for the old Portland crowd and maybe suburban hausfraus (the Oregonian's core readership?). Portland has grown beyond that self-inflicted inconsequentiality. Now it's better to discuss what level of ambition we wish to aspire to.

Let's remember that all artists are generally taken for granted in their home towns. - Jeff Jahn

December 2002

Some are just paper leaders and cocktail mixers; others are sincere about developing real curatorial/critical chops.

And there are still others, like new guy TJ Norris, whose sound vision gallery at the Everett Station Lofts is the work of a seasoned veteran.

Norris is willing to put his money where his existentialism is. He has a program. The fact is, if you are going to make it as an artist you have to become a decisive aesthetic editor and you have got to outmaneuver others who seek to do similar things.

Take a position and take the time to do it right. - Jeff Jahn