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Wednesday 12pm - 5pm Thursday 12pm - 5pm Friday 12pm - 5pm Saturday 12pm - 5pm

Blue Sky/Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts

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Blue Sky/Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts

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Blue Sky is a nonprofit photography gallery located in Portland's Pearl District. Admission is free. See blueskygallery.org for current hours.

Founded as the Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts by a group of five young photographers in 1975, Blue Sky became an established venue for local photography. Over the course of three decades, the organization expanded its offerings to include national and international artists, many of whom exhibited at Blue Sky early in their careers. Blue Sky’s special mission continues to be the exhibition of emerging and established artists that exemplify the finest in photographic vision and innovation. As such, Blue Sky has earned the accolade as having “the best record of discovering new photographers of any artists’ space in the country.”

Today, from a 3,700-square-foot facility in Portland’s historic DeSoto Building, Blue Sky presents between 20 and 30 exhibitions annually and offers regular artist talks and programs, all free to the public.

10/16/2026

Meet the juror for the 2027 Pacific Northwest Drawers!

Shana Lopes, PhD (she/her), is a Baker Street Foundation Associate Curator of Photography at SFMOMA. Born and raised in San Francisco, she has curated or co-curated exhibitions such as 𝘚𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴: 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘈 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘜𝘴 𝘈𝘭𝘭: 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘗𝘈, 𝘡𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘦 𝘔𝘶𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘪: 𝘌𝘺𝘦 𝘔𝘦, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘌𝘊𝘈 2024 𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘈𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦: 𝘚𝘍𝘈𝘐 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘈𝘭𝘦𝘫𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘰 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘢: 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴, and the upcoming show 𝘗𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺: 𝘔𝘪𝘬𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘚𝘶𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘻𝘬𝘺 & 𝘗𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦. Over the past fifteen years, she has gained curatorial experience at the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, Arizona, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Submit your work today: https://www.blueskygallery.org/2027-pnwd-call-for-entry

10/16/2026

Blue Sky is now accepting submissions for the 2027 Pacific Northwest Drawers. Photographers from Alaska, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington are welcome to apply. The submission deadline is Fri, 18, 2026 at 10:59 PM (PT). There is no application fee to enter.

Shana Lopes, PhD (she/her), is a Baker Street Foundation Associate Curator of Photography at SFMOMA. Born and raised in San Francisco, she has curated or co-curated exhibitions such as 𝘚𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴: 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘈 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘜𝘴 𝘈𝘭𝘭: 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘗𝘈, 𝘡𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘦 𝘔𝘶𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘪: 𝘌𝘺𝘦 𝘔𝘦, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘌𝘊𝘈 2024 𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘈𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦: 𝘚𝘍𝘈𝘐 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘈𝘭𝘦𝘫𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘰 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘢: 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴, and the upcoming show 𝘗𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺: 𝘔𝘪𝘬𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘚𝘶𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘻𝘬𝘺 & 𝘗𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦. Over the past fifteen years, she has gained curatorial experience at the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, Arizona, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Blue Sky is celebrating twenty years of the Pacific Northwest Drawers program! Established in 2007, the program showcases regional contemporary photographers through an annual juried exhibition. Selected work can be viewed in the flat files for a full year at the gallery, or digitally on the Blue Sky website. All selected work will remain a part of the Blue Sky digital archive indefinitely.

Hit the link below to learn more and apply.
https://www.blueskygallery.org/2027-pnwd-call-for-entry

10/15/2026

The 2026 Blue Sky Members Show features work from our beloved members from near and far. It is not only a unique opportunity to discover Blue Sky members’ photographic talent, but also our way of thanking you for your continuous support. Missed this year’s opportunity to submit? Become a member today and stay tuned for the open call for 2027!

Come visit Blue Sky this month to check out the 2026 Members Show on the Community Wall, our regular hours are Wednesday to Saturday from 12 to 5 PM.

Featured work:
Image 1: Roch Craford, “Michael”, 2019
Image 2: Colin Fox, “Setting a good example”, 2026
Image 3: Steven Ferri, “Portrait of Frida”, 2024
Image 4: Rebecca Johnson, “Two Ways of Bowing”, 2026
Image 5: Samantha Kasprowicz, “Fine Lines and Wrinkles”, 2024
Image 6: Emma Kisiel, “Ellensburg”, 2021
Image 7: Landry Major with Cash Kasper, “I Am Becoming The Forest”, 2024
Image 8: Rick Martin, “Tulips”, 2025
Image 9: Manuel Lopez, “Awe”, 2026
Image 10: Tse-Wen Tsao, “The Five People I Meet in Heaven”, 2021

Hit the link below to see all selected work from the show:
https://www.blueskygallery.org/2026-members-show

10/13/2026

Lucy Bohnsack
𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 3 (𝘛𝘰 𝘉𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘏𝘰𝘮𝘦)
2026
8’ x 16’
Inkjet prints on cardboard, aluminum cans, masking tape, hand embroidery, staples

Come visit us Wednesday through Saturday from 12 to 5 PM to see Lucy Bohnsack’s large scale quilt work in her current exhibition, 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦. This exhibition runs through Saturday October 31.

Tap the link below to learn more about the exhibition and watch her artist talk.
https://www.blueskygallery.org/gallery-exhibitions/2026/lucy-bohnsack

10/13/2026

Bootsy Holler
Left:
𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢 - 𝘙𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
2021
6.75” x 5.5” x 1.25” (Object) | 30” x 20” (Print)
Archival inkjet print on metal | Archival inkjet print, PVA

Right:
𝘑𝘢𝘤𝘬 - 𝘊𝘓𝘈𝘚𝘚𝘐𝘍𝘐𝘌𝘋
2020 - 2026
8.25” x 6” x 1.25” (Object) | 30” x 20” (Print)
Archival inkjet print on metal | Archival inkjet prints, button, ink stamp, PVA

Bootsy Holler’s current exhibition, 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥, is on view at Blue Sky through Sat, Oct 31. Visit us Wednesday through Saturday from 12 - 5 PM to experience her work on the Hanford Nuclear Site.

Tap the link below to learn more about the exhibition and watch her artist talk.
https://www.blueskygallery.org/gallery-exhibitions/2026/bootsy-holler

10/09/2026

2026 Pacific Northwest Drawers Feature
Ansley Gwin: 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘸, 2023

“I capture shadows, movements, and secrets I find. The actions I take in uncovering these small secret moments within the natural-like world lead me to ponder feelings about the murkiness of grief for friend and family-kind, and for ecological-kind, together intertwined. From this act can come joy for the beauty of dark decay’s contrast against light’s reflections on water's surface. Using my art practice as a personal survival tactic to navigate things one cannot understand, my many processes become a spark that initiates the flame to create. This fire begins to engulf every step of making and transforming an experience into an object.
I am awakened by the drive to explore the small mysteries of being with the natural-like world and bury my mind in the depths of its varied textures, subtle movements, surprising sounds, and unexplainable vastness. My process starts here, with the experience of an interaction with organic matter, natural beings, vast bodies of water, a crevice carved by spring, a red fox sighted on a beach.”

Check out Ansley Gwin’s available prints in the gallery or on our website
https://www.blueskygallery.org/2026-pacific-northwest-drawers/ansley-gwin

10/09/2026

2026 Pacific Northwest Drawers Feature
Rosie Gurnee: 𝘌𝘷𝘢, 2025

“Dearly beloved friends, occasional and long-time lovers, unknown strangers, and foreign guests- all hosts and inhabitants of these beds. The photos span the last year; most beds I slept in for at least one night. Packing to leave a hotel room I admired the linens I knew were laboriously bleached and ironed. Later I'd learn to love hanging them on the line and to hate folding the corners neatly in hostels and vacation rentals. Sitting on a mutual friends' resold furniture I can hear my friend's stream of laughter flow in chorus with my own. I remember my lovers most deeply of course, the pang is a heavy blend of lust and loss. Black & White film transfixes these feelings in a chemical process which continuously astounds me. I have a love affair with the medium. The medium does not reciprocate my feelings. Using film scans is my way of incorporating this dynamic, it's one that I feel hangs over many beds. My previous work has explored feminine rage and divinity, intimacy with strangers, and of course your run-of-the-mill snapshot diary: a silver-gelatin testament to the people and places who've touched me and to my mother's dutiful scrapbooking.”

Check out Rosie Gurnee’s available prints in the gallery or on our website
https://www.blueskygallery.org/2026-pacific-northwest-drawers/rosie-gurnee

10/08/2026

Missed Bootsy Holler and Lucy Bohnsack’s artist talks in person? The recordings are now available on our website and YouTube channel! Head over to www.blueskygallery.org to catch the conversations and hear more about their work.

Bootsy Holler’s 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 and Lucy Bohnsack’s 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 are on view at Blue Sky through Sat, Oct 31. Come experience their incredible work in person!

Regular gallery hours: Wed - Sat, 12 – 5 PM.

10/07/2026

A big thank you to all who joined our First Thursday Opening to celebrate the opening of October exhibitions!

Bootsy Holler’s 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥, Lucy Bohnsack’s 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦, and 2026 Blue Sky Members Show are on view at Blue Sky through Sat, Oct 1. Visit us Wed - Sat, 12 - 5 PM to experience their incredible work in person.

Visit blueskygallery.org to learn more about the current exhibitions.

10/02/2026

Tomorrow! Join us in the gallery for an afternoon with our October artists Bootsy Holler and Lucy Bohnsack. Bootsy will deliver an artist talk at 2 PM, followed by Lucy’s talk at 3:30 PM. We look forward to seeing you!

Their exhibitions are on view through Sat, Oct 31. Our normal gallery hours are Wed - Sat, 12 - 5 PM.

Visit blueskygallery.org to learn more about their exhibitions.

Address

122 NW 8th Avenue
Portland, OR
97209

Opening Hours

Wednesday	12pm - 5pm
Thursday	12pm - 5pm
Friday	12pm - 5pm
Saturday	12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+15032250210

Website

http://www.blueskygallery.org/

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