PNCA Alumni

We were excited to get the news that PNCA - Pacific Northwest College of Art Alexis Neumann MFA'22 and Marie Connor MFA'19 were awarded a $5,000 grant from the Precipice Fund, administered by Portland Institute for Contemporary Art.

Alexis and Marie are working on an exhibition and project that explores all aspects of disability and critically engages with the disability community, Disability Studies, and the larger community. They seek to create a space where disabled artists can speak about disability with their own voice, without the pressure to cater to an audience that seeks a comforting or inspiring message. Amazing!

Read more about their project and the other grant recipients: https://bit.ly/3DQPqFn

Portland Institute for Contemporary Art - PICA

: Artist Gabe Fernandez BFA'99. Fernandez is a Portland-based artist "who uses oil paint to suspend moments of serenity into beautiful, tranquil scenes dappled with mystery" according to an article by "The Stranger".

This piece titled "Pink Pool Slide" came about from a childhood memory of his hometown: "...it belonged to a family that coached little league, and we would hear stories from our friends who were on the team about swimming in this pool and how magical the experience was. I never got this vision out of my mind...". Fernandez goes on to say that he uses his lived memories as a jump-off point to create an environment for his subjects that becomes a "shared idealized visualization".

Learn more about this amazing artist and see even more of his work on his Instagram

: Artist Rhiannon Skye Tafoya MFA'18. Skye Tafoya is an indigenous artist whose tribal heritage and lineage from the eastern band Cherokee and Santa Clara pueblo tribes are continuously present in her work.

This piece titled "selu color study, 9" is a part of her show "My Hands Remind Me of Yours" that was held at the Linfield University Gallery from Oct. 14-Nov.18, 2022. The entire exhibit showcased "works of intricate paper weaving, printmaking, basket weaving, and book making...[inspired by] all of my teachers and all the people that have inspired me".

If you missed Tafoya’s show in the Linfield Gallery much of the same work will be displayed at Oregon State University next year. Read more about the artist and her most recent exhibit here: https://bit.ly/3VCskJA