First Friday’s July at Stephanie Chefas Projects

The creative spirit lives on here in the NE, printed in bold letters outside the R.J. Templeton Building, “Long live the wildcards, misfits, & dabblers” you might have noticed crossing east via the Burnside Bridge. Traditionally the Central Eastside Industrial area has been a pocket-hub for creative places and spaces for decades. Once home to Disjecta Contemporary Art Center, the E. Burnside Bridgehead / R.J. Templeton building now houses the design firm OMFGCO. With the reemergence of creative spaces and commercial businesses making a presence stronger than ever, First Friday’s in the Central Eastside neighborhood is a great reminder of this neighborhoods creative origins. First Friday’s arts and culture walk provides a great time to gather and explore the evolving neighborhood surrounding the Central  Eastside Industrial neighborhood. Whether you are seeking art, fashion, food, or something free to do with or without the family– there is plenty of creative endeavors to enjoy and celebrate.

Stephanie Chefas Gallery

If you are a fine art lover or sci-fi fan, then make sure to sneak a peak of the Further West exhibition by artist Mako Miyamoto. The Stephanie Chefas Projects will have his work on display until July 29th when Further West and the Kellen Chasuk’s, Summer Staycation exhibitions wrap up. The Stephanie Chefas Projects is located in the Urban Row Building  for creative spaces on 3rd avenue. With vaulted ceilings and exposed brick and reclaimed wood, this beautifully lit gallery is an impressive space where you are bound to catch notable and emerging talent, just a quick jaunt from Wayfinder Beer.

Miyamoto’s pixel perfect pieces are striking, The Farm I (pictured below) is a great example of where Wookiee and human coexist in Miyamoto’s alternate reality. The scenes of the isolated Wookiee and female model in the middle of the desert or forest–standing next to an vintage slash futuristic spaceship, look like they could be borrowed from the set of a Tarkovsky’s 1970’s Solaris. These isolated–dystopian settings strum up interesting connections of how something fictional can seem familiar, and how something symbolic to comedic relief can seem serious. See some of Mako Miyamoto’s works below, and go to Stephanie Chefas Projects for more information. 

THE FARM I
photographic print on Moab Lasal Exhibition Archival Luster 300 gsm
16 x 28 inches (18 x 30 inches framed)

THE COAST II
photographic print on Moab Lasal Exhibition Archival Luster 300 gsm
16 x 28 inches (18 x 30 inches framed)

THE SILO I
photographic print on Moab Lasal Exhibition Archival Luster 300 gsm
16 x 28 inches (18 x 30 inches framed)

THE FARM III
photographic print on Moab Lasal Exhibition Archival Luster 300 gsm
16 x 28 inches (18 x 30 inches framed)

THE FIELD I
photographic print on Moab Lasal Exhibition Archival Luster 300 gsm
16 x 28 inches (18 x 30 inches framed)

THE DUPLICATIVE FOREST II
photographic print on Moab Lasal Exhibition Archival Luster 300 gsm
16 x 28 inches (18 x 30 inches framed)

THE WAYSTATION I
photographic print on Moab Lasal Exhibition Archival Luster 300 gsm
16 x 28 inches (18 x 30 inches framed)

THE REST STOP I
photographic print on Moab Lasal Exhibition Archival Luster 300 gsm
16 x 28 inches (18 x 30 inches framed)

Be sure to check out everything the Central Eastside has to offer. See the list below of galleries and vendors we recommend checking out:

Haunt  -811 E Burnside #114, Portland, Oregon 97214

Stephanie Chefas Projects – 305 SE 3rd Ave, Portland, OR 97214

Black Box Gallery – 811 E Burnside St #212, Portland, OR 97214

Seven Sisters – 811 E Burnside, #110, Portland, OR 97214