Elizabeth Leach Gallery

Another stop on my tour of small galleries and by far, my favorite of all of them. The place itself is not that big. Two rooms and two different exhibits. The back room had a nudes exhibit with some paintings, sketches and photographs including a Matisse sketch which I enjoyed a lot.
The front was the main exhibit. Christopher Rauschenberg, the son of famed artist Robert Rauschenberg (
). Christopher is a photographer and the photos being shown are a series of shots taken at various famous artists studios including Chuck Close and his father. I even notice a bottle that was painted by Roy Lichtenstein in one of the pictures. Really cool view into their worlds and very colorful pictures. This exhibit just opened recently so I believe it will be around for awhile if you get the urge to get over here. It also doesn’t hurt that Christopher Rauschenberg is a Porlander and also founded Blue Sky Photography Gallery, which was my last stop of the day.
Really nice work here and I plan to be back.

Shane McAdams is more than enough reason to check this gallery out RIGHT NOW. His Micro Chasm series is an amazing blend of abstract mixed-​media biological imagery with rustic and familiar landscapes. I love the way the gallery is laid out, and it’s spacious enough to house multiple artists at the same time. If you’re looking to check out some great local & national contemporary art, this is one of your best bets in the Pearl. Very professional and friendly atmosphere.

Of the best art galleries in the Northwest. Elizabeth Leach Gallery is where I go. Recently purchased a couple of MK Guth pieces. Love them. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. I especially enjoy talking with Daniel (the director). If you havent been, you should go. And you should go regularly. Great shows!

The Elizabeth Leach Gallery is one of the top handful of galleries in Portland for serious art collectors. The group of artists represented covers a range of styles. Most are mid career artists with solid resumes. More importantly, the art looks good. They have two major rooms, two simultaneous shows and a large back area. Leach has nurtured a relationship with German artists and created opportunities for her Portland artists to show in Germany. She has also developed personal relationships with Portland’s major collectors.
She has been the early champion of artists who later achieved great international careers, like Dinh Q Le and has been the Portland outlet for prints from the likes of John Baldassari, Donald Judd and Richard Serra. She has hosted spectacular shows in the past by Richard Misrach (who was first brought to Portland by Blue Sky Gallery).
A great gallery and always a great education to see what is showing.

Check out the gorgeous show at this gallery during April 2010. Julia Mangold’s work is refreshing and interesting minimalism.
Kudos to Elizabeth Leach for showing art objects and not only immature conceptual installations.

I enjoyed visiting this gallery on a recent trip to Portland. I collect a lot of art, and try to find the best contemporary galleries around when I travel. This gallery is definitely a high-​caliber place, with excellent work on display. I’m happy to say it is not tourist art, but for serious collectors only.