A quick Whisper! of a shout out to 3 female entrepreneurs that shape the Portland Metro art scene and make it stick!
The benefit of art in any community runs so deep that we may take it as a given and forget to honor the heroines and shapers of this steady undercurrent and source of creative richness. As I pivot (again) as a Curator and Gallery Owner, I want to first stop to smell the roses, or the roses personified... and pay homage to 3 game changers; they are the glue!
These rose city visionaries bloom season after season and fill Portland with immeasurable beauty and inspiration...they are the space makers, literally and figuratively:
DONNA GUARDINO, Founder/Owner/Curator
Guardino Gallery
Donna Guardino has been setting the pace and humming the chorus for
the Portland art scene for decades. She has impeccable taste and curates so fluidly that she makes it look easy (it is not easy). Her vision has created a mecca for art enthusiasts and there is something for everyone in her Gallery located on Alberta Street. Ceramic and sculptural works of all shapes and sizes are expertly displayed in all available nooks and crannies...and her wall displays hit all the right notes with monthly featured exhibitions. Donna Guardino and her right-hand aficionado, Gail Owen are as good as it gets! Don't miss any chance to visit this dynamic gallery that is a Portland staple!
Daria Loi, Founder/Owner/Curator
Imperfecta Art Gallery
Formidable powerhouse, Daria Loi is new on the scene with a lovely small gallery in the hamlet of Oregon City. The gallery may have a small footprint, but Daria's sophistication, reach, and vision echo far and wide. She exhibits local talent as well as international artists. Daria hails from Italy and brings a wealth of knowledge, sophistication and still makes everyone feel like her top priority! Well worth the short drive to our lovely neighbor Oregon City.
Kimberly Kent,
Art Broker, Curator, Gallerist
Kimberly Kent is retired now but her impact on the regional art scene can still be felt in the corridors of hospitals, businesses, non-profits, apartment complexes and beyond. She has been curating and supplying art to the rose city for over 25 years. She has matched hundreds of clients with hundreds of artists, creating the type of momentum that makes Portland a sustainable place for artists to live and thrive.
I am so grateful that my new gallery space is housed in Kimberly Kent's building where decades of creative energy and successful connections transpired. There is something magical about this space where the enduring legacy of an inspired art advocate can still be felt.
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